India?s Mahindra to Enter U.S. Market

[SaltyDog]

India?s Mahindra to Enter U.S. Market
By Alan Harman
WardsAuto.com, Dec 18, 2006 9:59 AM   

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., India?s largest utility vehicle manufacturer, says it plans to enter the U.S. market next year as part of its strategy to become a global automotive company.

Mahindra Automotive President Pawan Goenka says in order for the auto maker to be healthy and grow it must increase its vehicle output as well as the number of markets in which it competes.

?In the way the global automotive industry is evolving, even to stay on top of the Indian market we need to be a global player,? he says in a statement. ?We need to compete openly in markets where our vehicles have to compete against a wide range of models, price and specifications.

?That?s why we?ve entered the U.S. market, the richest and one of the most demanding automotive markets in the world. Nearly half of the world?s sales of SUVs and (utility vehicles) is in the U.S., and we want some of it.?

Alpharetta, GA.-based Global Vehicles U.S.A. Inc. has been given exclusive rights to market Mahindra vehicles. A formal announcement of the date of launch and other details will be made in second-quarter 2007.

Global Vehicles says a new website with Mahindra product information will be unveiled next April. ?Stay tuned for the greatest automotive announcement of this millennium,? a company statement says.

Global Vehicles reportedly has signed on 130 U.S. dealers and is expecting another 70 in the coming months.
Mahindra to sell Scorpio Pik-Up in U.S.

Mahindra will be the first Indian auto maker to break into the North American passenger-vehicle market, the auto maker says. It also is ahead of some European brands, such as Fiat Auto SpA and Renault SA that have left the market and not yet returned.

Goenka says Mahindra has been busy with new-model development to back up its expansion and export programs. ?We?ve had some good success soon after launching in most countries we?ve entered,? he says.

P.N. Shah, Mahindra?s executive vice president-international operations, says the auto maker?s exports have been growing by more than 70% annually, although from a small base.

?Exports are currently only around 5% of our total volume, but our aim is to reach 20% in the next few years,? he says. ?We are exporting to Africa, Europe, South East Asia and the (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries, among others.?

Arun Jaura, Mahindra?s product-development vice president, says the auto maker soon will launch an upgraded version of its Scorpio SUV and Pik-Up and is investing heavily to meet U.S. safety and emission regulations.

?We are fully equipped to meet the demanding U.S. legal and market requirements,? he says.

The $3.8 billion Mahindra Group is one of the top 10 industrial houses in India. With more than 60 years of vehicle manufacturing experience, it has built a strong base in technology, engineering, marketing and distribution.

The group employs more than 30,000 people and has several state-of-the-art facilities in India and overseas.

[TheIntrepid]

WOOT!!! REPRESENTING!!!

*where the hell is Heelntoe?*

[SaltyDog]

I'll have to look into the truck more since the article doesn't really say anything about it.  But I'm excited at the prospect of a diesel compact truck. 

[The Pirate]

Yeah, that thing looks badass.

[The Pirate]

Whatever happened to this thing that was supposed to be released in the U.S.?  I pulled this pic off of a supposed dealer page in Texas, but I've never heard anything other than they were supposed to come over.


I'd buy one of these bad boys too.

[93JC]

I'd like to have a CJ-3 or CJ-5, but the prospect of one built in India using shitty French and Korean parts is disconcerting...

[heelntoe]

the current version is a real improvement over the previous one. that thing was a real nightmare in the corners(i dont mean in a spirited way) it's suspension was crap and the brakes were virtually nonexistent. they really pulled their game together with the new one. suspension designed by lotus and brakes that actually work. new crdi engine as well.
we dont get the pick-up version here but the suv version called the scorpio.

[the Teuton]

Whatever happened to this thing that was supposed to be released in the U.S.?? I pulled this pic off of a supposed dealer page in Texas, but I've never heard anything other than they were supposed to come over.


I'd buy one of these bad boys too.

I would love to have one, too, as I heard that they were supposed to start at well under $20,000, but I guess it wasn't meant to be, as this Romanian Defender look-a-like still isn't here.

[Catman]

They won't be here long selling that ugly ass vehicle.

[TheIntrepid]

They won't be here long selling that ugly ass vehicle.

[The Pirate]

I'd buy one of those ugly ass vehicles in a second.

[Raghavan]

They won't be here long selling that ugly ass vehicle.

Hey at least it's an original looking "ugly ass vehicle".
My dad would buy one for his Indian Pride probably.
It's not bad though.

[Raghavan]

I'd like to have a CJ-3 or CJ-5, but the prospect of one built in India using shitty French and Korean parts is disconcerting...

Where does it say it'll have French and Korean parts in it?
And Indian car are actually reliable. Slow turds that last forever. Especially considering the ghetto shit that some cheapass Indians do to it.

[93JC]

I was under the impression the engine was the ancient Peugeot diesel, and the transmission was built by Kia, for instance.

Even then, sorry, but I trust an Indian vehicle about as much as I trust a Soviet bloc vehicle.

[SaltyDog]

I wonder if Americans would readily have parts available?  And not just through the only Mihindra dealership in XXXXmiles.

[heelntoe]

Even then, sorry, but I trust an Indian vehicle about as much as I trust a Soviet bloc vehicle.

neither do a majority of indians, that's why they all buy japaneese cars.

[Raghavan]

I was under the impression the engine was the ancient Peugeot diesel, and the transmission was built by Kia, for instance.

Even then, sorry, but I trust an Indian vehicle about as much as I trust a Soviet bloc vehicle.

It's probably more reliable than your Jeep.
Nah, hate it all you want, i don't care. I just hope it'll do well, and Mahindra isn't really expecting that many vehicles sold here either.

[ro51092]

neither do a majority of indians, that's why they all buy japaneese cars.

Except for me, who bought German. 

[heelntoe]

i'm talking about indians in india.
i bought a domestic and frankly, i dont see what all the fuss is about.

[Rupert]

They won't be here long selling that ugly ass vehicle.

Yeah, because Americans don't ever buy ugly vehicles.

[S204STi]

Yeah, because Americans don't ever buy ugly vehicles.

Every time I see one of these in the shop I wonder why in hell people buy them.  But luckily I don't see them much.

[jayeshks]

Apparently they also have a joint venture with Renault to sell the Logan in India (there's a commercial for it every 2 minutes on NDTV).  Mahindra's doing pretty well for a company that for most of its existence had a barely modified WW2 era Willy's Jeep as its main model. 

[heelntoe]

Apparently they also have a joint venture with Renault to sell the Logan in India (there's a commercial for it every 2 minutes on NDTV).  Mahindra's doing pretty well for a company that for most of its existence had a barely modified WW2 era Willy's Jeep as its main model. 

you live here?
that's a pretty dumb ad. somebody i know saw the filming in amby valley.

[93JC]

In the end I'd rather a 60-year-old Willys CJ-2A more than a new Mahindra...

[heelntoe]

but youre a jeep troll.

[93JC]

Even then, ignoring biases. A CJ-2A, with its Spicer drivetrain and Willys flathead Go Devil engine more akin to tractor than a car, is still probably more dependable than a new Mahindra.

[ifcar]

What do you know about the reliability of Indian-made cars?

[93JC]

They're made in India.

I imagine they're very much like the rest of the cheap shit that ever made it over here from India.

[93JC]

If it's any consolation I'd take one over a Chinese product.

[heelntoe]

They're made in India.

I imagine they're very much like the rest of the cheap shit that ever made it over here from India.

great generalization.