Autoblog

Mahindra gives up altogether on small diesel pickup for U.S.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:43:00 EST

With apologies to the Beatles, it's been a long and winding road for those waiting to get their hands on the steering wheel of a small, diesel-powered pickup from Mahindra. Here's the good news: Something definitive has finally been heard from the Indian automaker. Here's the bad news: It's bad news.

According to Reuters, Mahindra "recently decided not to proceed further with the project due to changes in the U.S. regulatory and market situation." In other words, the truck we've long been expecting isn't going to happen. That said, "M&M will continue to monitor the U.S. situation and remain flexible with its approach to this market."

We won't outline all the sordid details on what happened between Global Vehicles, Mahindra and its would-be dealer base - read all about it on these pages - but suffice it to say delays were felt, feelings were hurt and lawsuits were filed.

Some analysts quoted by Reuters suggest Mahindra may regroup and focus on bringing its Korean Ssangyong subsidiary to the States in lieu of its rugged pickup and SUV wares, but we're not holding our breath for either.

Mahindra gives up altogether on small diesel pickup for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Would-be U.S. Mahindra dealers file suit

Chris Tutor — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Etc., Government/Legal, India

In 2004, Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra began courting U.S. auto dealers to build a network of outlets for its trucks and SUVs. Eventually, the company had accumulated $9.5 million in fees from prospective dealers itching to sell Mahindra-branded vehicles.

Mahindra promised to have trucks for sale in the U.S. by 2008 and SUVs by 2009. Fast-forward to 2012, and there are still no Mahindras for sale in the U.S.

Now, Miami-based law firm of Diaz Reus & Targ has stepped in to represent dealers in New Hampshire, Florida, California, New Jersey and Washington in a lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Atlanta.

"Mahindra told the dealers that its light trucks and SUVs were ready for delivery to the U.S. market," maintains Diaz Reus in a press release. "However, Mahindra intentionally delayed certification of its vehicles after obtaining the dealership fees and trade secrets, and began pursuing other partners in the U.S. and elsewhere in clear violation of their commitments."

"Through their false representations, the defendants lured the U.S. dealers into making investments and promoting Mahindra's brand name," said Diaz. "Mahindra is going to learn that trying to outsmart the dealers was a serious mistake, as we will aggressively seek justice for our clients."

This is not the first lawsuit tied to Mahindra's fortunes in the States. Last year, Global Vehicles USA, the firm looking to be the brand's distributor in the U.S., lost a British arbitration ruling that effectively squelched any hopes of bringing the TR20 and TR40 pickups to this market any time soon.

Continue reading Would-be U.S. Mahindra dealers file suit

Would-be U.S. Mahindra dealers file suit originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mahindra's U.S. plans on indefinite hold, Alabama plant denied

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, India, Diesel, MISC

Fans of small, fuel-efficient pickup trucks: We hate to tell you this, but it's becoming increasingly clear that Mahindra's long-awaited entry into the United States market just isn't going to happen anytime soon. We're just as disappointed as the rest of you - with the recent demise of the Ford Ranger, there simply aren't any truly compact trucks left in American dealership showrooms.

We got a wee bit of unfounded hope when rumors began swirling that Mahindra was in the midst of closing a deal with Navistar, a longtime partner in its home market of India, to manufacture the T20 and T40 trucks in a new plant in Alabama. According to the Indian automaker, that's not going to happen. Here's a snippet from Mahindra's statement on the matter:

There have been reports in certain quarters of media and online space stating that Navistar USA will produce Mahindra's T20 and T40 pickups in Alabama, USA in 2012, which are completely baseless & incorrect. If and when there are any material developments, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited will communicate them directly and transparently.

So there you have it. To put it mildly, we've lost nearly all hope of seeing these small diesel-powered pickup trucks in American driveways, which is a shame.

Mahindra's U.S. plans on indefinite hold, Alabama plant denied originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Global Vehicles drops lawsuit against Mahindra

Chris Shunk — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, India

Global Vehicles U.S.A. was under contract to import the diesel-powered Mahindra pickup, but the Indian automaker claimed that the pact had expired. The drama between the two companies began over the summer when GV filed suit against Mahindra in Atlanta, GA claiming that the automaker was attempting to cut the importer out of the action. Mahindra later flat-out refused GV's $35 million order back in September, leading to more bad blood.

But now, Automotive News is reporting that Global Vehicles has withdrawn its lawsuit, but the importer isn't throwing up the white flag just yet. Court papers show the suit was withdrawn because GV chose instead to throw all its efforts into a British arbitration panel that will rule on the case in August. The London panel reportedly refused to rule on the case while there was also a lawsuit in the States.

Mahindra also found itself at the wrong end of the publicity machine in the last week as the Environmental Protection Agency gave its small diesel pickup a lackluster fuel economy rating of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. Those numbers are nowhere near the 30 mpg Mahindra has promised all along, but GV CEO John Perez has apparently told AN that the vehicle tested was the four-wheel-drive equipped four-door model. Perez claims that the rear-drive, two-door model will have 40 percent better fuel economy than the loaded-up four-door, and the 30 mpg number will still happen.

