The car in the picture may look like just another Xylo to you, but don’t be fooled. Our friends from Motorbeam report that Mahindra is now working on a 4X4 variant of the Xylo MPV, which was spotted by them on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Ironically, the test-mule was a pre-facelift version of the MPV and was accompanied by the yet to be launched mini-Xylo.
Code-named X-177, the Xylo 4X4 has AWD clearly written on its hub-caps and is fitted with a completely different set of wheels. While speculations are that Mahindra will offer the AWD-option only on the top-end variant, we reckon that an optional base-variant would make it the most-affordable 4X4 in the market.
Nevertheless, keeping the E9 variant in mind, the AWD-Xylo would be equipped with the 2.2 liter m-Hawk engine from the Scorpio that produces 120 BHP of peak power and 280 NM of peak torque.The optional variant may also get a few add-ons such as the hill-decent control, considering nowadays most of the 4X4’s get it.
Mahindra is currently falling short of 4-wheel drive kits, and has thus temporarily paused sales of the AWD-XUV 500. Keeping that in mind, the launch of the AWD-Xylo will only happen once the demand for the AWD-XUV 500 is dealt with. The Xylo 4×4 could be priced by a premium of Rs. 1 lakh higher than the current 4×2 model.
However, we reckon Mahindra would be slightly aggressive with the pricing and would price it within the Rs.12 lakh territory. Expect the 4X4 Xylo to give some serious competition to the Tata Aria, currently the only off-road capable MPV available in the market.
Source: Motorbeam
