Mahindra & Mahindra is planning an onslaught offerings for the domestic market in the months to follow. The automaker will kick-start its slew of launches with the Marazzo MPV, which will be followed by the S201 subcompact SUV, new generation Thar and the G4 (codename) flagship SUV. The Mahindra G4 though will be the new SsangYong Rexton based SUV for the Indian market and will be arriving in India sometime towards the end of this year or in early 2019.
Speaking to CarAndBike on the sidelines of the Mahindra Marazzo christening event, Veejay Ram Nakra, Senior Vice President - Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra, said that the upcoming G4 Rexton will be the automaker's most expensive offering on sale. Not only will the new model be Mahindra's new flagship, the company also plans to change the buying experience for customers opting for the upcoming new model.
Also Read: New SsangYong Rexton Review
(The new Rexton will be sold via premium zones created for the different buying experience)
While Mahindra won't be going the Maruti Suzuki way by having premium premium dealerships for pricier models, instead the automaker plans to create a separate zone for the G4 Rexton customers at current dealerships. The special zones will come with a completely new service experience, which will be a lot more customer focussed. Expect to see a dedicated customer relationship manager, lounge area and a more virtually enabled space that will allow customers to personalise their vehicles before making the purchase. Moreover, the service experience too is expected to different from that of the regular customers.
It is likely that Mahindra will add more of its premium models to the new special zones in the future. Not only will the automaker be able to address different set of customers under one roof, using its existing dealer base will mean the company will be able to retail its flagship SUV pan India right from day one.
Also Read: Mahindra Continues To Test Its Rexton-Based Premium SUV
(Mahindra is likely to add more upmarket cars under the premium zones in the future)
The Mahindra G4 Rexton was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 earlier this year and the model will be witnessing a big leap in terms of design and equipment levels over its predecessor. We drove the new generation SsangYong Rexton last year in its home market South Korea, and the model coming to India will be identical to the global version. So expect a lot of goodies including the Android Auto system, while power will come from the 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine with 183 bhp on offer. Globally, the new Rexton also comes with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 222 bhp. However, that version is not being considered for India at present. The new Rexton will be taking on a host of rivals in the segment including the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Isuzu MU-X, Volkswagne Tiguan, Skoda Kodiaq and the likes.
Also Read: Mahindra Christens U321 MPV As Marazzo
Meanwhile, Mahindra is gearing up to introduce the new Marazzo MPV around September this year. The new Mahindra Marazzo will be positioned a premium people's mover set to take on the Toyota Innova Crysta and the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. The automaker will be introducing the model with a diesel heart initially, while a petrol engine will be added later.
