Mahindra’s new scooter will be called Gusto, details revealed

Mahindra has officially revealed that their upcoming scooter codenamed as the G101 will be christened as the Gusto. The scooter will be launched in the northern and western parts of India and in Nepal on September 29th, 2014. In a phased manner, the scooter will be launched in other parts of India and also in South Asia, Latin America and Africa.

The name ‘Gusto’ is derived from the term ‘gust’ which means a strong current of wind. Styling department has been handled by the Indian as well as Italian design team. The Gusto will be powered by an all-new all-aluminium M-TEC engine produced grounds up by Mahindra. The engine features a stronger crankshaft and bearings, high inertia magneto, high energy HT coil and series regulator to deliver better power and fuel efficiency. The engine is a 109.6cc, four-stroke, air-cooled, single-cylinder petrol unit which pumps out 8 BHP of power and 9 Nm of torque mated to a CVT transmission.

The Gusto rides on segment largest 12″ wheels shod with tubeless tyres and gets a telescopic front suspension. It gets 130mm drum brakes at the front and back.

The extensive review on the scooter will be released on 29th September. Till then, we can provide a brief overview of the product which is as follows:

• The newly developed 110cc-class scooter engine has enough pep to scoot around in the city and moderate pace action on the highways. Outright acceleration is at par with the competition and the engine tapers off at ~ 85 kmph.
• Telescopic front suspension coupled with larger 12″ wheels help the scooter glide over rough terrain. Tackling potholes over imperfect terrain wasn’t much of an issue. With a soft compound seat, ride quality is complaint and also, there is enough room for two on the seat.
• Handling is light and the front end is well balanced. There is no bobbing over undulated roads and at speeds, the front end does not feel light either.

With a product which is at par with the competition, the part in which Mahindra needs to work hard on is reaching out to a wider audience. The company needs to ramp up their dealer network to drive in more sales with a product which is potent enough to satisfy customer needs. Compared to earlier Mahindra scooters, which were acquired from the previous companies, such as the Duro and Flyte; the Gusto is a commendable step forward.

Stay tuned for the full report and an extensive photo gallery to be uploaded soon.