The Scorpio magic still endures

It was truly the takeoff brand for Mahindra & Mahindra in the SUV space and continues to be relevant a good 12 years after its debut. At that point in time, the company had earmarked (what was then considered) a mind-boggling sum of ₹550 crore for the project.

The Scorpio had to succeed and it sure did as customers made a beeline for this new offering in 2002. As a result, there was a surge of confidence in the M&M ecosystem which led the company to launch more products such as the Xylo, Quanto and the XUV500. Yet, the Scorpio remains the most enduring brand even today.

“The best global brands are formed when you let your hearts hold sway,” Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director, said at the launch of the new generation Scorpio on Thursday. He recalled the time Pawan Goenka, Executive Director and also known as the father of the Scorpio, asked him to look at a prototype during the early days. “I hugged Pawan spontaneously,” he added.

The Scorpio, according to Mahindra, is like the birth of a new child which grows and continues to entertain. “We prod a child to improve and this is what we did with the Scorpio. A brand becomes enduring when the family grows and we want our customers to be the family,” he said.

The company has spent ₹250 crore on the Scorpio of which ₹150 crore has gone into the vehicle and the balance ₹100 crore on an all-new platform. “We have had the 2006 and 2009 refreshes for the Scorpio but this is the first time we have changed the platform,” Goenka said.

And even while monocoques and compact SUVs are booming in the market, M&M is categorical that it will not ignore the basic SUV segment. “This is a full-blooded SUV which is eventually a driver’s vehicle. Its overall look and stability are its USPs and we do not want to tinker with anything that would affect its basic strengths,” he added.

The fact that it continues to be such an enduring brand is clearly music to the top management’s ears. The Bolero is the highest selling model but the Scorpio remains the most iconic. “I know people in Mumbai who are on their 5th Scorpio which speaks volumes about the brand,” Goenka said. Perhaps this has to do with an emotional connect which still continues over a decade since it was first launched. The design then was contemporary and aggressive. Great engine power and an attractive price helped the Scorpio hit the sweet spot in the market.

“From our point of view, it is just not about sales but the brand and its ability to endure. The Scorpio is in a brand of its own with a special standing,” Goenka said. The styling for the new offering, according to him, is much more aggressive which also reflects the company’s growing confidence over the years as a specialist SUV maker.

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