Mahindra S101 and U301 Spied, Looking Production Ready!

The S101 is a hatchback-crossover styled vehicle somewhat on the lines of the Renault Kwid while the U301 is a ladder-frame sub-4m Bolero’s replacement! 

This year will mark a new beginning for the country’s largest utility manufacturer as Mahindra and Mahindra will be launching its first-ever petrol engine with this upcoming S101 (codenamed) vehicle. The U301 (codenamed) is Bolero’s replacement and will target the urban commuters this time. And it will be the most premium Bolero Mahindra has ever made. We have spied both the cars near Nashik, they look production ready and are probably going through the last phase of testing. Speaking of the launch, both S101 and U301 will be launched this year in coming months. 

In terms of design, the U301 looks upmarket compared to the Bolero but retains the classic boxy proportions. It also features Mahindra’s new grille similar to that on the XUV5OO and Scorpio with a honeycomb mesh. The test mule seems to ride on 15-inch radials on 5-spoke twin slat alloys. 

The S101, on the other hand, ditches the cliched Mahindra face and features a sleeker grille along with rounded proportions. The spy shots also reveal that the S101 features a Beat-like rear door handle. And it appears that the vehicle is riding on 14-inch radials on steel rims. 

On the inside, the S101 features a dash-mounted gearbox, might get an extended bench like seats similar to that of the Datsun GO. The U301, on the other hand, will be a more premium offering, expect touchscreen infotainment system, climate control AC, etc. 

Mechanically, in terms of diesel, both the vehicles will be powered by the Mahindra’s 1.5-liter oil burner which is currently pulling the Quanto. The motor generates a healthy 100 bhp and 240 Nm of max twist and like the Quanto, both will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. 

Now, the interesting bit is that, Mahindra will be debuting its first ever petrol engine with the S101, reportedly it is a 3-cylinder 1.2-liter unit produced in-house with inputs from Ssangyong! Moreover, both S101 and U301 will feature an AMT (automated-manual) automatic gearbox.