Mahindra isn’t very well known in the United States
but that didn’t stop the company from unveiling the new Roxor earlier this
year. The Roxor is billed as a simple and
rugged off-roader that features a boxed steel frame and a traditional steel
body. While it won’t be winning any beauty contests, a handful of Roxors were
recently spotted by Carscoops reader Brett Borgard.
The Jeep-inspired styling is clearly visible but the
model has been equipped with a number of safety features that early Jeep
drivers will surely miss. Key among them are a roll cage and front disc brakes.
Power is provided by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder
diesel engine which produces 62 hp and 195 Nm of
torque. That’s not very much but, since the Roxor isn’t road-legal, it doesn’t
need to be very powerful.
Speaking of less than modern specifications, the
Roxor is offered exclusively with a five-speed manual transmission. This
enables the SUV to hit a top speed of just 72 km/h. On the bright
side, the model averages between 32 and 34 mpg.
The Roxor can also tow up to 1,583 kg but this has a significant downside as Mahindra says the top towing speed is 24.1 km/h. The Roxor will be built in Auburn Hills, Michigan and each
model comes equipped with four-wheel drive and a Dana T-18 transfer case.
Pricing starts at US$ 14,999 and climbs to US$ 18,899 for
the Roxor LE. That’s a bit pricey, considering a Jeep Wrangler starts at US$ 27,495, but the Roxor is intended to compete with models such as the Polaris
General which is priced from US$ 16,299.
