We got a close-up look at Mahindra and Mahindra's Scorpio hybrid SUV at the SAE Congress in April. If you're interested in the company and just why and how an Indian hybrid jumped off of the sketchpad and is now poised to enter the U.S. market in 2010, spend some time over at BusinessWorld. Designed by a young rookie engineer back in 1996, the SUV helped rebrand Mahindra and Mahindra into a company that wants to be a major automaker. Automotive News' Lindsay Chappell said bringing the four-cylinder diesel vehicles to the U.S. is a gamble, but there is a "growing curiosity here about small-displacement diesels. There are none here.'' We'll see the first results of how that gamble play out when the non-hybrid conventional 2.2L turbodiesel Scorpio precedes the hybrid in 2009. BusinessWorld says that M&M "expects the Scorpio's fuel-efficient and low-emission engine to win over customers who feel guilty about driving gas-guzzling automobiles, yet want the size and performance of an SUV." Does the Scorpio appeal to you?


[Source: BusinessWorld]

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One nice thing about cars destined for expo floors is the fancy paint they sometimes get. The Mahinrda & Mahindra Scorpio hybrid SUV has been given such a treatment, as we discovered at the SAE World Congress in Detroit today. We'll be sitting down with Mahindra later this week to learn more about the introduction of this full parallel hybrid that uses a 30kW electric motor and a 2.3kWh nickel metal hydride battery and should be on sale in the U.S. in 2010. For now, here's what the SUV looks like. Whaddya think?

Here's a news story so short there's no need to digest it. All we can do is put it in a bit more context. Reuters is reporting that India's Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. will start selling hybrid SUVs in the U.S. When? Don't know. What kind, exactly? No clue. All we know is that Mahindra & Mahindra managing director said earlier today that, "Given the growing opposition to SUVs in the United States, we have a plan to market hybrid SUVs." OK then.

As we've mentioned before, Mahindra has talked about selling vehicles in the States for a few years now. Before today's announcement, the Indian automaker's main plans included new two- and four-door pickups (pictured). Mahindra has also previously said they'll sell the Scorpio SUV in the U.S. starting next year. We'll keep our browsers peeled for more information.

Related:

• Mahindra hopes to offer diesel small trucks, SUVs and sedans in U.S. in '08
• Mahindra Scorpio may offer diesel-electric hybrid when sold in U.S.

[Source: Reuters]