[shankar.balan]

I always loved the Bolero. It was clearly inspired by the G Wagen of the 1990’s.
When it came out in 2000 there was the GLX and later they brought in the Sportz and the GLE and XL and then the ZLX with the turbo charged engine etc.
I bought a Bolero Sportz 2WD in 2005. That was all one could get. Excellent tough vehicle. Great utility.
I loved its minimalist styling. The 5 slot grille and all the rest of it. A very good vehicle. Peugeot XD3PU engine. Non turbo. 72 bhp or so if I remember right. Good torque though. Ran it for 3 years and a bit and 34000 odd kms and upgraded to the Scorpio because of the 2.6 Turbo Crde.
Bolero has more than proven that you only need a simple and strong vehicle to get the job done.

[ganeshk4]

I believe these are not just passenger vehicles, but including commercial single and dual cabs as well. Good numbers if you consider how old the product is. Having first hand experience with bolero, i can vouch for it. Ladder on frame rear wheel drive + rear leafspring = rugged, abuse friendly, tons of low end for load hauling, seven seater, sub 4m, parts availability like anything. Do we have any product from any other manufacturer which offers these in the given price point?

[iampulo]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Most of these are Government departments replacing their ageing fleet since the Union govt had asked all the governments to trade in their 15+ year old govt vehicles across the country.

Agreed. Even in my organisation, IndianOil, tenders are floated for bolero latest make and b6 or higher versions only. We have new project areas where its basically sand dune.. And hardly i have experienced any bolero's underbody, sides hitting.

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

Bolero sales have crossed the 1.4 million mark and still counting. To put things in perspective, Hyundai have sold 1.3 Million Santros, IIRC, in comparison. There's no stopping this Mahindra juggernaut.

That's wonderful.

Originally Posted by TejasV

Also, its one of the last, robust, low maintenance SUVs out there. So I think not rocking the boat too much may have been the only strategy they followed.

Would love to know long term cost of ownership reviews of commercial/private owners. Will give a better perspective!

[sagsaw]

Originally Posted by TejasV

The new NEO I think has not lived up to the mark but the fact that they didn't discontinue the old Bolero made sure people didn't move away from the brand/car.

Also, its one of the last, robust, low maintenance SUVs out there. So I think not rocking the boat too much may have been the only strategy they followed.

Pune a lot of Bolero Neos have been seen.

So in my opinion the Neo too has caught up especially those who have an active lifestyle but don't want a 4x4 but still want a RWD with great space for 5 in decent comfort and a go anywhrre vehicle which has road presence.

[norhog]

Older BOLERO came from the ARMADA, which was in turn based on extended MM540 platform.
The ruggedness of this vehicle stems from the fact it was originally a JEEP.

Going forward, Mahindra should put in a turbocharged high power engine, churning about 200 bhp and make something like a G Wagen clone.
This will sell in umbers, here and in foreign markets.

[Mr.O]

Originally Posted by MotoDrive

I feel they cold put 100BHP Diesel engine in it and a TC gear box and 4x4, I would be the first book one!

Apparently, there was a Bolero launched in 2008 equipped with a 2.5 CRDe engine producing around 100bhp, but I don't recall it ever being offered with a 4x4 drivetrain. I am unsure why it was discontinued, but it's possible that the car had more power than it could handle at the time.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Mr.O

Apparently, there was a Bolero launched in 2008 equipped with a 2.5 CRDe engine producing around 100bhp, but I don't recall it ever being offered with a 4x4 drivetrain. I am unsure why it was discontinued, but it's possible that the car had more power than it could handle at the time.

Bolero ZLX had the same 2.6 turbo Crde engine as the then Scorpio. This may have been launched around 2008/2009 ish. Ive test driven it around then. It had a long throw gear box. And there was a bit of turbo lag and the clutch had a long travel. It was a 2WD only. But its braking was honestly a bit short of expectation with that much power on tap.

[sushan]

Bolero is one of those success stories where the car, though not accomplished or modern, manages to bring respectable sales. I think its reputation of being a capable no-nonsense utility vehicle gives it good sales.
But when we look at it objectively, it is neither the most spacious nor the most powerful. But in the price point, it provides incredible value in an indestructible package.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Most of these are Government departments replacing their ageing fleet since the Union govt had asked all the governments to trade in their 15+ year old govt vehicles across the country.

