Mahindra XUV500 petrol W8 FWD and W10 AWD launched in the UAE
Mahindra seems to have increased its focus on the international markets. The Indian automobile manufacturer recently announced the development of an all-new off-highway vehicle called the Roxor at its Detroit facility, which will go on sale in the US in 2018. And now the company has launched the XUV500 in the UAE market, to tap the booming SUV segment there. What makes it special, the Mahindra XUV500 launched in the UAE is a petrol model and will available in W8 FWD and W10 AWD variants.
The Mahindra XUV500 petrol W8 FWD is priced at AED 75,000 (approx. Rs 13.25 lakh) while the more premium W10 AWD variant is priced at AED 85,000 (approx. Rs 15.01 lakh). The petrol SUV retains the displacement of the diesel motor at 2.2L and makes an identical 140PS/320Nm. This motor will be offered with a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard. Presently, the Mahindra XUV500 is only available with a diesel powertrain in India. However, we believe, Mahindra might look at bringing the petrol XUV500 to the country. The reason being the rivals of the Mahindra XUV500, the Jeep Compass, Renault Captur and the Hyundai Creta, being available with petrol variants. Additionally, with pollution being a prime concern, there is always a probability that higher displacement diesel engines might face a ban in the future as was seen in Delhi-NCR.
While Mahindra has not dropped any hints of bringing the XUV500 petrol to India anytime soon, our best guess is 2018 Auto Expo where the petrol version of the SUV can make it first appearance.