The Mahindra Scorpio, launched in 2002, marked a significant milestone as Mahindra & Mahindra’s first indigenously designed and developed SUV. Its design was a collaboration between Mahindra’s in-house engineering team and AVL (Austria) for engine development, with styling inputs from the renowned design firm Ken Balough. With its lofty posture, vertical grille, and prominent wheel arches, the Scorpio's appearance was bold and tough, indicating its off-road prowess. It had rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options and was constructed on a ladder-frame chassis, which combined strength and durability. A 2.6L turbocharged diesel engine (created in collaboration with AVL) and a 5-speed manual gearbox propelled the car. In order to keep costs down, manufacturing was done at Mahindra's Nashik facility using locally sourced components. The inside included vinyl, fabric upholstery, and injection-moulded plastic accents, while the body panels were mostly composed of stamped steel. With the introduction of the Scorpio, Mahindra's reputation was completely changed, and the business went from making utility vehicles to becoming a major participant in the domestic and foreign SUV industries.