Anand Mahindra Spots XUV500 During His Italian Holiday: Tweets Pictures

Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra is known to be an avid traveler, art enthusiast, and automotive buff. He spends a lot of time in some of the most picturesque cities, and recently he was visiting the city of Verona in Italy. Apart from sharing images of all the unique art-related items and beautiful sceneries, the Mahindra boss also managed to spot a Mahindra XUV500 parked on the side of a street.

Anand Mahindra Spots an XUV500 in Italy

The images of the Mahindra XUV500 in Italy, along with the scenic locations, have been shared on X by Anand Mahindra himself. As stated, he was recently in the city of Verona in Italy attending the Opera Festival. During his return from dinner one night, his wife tapped on his shoulder and asked him to look at a car.

Anand Mahindra then stated that she said, “I spy an interesting & familiar design right there.” In the picture, a silver first-generation Mahindra XUV500 was seen parked on the side of a road. The Mahindra chief, in his post, added, “Hello old friend… Nice to see an Italian license plate on you…”

Mahindra XUV500: An SUV That Elevated Mahindra’s Reputation

Many people today praise the Mahindra XUV700 for being an SUV that offers luxury, features, and a smooth ride. However, a lot of people forget the foundation that led to the development of the XUV700. It is the Mahindra XUV500 that set the tone for Mahindra to enter the (relatively) luxury SUV segment in India.

When it was originally launched in 2011, it put Mahindra on the world map as it was the first global SUV from the brand. It was designed to attract modern Indian as well as international car buyers. Prior to the XUV500’s launch, Mahindra was only known for making mass-market rugged SUVs like the Scorpio and the Bolero.

Following the launch of the XUV500, many Indian buyers started appreciating Mahindra for offering such a complete package. The SUV at the time came loaded with features such as a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic AC, a sunroof (in later models), and multiple airbags for safety.

The XUV500 was also very important for the Indian SUV market. This is because it was among the very first SUVs in the country to offer monocoque chassis construction. Due to the use of this platform, the XUV500 managed to appeal to both traditional SUV lovers and those who wanted a comfortable vehicle for families.

Mahindra launched the XUV500 with a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine. This motor was capable of producing 140 bhp and 330 Nm of torque. There was also a more powerful tune for the same engine, which made 152 bhp and 360 Nm of torque.

Is the Mahindra XUV500 Coming Back?

Following the launch of the XUV700, the XUV500 was discontinued in India in November of 2021. However, since then, there has been a void in the Mahindra lineup. Recently, reports have emerged on the internet suggesting that Mahindra is actually working on the development of the new XUV500.

It is believed that it will slot in between the XUV700 and the XUV300. Most likely, this suggests that it could be launched as a mid-size SUV to take on rivals like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and many others. When exactly is it arriving? Well, that has not been revealed, so we’ll have to wait for some more time.