Mahindra Scorpio Automatic mHawk 2.2 6-speed SUV launched

M&M unveils India’s first automatic SUV with 6-speed gear box

Mahindra Scorpio mHawk 2.2 automatic launched

Mahindra & Mahindra has launched the popular Scorpio SUV with an automatic transmission. To be priced Rs 85,000 more than the Scorpio with manual transmission, the new vehicle was launched simultaneously in Pune and Bangalore. The company is said to be making the new variant only for the Indian market. There are chances that the new automatic Scorpio version would be exported depending on the demand and other company plans.

Scorpio automatic

The new Scorpio automatic variant comes with a 2.2 litre Hawk engine onboard. The six-speed transmission is completely sealed so that it does not require an oil change for an entire lifetime. The company has also sourced a few of the components for the transmission from abroad. The automatic option is available for the VLS and VLX models. It is priced between Rs. 10.21 lakh and Rs, 10.75 lakh, and is available at dealerships across the country. The new automatic gearbox is made in Australia, and seems to be doing its job well.

So now the grandma in a miniskirt and leather boots wears lipstick too. Pardon me, Scorpio lovers – but my dislike of the Scorpio’s look is so high that I cannot but mention it whenever the name Scorpio comes up.

Not that Scorpio buyers have cared. Everyone from software professionals to real estate agents’ goondas love the Scorpio. And who is one to argue with sales figures?

But as many know, the Scorpio mHawk’s manual transmission was a pain. The automatic six speed transmission gets rid that, thankfully.

The 2.2 liter mHawk engine in the Scorpio produces 120 bhp at 4000 rpm and 29.6 kgm of maximum torque between 1800 and 2800 rpm, and now there is a much better way put all that power on the road. The automatic Scorpio has been reported as a much better vehicle to drive both in traffic and on the highway, and that can only be good news.

The mHawk Scorpio automatic can reach 60 kmph inside of 6 seconds, and touch 100 kmph in 15 seconds – not bad at all. Overtaking on the highway is much easier with the Scorpio automatic, and if you already love the Scorpio, you are going to love the mHawk automatic for sure.

Officially, Mahindra has not announced a price yet, but like we said earlier, prepare to pay around Rs 85,000 over the manual transmission version for the automatic Scorpio.

Automatics are the way to go if you largely drive in the metros. The ease of driving is bound to make you fall in love with any automatic in out crowded metros. If only car manufacturers would be willing to educate the drivers a bit more on the benefits and ease of an automatic, more automatic versions would be sold, thus enabling them to cut prices and make the automatics more affordable. The Scorpio automatic, at least, exposes automatic cars to a larger segment of the populace – and it is a worthy ambassador in that respect.

For those of you who have never been an automatic car or SUV before, here are a couple of interesting features for you. The Scorpio automatic cannot stall in traffic. There is no manual clutch, which means that the car is always in the appropriate gear, and there is no question of inadequate power. Take your foot off the accelerator in traffic, and the car would shift down till its in first gear and crawl along. No shutting down.

Also, like all automatics, it would creep. To get moving in an automatic car, you just have to take your foot off the brake, and it would start moving forward at an ultra slow speed of 2-3 kmph and slowly increase pace. very convenient. In traffic, you just need to use the brake, and not even touch the accelerator.

Also, the Scorpio Automatic does not roll back on inclines, like most automatic vehicles. It may start moving back on very steep inclines, but normally, if you let go of the brake on an incline while going up, it does not roll back and destroy the bumper of the car behind.

Mahindra has lined up plans to take its Scorpio petrol SUV to the US market. Though it has already been known as a major in diesel technology, it has of late been inclined towards petrol. Mahindra is believed to have started work on developing a new breed of petrol engines for the fast growing petrol SUV segment.

We are pretty sure the initial lot of Scorpios for the US market would be an embarrasment – the level of sophistication, in any Scorpio, would be pathetic for such a market. But we hope they get it right in a few years. If there is anything tata Motors has showed us, it is that our companies can be quick at learning new tricks.

A test-drive of the Mahindra Scorpio automatic from BS Motoring

Mahindra Ingenio people-carrier from DWS Auto India

Though the  company feels that sales of SUVs and pick up trucks are seeing a downtrend due to the global slow down as well as high fuel prices, it is said to be in the process of developing a new range of petrol driven vehicles for the global market. Sources said that M&M  is developing a new generation fuel efficient petrol technology for its new global SUV, and for other platforms.