Scoop! Mini Xylo caught with minimal camouflage, launch details revealed

2012 – 2013 will be the years that will mark the debut of an array of compact crossovers that aim to make life difficult for the mid-size sedans. The Renault Duster is already here but the car that will shake up the price brackets is the upcoming mini-Xylo. The Xylo based compact crossover has been caught on test quite a few times in the last couple of years, but the fresh batch of spy shots that we have here reveal the test mule with minimal camouflage. OnCars reader Vikram Konduskar caught the mini Xylo test mule on the Pune-Mumbai expressway. He wanted us to note that the section of the road where he caught the test mule on camera is particularly bumpy – and the test mule seemed quite stable even at speeds above 100 km/h. 

As can be seen in the photos, the test mule wears minimal camouflage and reveals most of the body-lines and design details. The shape of the headlights is similar to what you see on the current Xylo and as we revealed in the last batch of photos, the detailing on the headlights in similar to one seen on the Xylo facelift. The grille however, is similar to the one that was seen on the last generation Xylo. 

The side profile shows the straight-ish shoulder-line and the side steps. The side-mounted turn blinkers find their way above the front wheel arches and not on the ORVMs. Like the Xylo, the glasshouse is large and should aid in making the cabin feel roomier. The roof also has the sleek roof-rails similar in design to what you see on the Xylo facelift. 

The highlight of the tailgate is the boot-lid mounted spare wheel. As we revealed earlier, the design of the spare-wheel cover is similar to the one on the Bolero. However, as you can see in these photos, the cover wears the Mahindra emblem. The boot-lid will get a conventional door-handle unlike the funky one seen on the Ford EcoSport concept. The rear bumpers have additional angular sculpting and also bear the reversing lights and fog-lamps. The taillights are mounted on either sides of the windshield and will get a boxy design. 

Other exclusive info that was revealed to us by our sources close to Mahindra is about the launch of the mini Xylo. Mahindra is planning on launching the Xylo based compact crossover in India in September 2012 and the promotional activities are expected to begin next month. We are being told that the target price bracket for the mini Xylo is between Rs 4.5-lakh to 8-lakh. The oily bits are still hidden away under the hood as speculations point at both – a three-cylinder diesel engine based on the mHawk platform and also the K9K diesel engine that powers the Renault Duster.