Shark attack! Mahindra’s U321 MPV that will soon take on the likes of the Toyota Innova Crysta on Indian roads now has a name, and it’s inspired by a shark.
Guess what? The Mahindra U321, the world’s only vehicle to feature a front-wheel drive system working in conjunction with an old school ladder frame, now has a name – Marazzo. In case you’re wondering what it means, it is Basque for shark. Which is appropriate because the design of this vehicle that was jointly done by Pininfarina in Italy and the Mahindra Design Centre in India is inspired by a shark’s athletic form. As a matter of fact, the teaser images released by the company certainly show individual elements of design, like the tail lamps and the grille, bearing resemblance to shark bits. Engineering of the vehicle is jointly done by Mahindra North American Technical Centre and Mahindra research Valley in Chennai. Mahindra says that the vehicle will have the largest footprint for a Mahindra passenger vehicle and will offer a fine balance between ride and handling. The vehicle also promises to be roomy on the inside.
Powering the Marazzo will be a new 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine that makes 121bhp and 300Nm of peak torque. The engine will have a lighter cylinder head, lightweight cam cover, sound proofing materials and intake manifold which should result in fewer vibrations, says Mahindra.
The Marazzo, which will be manufactured at the Mahindra plant in Nashik, will be available in both seven and eight-seater configurations when it is launched by the end of Q2 of FY 2019. While its primar y rival will be the Toyota Innova Crysta, it is likely that Mahindra will position this a s a great option between the Maruti Suzuki Er tiga and the reigning king of MPVs.
