The Mahindra Alturas will launch on 24 November. Ahead of the vehicle's introduction in the market, several dealerships have advertised bookings and test drives of the flagship model on their social pages.
Bookings of the new flagship model are open for INR 50,000. The new SUV is expected to have a starting price of around INR 24 lakh. It will be assembled from CKD kits imported from Ssangyong, South Korea. That said, the manufacturer insists that Alturas 'will compete with players that operate in the Rs.30+ Lakhs (Ex-Showroom) price range.
The company has not entirely dropped the alpha-numeric nomenclature system. Alturas means 'heights' in Portuguese. As per the company, its latest SUV suits those who 'have reached the pinnacle of success in their lives.'
The Mahindra Alturas will be available in two variants - 2WD AT and 4WD AT. The latter will offer three driving modes - 4-wheel drive low, 2-wheel high and 4-wheel high. Both the versions will be powered by the 2.2-litre e-XDi turbo-diesel engine that outputs 180.5 bhp and 450 Nm, and feature a Mercedes-sourced 7-speed automatic transmission. Manual transmission option won't be on offer.
Aesthetically, the Mahindra Alturas mirrors the G4 Ssangyong Rexton in no small extent. The disparity is only in the grille, badges, and alloy wheels. The company reveals that the new model will be available in five colour options - New Pearl White, Napoli Black, Lakeside Brown, Dsat Silver and Regal Blue.
The company insists that the SUV model will offer 'unmatched safety.' Its donor, the G4 Ssangyong Rexton, is the first-ever passenger vehicle to boast a quad-frame body structure with 63% 1.5Gpa-grade high-strength steel. Safety features for its Indian counterpart should include electric parking brake, ABS with EBD, nine airbags, hill assist control, and traction control.