Hi everyone, this is my story on how I ended up with a Base model Scorpio-N Z2. I have always owned SUVs since 2012 and then there has been no turning back.

Following were the SUVs we owned prior to the Scorpio-N.
⦁ 2012 to 2021 -Tata Safari Storme VX 4X2 2.2 varicor (Pearl white)
⦁ 2021 to 2022 - Used Audi Q5 3.0 TDI DSG quattro (white)
⦁ 2022 to 2024- Used Honda CR-V Automatic 4wd 2.4 Petrol (Black)

Our requirement:
⦁ 7 seater SUV
⦁ 5 star crash test rating
⦁ Petrol (to avoid, DEF related issues on low running)
⦁ Rear wheel Drive (drifting requirement )
⦁ Manual Transmission
⦁ Powerful engine (Turbo preferred)
⦁ Good seat height (Similar to Safari)
⦁ Boot space should be 500lts +
⦁ Ride quality should be like Safari or better
⦁ Ladder frame was a must for SUV feel + Highway/bad road comfort
⦁ Good, if not great, Music system with android auto
⦁ Ventilated seats
⦁ Cruise control

I know the requirements are very particular and evidently leaving very few options in the Indian automobile market to choose from. But I feel the Safari Storme spoilt us with its comfort and king size interiors.

What else we considered

⦁ MG hector(Petrol MT and DCT) Loved the car, price, features, looks. I drove the DCT during the test drive and the smoothness was good and silence in the cabin as well. The only weird issue I noticed was my right elbow couldnt rest on the doors hand rest, while driving. I tried adjusting the steering and seat as well, but something was off. Due to this I got tired in a short 5-6 kms drive and felt uncomfortable the whole time.

⦁ XUV700 (Petrol AT) Test drove the Xuv700 AT, still my favourite of the lot. Specially that engine and the pull + the interior looks very stylish. The bad road ride was not to my liking and could already hear some thuds. But easily the best looking 7 seater SUV inside the 25lakh budget.

⦁ Kia Carnival(Diesel AT) The test drive was good and long. I also took it to my societys parking spot, but unfortunately the car was too long for the city and also the looks are not that great. Was impressed with the space, practicality, ride quality and engine power(400+ NM torque). But it didnt fit my budget or parking space. Also, diesel was not needed, as I work from home and seldom go out during the weekdays.

⦁ Safari and Harrier (Diesel AT) Oh, how I wish both of these models come in Petrol turbo power. Why TATA, why, what is the delay. Why cant you just shake hands with Mahindra and get the Petrol engine. Anyway. Both look good and the led lights are the best. If the new Safari was Petrol powered, well this would have been a very tough CAR to ignore.

⦁ Fortuner and Innova Crysta(Diesel AT)- Both do come with Petrol engines as well, but only diesels were available for TD. Hmm, I dont know why but I hated the fortuner, the interiors, were so on your face, Dashboard is too close, the windshield as well, steering was hard, windows were small, engine noise, vibration and the ride was also bouncy. Well, Innova Crysta was totally the opposite, spacious, wide view, sleek dashboard, comfy seats, driving view was perfect. It did have the engine noise and the vibrations, but the petrol would have been better. I think the price of both Toyotas didnt feel value for money. I know it would had much less

⦁ Scorpio-N (Z8 L Petrol Manual)- I was blown away by the silence in the cabin and the smoothness of the engine. The power delivery is good, it glides over the speed bumps and bad roads, similar to the Safari minus the rattling and horrific creaking sounds. I was able to drift while taking a U turn on tarmac and 7 people can sit in comfort. It looks huge and has an amazing road presence but still feels like missing something, something which I am unable to point out.

Final choice
Scorpio-N it was. Well, no other Petrol, rear wheel drive, 5 star crash test rated, 7 seater, ladder on frame SUV fitted our budget.

Booking (introductory offer)
I was able to even book the car on 30th July 2022 with the introductory offer. We came to know about that after a couple of days, once all the media mess got settled. I had booked the Z8 petrol MT 4x2 white Model and the waiting time was more than a year. We kept the booking for a month and saw that the delivery date was not fixed and kept changing. I was not happy with the waiting time and finally with a painful heart decided to cancel the booking. The introductory offer might have got passed to the next person in the list.

