MAHINDRA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

NU_IQ, Four Vision SUVs and a Bat-Signal

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Every August, Mahindra has a habit of throwing a party that is part product showcase, part national celebration and part theatre. This year, though, it wasn't just a party. It was more like a blueprint for the future.

The headline act was not an SUV but a slab of metal and engineering potential called NU_IQ. It is Mahindra's new modular monocoque platform, a base on which several of the company's future SUVs will stand. Alongside this, Mahindra showed off four new concepts, namely the Vision T, Vision SXT, Vision X and Vision S. Each meant to preview what you and I might be able to buy from 2027 onwards. And because no good event is complete without some instant gratification, Mahindra also launched the BE 6 Batman Edition, a limited-run production car you can actually order now.

That is a lot of information to absorb in one sitting, so let's start with the basics.

THE PLATFORM: NU_IQ

For decades, Mahindra built its reputation on ladder-frame chassis. Rugged, durable and dependable. They are brilliant for clambering over rocks or crossing the odd river, but not particularly known for saving weight or reducing emissions, which is why the company has now gone the other way, investing heavily in a monocoque platform called NU_IQ.

NU_IQ has been designed to be completely modular. It can underpin SUVs of different lengths from 3,990mm to 4,320mm and supports petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric powertrains. It can also accommodate all-wheel drive systems for both ICE and EV models, which is a clever bit of engineering. The platform is aimed not just at India but at global markets, and Mahindra has already stated that it is targeting 5-star crash safety ratings across the board.