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The thrust which Mahindra & Mahindra seems to be lacking since its entry into the utility vehicles segment in India is likely to be acquired with the launch of the all new SCORPIO.
It was all a silent, but salient event in the history of utility vehicles in India. On June 20, 2002, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) launched its first ever, much awaited and most economic Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), Scorpio. Spurred by the failure of its previous launch, the Bolero, which had promised to place M&M in an unassailable position, M&M in its latest move has launched Scorpio to sting its competitors and change its fortunes.
The Scorpio had been in the making for the last six years since 1996. With Rs. 600 crore being spent for the development and launching of this model, this venture is the largest ever initiated by M&M in terms of new venture investments. The Scorpio is all expected to bring a remarkable change in the perception and image of the Mahindra brand and the company in the eyes of its customers. A manufacturing plant spanning over 120 acres, sourcing the best available technology from companies across the globe like Fuji, Durr, Renault and BHER (which have a major presence in India), was set up at Nashik for the production of Scorpio. M&M for the first time, unlike its earlier products, would be targeting the Scorpio to customers of both rural and urban areas hoping to increase its market share from the present 34 percent to 45 percent in the coming three years. M&M had earmarked Rs. 20 crore towards advertising for the Scorpio campaign. Scorpio would be positioned as a utility vehicle with the comfort of a car and the ad campaigns are spearheaded with the tagline `Nothing else would do'. The interesting part of the advertising campaign is that there are no brand ambassadors for Scorpio. Available in both diesel and petrol versions, the Scorpio comes at a cost lesser (about Rs. 50,000 _ Rs. 60,000) than its equivalents like Toyota Qualis and Tata Safari.
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