REPORT: Mahindra capitalizes on Detroit 3 dealer closings, picks up new outlets
Many communities have felt the sting of closing dealerships, but it appears for some that
In the Detroit area, the Free Press is reporting that two former Chrysler dealers will begin selling the truck this fall. The Mahindra truck will exclusively contain 2.2L diesel powertrains mated to six speed transmissions. The trucks should easily be able to hit 30 mpg on the highway, while also giving owners the ability to carry a 1.3 ton payload. The Mahindra truck will also cost 10-15 percent less than comparable Japanese offerings.
The Free Press also reported that Mahindra is planning a diesel-powered SUV for mid-2010. The SUV will reportedly have a price tag in the $13-15k range.
[Source: Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ronEbear 5:04PM (6/18/2009)
If sales of this truck prove to be healthy, I would bet on a Korean competitor shortly afterward.
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ale 5:32PM (6/18/2009)
rack up another win for Mahindra... but come on mahindra stop teasing us, i want to see what this new gen is going to look like, some commercial b/t now and labour day... please...
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Dave - Phoenix 6:28PM (6/18/2009)
Whatever happened to small trucks?
Ford, GM, and Chrysler all had small trucks with 4 cyl engines. So did Toyota, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Isuzu etc....
I used to have a small truck in the late 80's. It was great!!! Good mileage & very practical.
In the 90's these small trucks they morphed into mid-sized trucks with V-8 engines.
Now, fuel efficient trucks come from India....
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Paul Lewis 11:50AM (6/19/2009)
Dave:
I bought a 1994 Toyota PU new, (the last year they sold the plain Jane PU model). It gets between 25-28mpg (depending on how much lead is in my foot). It's still my daily driver with 182k miles on it. I've been waiting for a 4cyl. PU to replace it for about 5 years, but you can't get one in this country any more.
So I'm with a lot of people who anxiously await the return of a well-built, fuel efficient PU that isn't saddled with a bunch of extra weight. Is the Mahindra it? I don't know, but it does make you wonder what the clowns at Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Ford, GM and Chrysler have been thinking all these years...
PabloKoh 10:08AM (6/19/2009)
You need to go overseas where Chevy sells the LUV, Toyota sells the Hilux, Nissan sells their little truck and Ford sells the quad cab Ranger. I am guessing dealers cant sell little trucks profitably enough in the US.
Spence 7:03PM (6/18/2009)
This means that the Mahindra truck would qualify for the Cash for Clunkers full credit, if they get it out before the program expires in November. Since I have a qualifying clunker, I'd be seriously tempted. I'm starting my Mahindra savings account...
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Chris 8:13PM (6/18/2009)
This is going to fail so much. Why import an awful, old looking vehicle? Is that the best they can do? Take a look at the rest of their lineup. Old and outdated. That might work for India but it won't cut it here. In America most of our vehicles have automatic transmissions, so maybe they should of done more research.
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Spence 9:09PM (6/18/2009)
These trucks all come with standard six speed automatic transmissions, I believe. I think they look great, like a real truck should, not these lifted-up cars we get these days in the US. If they sell for fifteen grand, like they suggested in the Detroit Press piece, they will fly out the door.
Chris 9:26PM (6/18/2009)
Well, that makes me feel a little better but I thought the projected cost was around $30,000?
km 8:17PM (6/18/2009)
nice, i'm on board for an el-cheapo duesel powered suv for sure.
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Luke 10:26PM (6/18/2009)
I have an aging 1998 Ford Ranger. A compact diesel pickup truck would certainly be in the running for a replacement, along with any alternative-fueled sportwagons that aren't made by Volkswagen. A little torque would go a long way with a compact pickup truck, especially if it can run on biodiesel without choking!
I keep wanting to replace my Ranger with something else, but the thing is just so d@mn useful -- and none of the trucks that I've looked at seem to be any more advanced than my paid off little beater. Sure, the seats don't have 178k miles worth of coffee stains on them, and the new ones have power windows and door locks -- but nice seats and power-everything was in 1998, and they're not really worth $25k to me. There are no diesels. No hybrids. No electrics. No CVTs. No Subaru-style full-time all-wheel-drive. So many missed opportunities for innovation. So many missed opportunities to take my money. Ah, well!
Hopefully a Mahindra & Mahindra dealer will open near me.
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Rahul 4:49AM (6/19/2009)
It will be nice to see Mahindra Trucks and Pickups on American roads. Mahindra & Mahindra may initially find it difficult to venture into the US market. People are not opting for SUVs, trucks and pickups from giants like General Motors, Chevy, Chyrsler.We can only wait and hope to see Mahindra doing well.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
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Throwback 12:22PM (6/19/2009)
Rahul check out the sales figures from last month. Light truck sales are on the rise, it's just the full size pickups and SUVs. They are no small pickups available from the major makers so Mahindra has a chance. They have to ensure they have a reliable well built truck. Truck buyers are a very loyal group, you need to blow them away to get them to switch brands.
cWINFIELD 12:26PM (6/22/2009)
I believe Mahindra is on the right track. Delayed or not, they claim to have done their homework in the US on build quality and acceptable perfromance by contracting JD Powers for initial evaluations. With Web 2.0 it's going to be happily, or painfully obvious that these trucks are great or terrible within a few weeks.
Dimensionally, the TR20/40 is pretty much mid size. We'll see if there is enough demand for a very rugged truck of this size and styling in the US. Should be interesting.
www.MahindraPlanet.com
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