Mahindra working on two compact SUVs and one MPV

The home-grown auto major, Mahindra & Mahindra, is currently working on a range of new products which includes two compact SUVs and a compact MPV. The company is believed to have been developing all these products in partnership with SsangYong - the South Korean auto company which M&M acquired in 2011. Of the two compact SUVs, the S101 (codename) will take on the likes of Ford EcoSport and the upcoming Maruti XA Alpha, while the second, S102 (codename), would be a more premium product and will compete against Renault's Duster and Nissan's Terrano. However, both are expected to be only five-seaters. (Also read: Upcoming Compact SUVs below Rs 10 lakh)

If reports are to be believed, the S101 will be built on a new monocoque platform, which will also be used for the more premium S102 albeit in a bit of a modified form. Mahindra will aim to price the S101 quite aggressively, so it's natural to expect it to be in the sub-4 metre category which will help it gain the excise duty benefit given to the cars less than 4-metres in length and having engines below or as big as 1.5 litres in volume. The S102, on the other hand, could be a little over 4 metres in length to compete against the larger rivals - Duster and Terrano.

Powering both the SUVs could be the same 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine that powers the Quanto. However, the engine could be tuned as per the need of the hour. Though, we don't have much information on the compact MPV that the company is planning to launch, we believe that the MPV will share its platform and components with the SUVs.

Mahindra & Mahindra is also working on a new turbocharged direct inection 1.0-litre petol engine, which might be fitted in the upcoming compact SUVs. This 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol mill will be Mahindra's answer to Ford's highly-acclaimed 1.0-litre 3-cylinder, EcoBoost petrol engine. This engine will not only help the compact SUVs to deliver more power, but will return a better mileage as well, just like the 1.0-litre EcoBoost.

The Indian automaker is also working on the next-generation Scorpio, which will take its design cues from the company's flagship premium SUV - the XUV500.