Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) had immense experience in making rugged vehicles and building Willys jeeps, but making a new sports utility vehicle that incorporated the touch of a car signified entering untraveled terrain.
The coffee table book The Legend Of Scorpio (TLOS) by Autocar India relates how M&M made the giant leap in the creation of the Scorpio. Books of this nature tend to be unabashedly self-congratulatory. Autocar's jounalistic prowess has prevented that.
Right at the outset, “TLOS” dwells on M&M's limitations that made ‘Project Scorpio' appear formidable. It talks about how M&M swam against the tide of automotive wisdom and relied almost totally on suppliers.
M&M lay its money on unfancied suppliers. Infected with M&M's enthusiasm for ‘Project Scorpio', these suppliers gave it their best shot. As a result, they made vast strides in their respective businesses. To set up the body shop, M&M chose the Korean company Wooshin, which had not worked on a project of this magnitude. Thankful for the opportunity, Wooshin did the job for 40-45 per cent of the prevailing price. ‘Project Scorpio' proved to be a springboard for the Korean company.
The book has an abundance of pieces on the evolution of the Scorpio from 2002 to now. The models with different engines and options and services are explained with high-resolution images as with words. Other chapters include Scorpio's internationality and its high-adrenaline pursuits.
‘The Road Less Travelled' on travels around the world in Scorpios have attractive images complementing the commentary.
The book is priced at Rs. 700.
