THE INDIAN DESI G WAGON - MAHINDRA BOLERO

THE DABANGG SUV

 
The Mahindra Bolero has grown to become India’s No.1 sports utility vehicle. The car has managed to win the hearts of Indians all over the country even with its basic platform. Bolero has been responsible for various innovations over the years and with its high ground clearance, it facilitates driving on rural roads and is well-suited to Indian road conditions. Over the years, with its macho styling and mechanical dependability, the vehicle has managed to win hearts of the urban, as well as the rural populace. So here is a look into the History of Mahindra Bolero.

First Generation (2000- Present)

On August 4th 2000, the first Bolero was launched by Mahindra with a price tag of Rs. 4,98,503 (ex- showroom Mumbai). Bolero was a replacement for the Armada Grand and was the first car to feature an independent front suspension in Mahindra’s portfolio. Under the hood the vehicle featured a 2.5 litre 72.5 bhp diesel engine. On 24th March 2004, MAHINDRA & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) launched an open top utility vehicle named, the Invader based on its Bolero platform, as a replacement for the Classic. By the Year 2004, the company sold over 8800 units.The car went on to become the No.1 SUV in India and captured 20% of the market share with more than 24,800 units sold by 2005

1st Update (2007-2011)

An update for the Bolero with more bolder and stylish look was introduced on 2nd March 2007. The car remained mechanically unchanged and featured completely redesigned exteriors, which prominently included changes to the bumpers, redesigned headlights and taillamp cluster. The car also incorporated vinyl graphics on the bonnet, which also ran alongside the doors. In october 2008, Bolero SLX was launched with Micro-Hybrid technology, which switches the engine off, when not required, hence ensuring lower fuel consumption. This Launch was part of Mahindra’s environment friendly, sustainable mobility solutions initiative, which a year later helped Bolero win the highly coveted TNS “Voice of Customer Award”. A year later, a Bolero VLX(Storm) with CRDe technology was introduced in the market, which was the most powerful Bolero till yet.

2nd Update(2011- Present)

In 2011, Bolero received another aesthetic update, which included new muscular bumpers and a signature front grille with a mesh. In addition to the looks the car also received the new peppy and much more refined m2DiCR engine, which helps the car achieve better fuel efficiency and acceleration, while maintaining dependability and low operating cost of the DI engine. This helped the car sell more than 1 lakh units. The new Bolero came with a much more aggressive stance and macho exterior styling. The interiors of the car received upgrades like a Digital Cluster with Driver Information System (DIS) and a digital Engine Immobilizer, along with an all new stylish dashboard, new wood-finish central console and all-new seats and upholstery wrapped in a dual-tone interior. The car also featured a voice messaging system and carried over the fuel-saving Micro Hybrid technology. Olympic Bronze Medalist and five-time World Boxing Champion MC Mary Kom was felicitated by Mahindra in 2012 and received a Mahindra Bolero.

Mahindra Bolero became the No.1 selling SUV for the 9th year in a row, in 2015 by selling over 1,00,000 units for the 4th consecutive year. Bolero became the 5th largest selling passenger vehicle brand. Bolero mostly ranks in the top 10 selling cars in India today.

THE INDIAN OFFROADER

The Mahindra Bolero is among the most affordable and utilitarian SUVs you can buy in India. First launched in 2000, the Bolero may seem to be a spartan in face of the current competition but it still is true to its core values. That is, provide a cheap and reliable method of transportation to the masses along with being rugged enough to get through all conditions.

No wonder semi-urban and rural areas are responsible for the biggest chunk of sales for Bolero. However, today we bring you a Bolero that has been modified by Track 4×4 Customizations into a radical looking, off ready SUV.

As you see, this Bolero has been extensively worked upon and is miles away from the stock vehicle. It is a far cry from most of the other modified Boleros out there. which either mimic the Jeep Wrangler or the Mercedes-Benz G Wagon in terms of styling. Done in military green, it has a distinctive personality and styling, quite unlike anything we have seen yet on a Bolero. Let’s now delve into more details of what all has been changed on this Bolero.

The whole front fascia has been given a completely new look now. The front bumper has been replaced by a more off road spec one with LED lightening. The grille too now sports a different design with a mesh like design topped by a Jeep logo. The all black grille is flanked by two Mercedes G Wagon styled LED headlights. The Bolero now gets custom black coloured wide fenders that give a butch look to the SUV. Another highlight is its paint job, about which we have already mentioned. The military green shade looks really befitting on this Bolero and is complimented by black inserts here and there.

The sides have mostly been kept stock apart from blacked out door clamps and big Hummer-styled rear view mirrors. Moving on to the rear, the rear bumper has been replaced too by a similar unit as upfront. Built in LED lights in the bumper will provide extra illumination when necessary. The tail lights have also been traded in by new LED units that look good. The Bolero now runs on huge off-road spec tires that give it a menacing look. All in all, we can say that this one here looks quite good without featuring any over the top modification.

This military green Bolero does not try too hard too make its presence felt and neither is too intimidating to look at. However, It does stand out from the crowd of other Boleros on our roads. If you want to own a personal modified Bolero that looks great and won’t break the bank, this is the one for you.

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