Govt. departments are steering away from Boleros and going for more comfortable alternatives. This could be attributed to roads having improved across the country in the past decade such that the passengers don't need this rugged brute anymore. Some of the replacements are also deemed more fuel efficient than the outgoing Boleros, another factor while choosing replacements.

More and more departments are also being encouraged/forced to go for rented vehicles as they are much lighter on the Treasury's pocket.

[abhikb]

Bolero has been a cash cow for Mahindra for the past 20 years, it sells like a hot cake even today speaks of the cult status it has achieved.

If this post can reach to M&M, Bolero Neo comes with an optional MLD, pls plonk in a 4x4 transfer case and give it as an optional variant to prospective buyers.

I shall be the first to book it !!!

[Ghibli]

I don't know much about leaf springs and ladder frame stuff, but whenever I come across a Bolero, I stop in my tracks just to listen to that clean engine note like the voice male actors in Hollywood (and for that matter Bollywood too) used to have in 70s,80s. Its so soothing to the heart. No nonsense stuff.

On a side note, here in Uttarakhand, wherever I went into deep mountains for trekking, Boleros rule the terrain. They pull unimaginable weight in most adverse conditions. There is absolutely no match to them in mountains. Heck, Bolero even looks like the Bharals to me.

[Nithesh_M]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Govt. departments are steering away from Boleros and going for more comfortable alternatives.

That isn't true for all departments and all officers. For higher end officers like say a District Commissioner's default choice is usually an Innova. For the rest of the government departments and the police department officers the Scorpio and Bolero is still their only option within government prescribed budget. This is why Mahindra is dragging the Scorpio classic and the old Bolero for so long.

Some PWD offices have taken to the Ertiga aswell. But Mahindra is still the top bidder for supplying government offices with vehicles.

Originally Posted by iampulo

Agreed. Even in my organisation, IndianOil, tenders are floated for bolero latest make and b6 or higher versions only. We have new project areas where its basically sand dune.. And hardly i have experienced any bolero's underbody, sides hitting.

Yes. Mahindra keeping these old horses alive for private firms and government offices to bulk order. Frankly the Bolero we have in our office is too cramped for long distances. Its mostly used to attend local meetings and such. Everyone prefers the Scorpio for long hauls.

[4x4addict]

I was lucky to order and get the last of the 2019 4WD Versions before they were discontinued because of BS6. I love this vehicle for it's ruggedness, but it is crude at the same time.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

That isn't true for all departments and all officers. For higher end officers like say a District Commissioner's default choice is usually an Innova. For the rest of the government departments and the police department officers the Scorpio and Bolero is still their only option within government prescribed budget. This is why Mahindra is dragging the Scorpio classic and the old Bolero for so long.

It isn't just Scorpio and Bolero anymore. Most new govt cars in Odisha are Ciaz, Dzire, Amaze, City or Crysta, depending on the department budget. Where they can't buy the car of choice, they hire one of the preferred make. The standing instruction is that if a driver is retiring then retire or transfer the car to a different department which has a driver and you use a hired car. No new drivers are to be appointed.

Cop cars in AP, TS and KA are no longer Bolero but replaced with Crysta, Ertiga, TUV and few Ecosport. The above mentioned examples from Maruti and Honda are also seen in other states as department cars. Even the ministers demand the pilot cars to be replaced with something fast/fancy.

PS: When Bolero idi turbo was launched, my father's department got 20 top end SLX for regional heads and 40 bolero plus for the district offices. He continued using it for 10+ years although his favourite was his other vehicle a Sumo. The Bolero was very reliable, taken on several long tours and had done 3L+ kms when it was condemned. His replacement was a Zest petrol. The reason for not going for another Bolero was that Bolero has become expensive for what it offers; there are far more comfortable sedans available for lesser price and the roads don't demand a rugged bouncy vehicle anymore. By the time he retired, most of the SLX were phased out or donated to lower offices. The Bolero Plus were augmented/replaced by AC Indica, Indigo and Dzire.

[rakesh_r]

The Bolero is a proper workhorse, period. The cheapest BOF one can currently buy and maintain without breaking your savings. Wish the Bolero came with a more powerful 4 cylinder engine with a 4x4. During one of my visits to Himachal, we managed to hire a brand new Bolero 4x4 pick up. The road to Solang valley was filled with black ice hereby making the road very slippery. The driver, very efficiently and without a hiccup managed to drive us till Solang Valley thanks to 4x4 and AT Tyres.
I still remember BD mentioning about a Bolero which he had tuned and could touch crazy 3 digit speeds.