Mahindra has brought out an eight-seater version of the top-spec Marazzo M8. Costing about Rs 8,000 more than its seven-seater counterpart, the eight-seat Marazzo M8 is priced at Rs 13.98 lakh (ex-showroom, pan India).

Previously only on offer as a seven-seater, the range-topping Mahindra Marazzo M8 variant is equipped with features like a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a reverse parking camera, cruise control, automatic climate control, power adjustable and folding wing mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lamps (DRLs) and leatherette seats.

According to Veejay Nakra, chief of sales and marketing – Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, “The globally engineered Marazzo has generated a lot of interest among buyers. This is due to its unique architecture that offers the best of both worlds in the form of car-like ride and handling coupled with the toughness and stability of a body-on-frame construction. The inclusion of the 8-seater option on the top-end M8 variant will further widen the Marazzo’s appeal.”

Mechanically, the eight-seat Marazzo is identical to the lower-spec trims and is powered by the same 123hp, 1.5-litre diesel engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. An AMT-equipped Marazzo is in the works but is not expected until 2020, when a petrol engine will also be introduced.

The eight-seat option on the Marazzo gives it a greater degree of practicality than its closest rival, the seven-seat-only Maruti Suzuki Ertiga (Rs 7.44-10.90 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi). The Marazzo had gathered over 10,000 bookings in the month after its launch, a strong indication of the amount of interest in the MPV. As the M6 and M8 variants saw the greatest demand at that time, it made sense for Mahindra to introduce the eight-seater M8.

Prices for Mahindra’s MPV, which recently achieved a four-star Global NCAP rating, are slated to increase by Rs 30,000-40,000 sometime this month.