It follows the termination in April 2010 of the joint venture that had been established by Mahindra & Mahindra and the French manufacturer to build the Logan locally in Nashik.
Under the terms of the restructure, M&M bought out Renault’s 49 percent share in order to fully own the operation, and Logan production has continued in India via a licensing arrangement. However, it was also agreed that the Renault branding would eventually have to disappear.
So, switching to the Mahindra badge comes as no surprise. The Verito model name is meant to allude to honest dependability, as it’s derived from the Latin word ‘veritas’ meaning ‘truth’.
To go with the new name, Mahindra has taken the opportunity to introduce a few cosmetic tweaks. These include the fitment of roof rails, revised fog lights, side cladding and extra chrome decoration at the rear, while the interior gets new upholstery.
Carried over from the Logan are the two engines, both of which are sourced from Renault. Cheapest is the 1.4 MPFI petrol unit, which is priced at Rs. 4.82 lakh for the BS3 version - that’s around £6,560 or €7,380 at today’s exchange rates.
Alternatively, buyers can opt for the 1.5 DCi CRDi diesel. It’s more expensive at Rs. 5.62 lakh (about £7,650 or €8,600), but it does have an ARAI fuel economy rating of 59.4 mpg (4.8 l/100km / 21.03 km/l).
Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief Executive, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said: “The Verito, with its unique value proposition aligns with the Mahindra DNA of offering tough, rugged and sporty vehicles. For the first time, we are using social media platforms to unveil a new product, reflecting alternative thinking. The earlier Logan will continue to get complete service and spares support from us.”
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