Q. Wife ko gussa kyo aata hai (why does a wife get angry)?
A. When a husband tries to buy a car which every one in the family liked, but cancels the booking within a month. And then tells, lets wait and buy a used car for sometime, when the market settles we will book and get a faster delivery of the same car.

Booked a car online from a third party app?
So, we were using a used Honda CRV, while we waited for the Scorpio-N waiting period to come down and to our surprise it was the same. We heard rumours that we can pay extra and get the car within days, but I have not been able to find any showroom promising the same. Finally one day on 26th December 2023, almost 1.5 years after the cancellation of the Scorpio-N Z8 booking, I saw an ad of Ackodrive, where they promised express delivery of any car. When I opened the app, it displayed a white Scorpio-N Z2 Petrol MT 2023 Model was available for delivery in 11 days. All other models were having a long waiting time, even other colours of the Z2 variant. I first thought its fake or print error. But then, as the booking amount was refundable, I booked it for 21k and guess what, it was like a dream come true.

No PDI?
The only issue with the Ackodrive collab, was that the Mahindra showroom they appointed was too far from our house. We didn't do the PDI and just requested pics of the car from the stockyard which was even further away from the showroom. I didn't find any paint mismatch so gave the go ahead to the showroom guy.

Delivery Day (Pet name Hornet)
On Jan 13th 2024, we got the magical call from the showroom, Sir, your car is ready for delivery, please feel free to come today and take your brand spanking new car. Anyway, so we reached the showroom all excited, me, my wife and kids and saw the car for the first time. Well, it was the base model so had to turn my eyes away from the non-alloy commercial type looking steel silver wheels. But a new car is a new car. The feel, the connect, the purity and the newness is incomparable.

My son gave the name - "White Hornet"

Started drifting yet?
Only after completing the 2k kms mark. Drove like a gentleman till now. But Hornet is going to see a different side of me soon. I never knew Hornet will be a BORN DRIFT MACHINE. It drifts in the second gear as though a walk in the park. I did try to capture some drifts in a video that I made. Enjoy!!

https://youtu.be/8xbwWfJ8hwY?si=qLtNvETIUWdviMF1

Now it is 6months old Do I still love the HORNET??

I love it even more. Now that I have finished installing all the accessories of my choice, it looks much better and very different than the other SCORPIONs flying around in the Hyderabad city.

⦁ Roof rails
⦁ Remote central locking
⦁ Turbo Badging
⦁ Scorpion Logos on front fenders
⦁ Dashcam / smart mirror
⦁ Convex small mirrors on ORVMs
⦁ Chrome door handles
⦁ Side foot steps
⦁ Painted wheels black and added wheel covers
⦁ LED indicators, front and rear
⦁ Petrol Badging on the fuel filer cap
⦁ Foot mats
⦁ Tissue box holder
⦁ Sun shades (Scorpio-N windows shaped)
⦁ toy Helicopter on dashboard (runs on solar power)

A month back I had made a video of all the accessories installed with the pricing and I feel these are the only requirements for the SCORPIO-N Z2 model. Following is the link

https://youtu.be/QMg_8LNfiW0?si=W6gWbph9rhHyKESf

LIKES
⦁ All 7 seats are comfortable for my family, rear third row seats should be used only by people less than 5'8 inches.
⦁ Petrol turbo engine is a GEM, 200 BHP can put anything behind when kept on the boil, both in cities and highways
⦁ Thanks to the rear wheel drive with 200 BHP, drifting those wheels are easy as hell.
⦁ Road visibility is excellent.
⦁ Ride quality is similar to a magic carpet. I think the 17 inch wheels help, as they have a thicker side wall and I am loving it. Just glides through rough patches and bad roads.
⦁ Power steering is very light and its a breeze to drive/park in the city
⦁ Rear armrest and cupholders, rear ac vents, Good quality fabric seat covers, LED interior lights, Touchscreen music system, steering mounted buttons, rear C type fast charger, front armrest feel plush for a base model

DISLIKES
⦁ Mileage is not that great in city, I barely manage 8.5 with feather touch on the accelerator
⦁ Z2 interiors are very basic
⦁ No controls for the ORVM, means I have to get down from the car and manually adjust the left RVM.
⦁ No Android Auto, even with a 9inch Android touch screen music system, WHY?
⦁ No seat height adjust for driver
⦁ No foot board/side step - ingress and egress is a challenge
⦁ No rear wiper
⦁ No wheel covers on a 16lakh rupee car
⦁ No remote centr

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