Several publications report that the Mahindra-badged G4 Ssangyong Rexton would launch as the Mahindra Inferno. These media outlets have cited trademark registration documents as the source of this information. The new Mahindra flagship will be introduced on 19 November and will rival the best-selling Toyota Fortuner and the second-best Ford Endeavour.
Speaking at the launch of the Marazzo MPV, Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, M&M had revealed that the name for the Mahindra-badged Rexton will be provocative and will 'get people talking'. In conjunction with this, it was recently reported that the Rexton-based flagship SUV will drop the company's alphanumeric nomenclature. With these revelations, it became quite clear that the new model is not the 'XUV700.'
The purported Mahindra Inferno looks almost exactly like the G4 Ssangyong Rexton, with the only disparity coming from the vertically-oriented grille with a Mahindra badge. Powering the new model will be a 2.2-litre e-XDi220 LET turbocharged diesel engine that produces a maximum power of 183 bhp along with a peak torque of 420 Nm. The oil-burner will come mated to a Mercedes-sourced 7-speed automatic gearbox. The SUV will offer a 4WD system with three modes - 4-wheel drive low, 2-wheel high and 4-wheel high.
Internationally, the G4 Ssangyong Rexton is available with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that comes mated to an Aisin-soured 6-speed automatic transmission. This option is unlikely to see considerable offtake among Indian dealers owing to the weak demand for petrol-powered SUVs in this price bracket.
The Mahindra Inferno should be available with most of the safety features that are packed into the G4 Rexton, including an electric parking brake, ABS with EBD, nine airbags, hill assist control, and traction control. The latest generation of the South Korean SUV is claimed to be the world's first passenger vehicle to feature a quad-frame body structure with 63% 1.5Gpa-grade high-strength steel.