We know four-wheel-drive and the extra weight of a crew cab configuration will hurt fuel economy, but in our mind, that still doesn't add up to a 40-percent drop in fuel efficiency. Either way, we'll have to hold out hope that Perez is right, because unless the model offers exceptional economy, we think it's going to have a seriously hard time building a business case for itself among America's consumers.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Global Vehicles drops lawsuit against Mahindra originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Vehicles emails potential customers, attempts to explain delays. Again.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

The plot thickens. Global Vehicles USA, the one-time and possible-still (pending litigation, of course) importer of Mahindra pickups has sent an email to those who have reserved a spot for one of the first 30,000 or so little diesel trucks in the United States. You'll find the text of the email here, but basically the importer still sounds hopeful that it will be putting the Indian machines into the hands of dealerships at some unknown point in the future.

Will it actually happen? Our Magic 8 Balls are a little fuzzy on this one, but suffice it to say that we're not holding our breath. Is it possible that the importer and the automaker have reconciled? Best we can tell, that seems unlikely, but who knows? In any case, Global Vehicles is now saying that parts shortages and high demand in India are the main culprits for future delays.

If you need a recap of what's gone down in the past several months that's keeping Mahindra's wares from driveways across the States, click here. And to would-be owners... good luck. Thanks to all who sent this in!

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Global Vehicles USA]

Global Vehicles emails potential customers, attempts to explain delays. Again. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mahindra brushes back Global Vehicles, "rejects any attempt to order" pickups

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Etc., India

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

The automotive soap opera that is Mahindra keeps on turning. Today, the Indian automaker issued a statement regarding the claims put forth by Global Vehicles. Mahindra accuses GV of "engaging in PR theatrics while pursuing an unnecessary lawsuit." It states that the contract with Global Vehicles expired and Mahindra is free to pursue other means of bringing its Pik-Up to its network of waiting U.S. dealers. It has effectively rejected Global Vehicles' $35 million order. Mahindra further claims that Global Vehicles is working hard to damage its reputation while disrupting its attempts to bring the vehicle stateside.

Honestly, we would love to see this little truck land in dealer lots here, but we don't know how this drama will play out. Both sides are pointing fingers and we expect name calling to soon follow. Either way, this doesn't appear to a very productive way of expediting vehicles to showrooms, now does it?

Read the full statement after the jump.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Mahindra]

Continue reading Mahindra brushes back Global Vehicles, "rejects any attempt to order" pickups

Mahindra brushes back Global Vehicles, "rejects any attempt to order" pickups originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Vehicles announces $35M initial order of Mahindra pickups for U.S.

Jeff Glucker — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Earnings/Financials

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mahindras road to the United States has been interesting so far, to say the least. It's changed the trucks model name, seen delays in a target launch date, caused delays and broken contracts.

Many here in the states are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an official on-sale date for the Pik-up. The biggest group waiting for that announcement might just be Global Vehicles, the U.S. distributor for the little truck with potential big appeal. Global Vehicles has already invested nearly $100 million to bring the vehicle to the US and now they've placed an initial order for the Mahindra pickups to the tune of $35 million.

John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles, says:

"We are proud of the sales and service network we created to support the launch of Mahindra vehicles, and we look forward to bringing American buyers something truly unique in the marketplace - rugged, high-quality, clean diesel pickup trucks that can achieve nearly 30 miles per gallon. Our dealers are all seasoned auto industry professionals who will treat customers with honesty, integrity and respect. We built our business on these bedrock principles, which should be the foundation of every business relationship."

Perez goes on to state that he believes Global Vehicles will prevail in the pending arbitration case against Mahindra. This would force Mahindra to honor its agreement with GV. The offending clause states that Mahindra could walk away from the deal if its truck did not pass EPA testing by a certain date. Mahindra claimed this last-minute contract change was to protect against potential losses if its truck didn't receive the EPA certification. The deadline dates came up three times, with Perez's company extending the deadline each time. The most recent time passed on June 11. Ten days after that deadline, Mahindra announced its vehicles were certified for sale and declared its relationship with GV now void.

It will be very interesting to watch this play out. The Pik-Up is supposed to be an affordable and capable, fuel-efficient truck which could be a perfect fit for many U.S. buyers. It's clear that Global Vehicles remains extremely committed to its investment and hopefully we see the distinctly-styled trucklet roaming our streets in the near future.

Full press release available after the jump.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Global Vehicles]

Continue reading Global Vehicles announces $35M initial order of Mahindra pickups for U.S.

Global Vehicles announces $35M initial order of Mahindra pickups for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #195 - Econoline, Panamera, hot-rod Foresters, Pik-Ups and Mount Washington

Dan Roth — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Ford, GMC, Honda, Lexus, Lincoln, Porsche, Subaru

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

It's Episode #195 of the Autoblog Podcast, and Chris, Alex, Sam and Dan talk about the half century of Ford Econolines, Porsche's impressive Panamera sales, the death of the Mahindra deal with Global Vehicles USA, a possible hot-rod Forester, and Travis Pastrana's obliteration of editor Neff's Mount Washington hillclimb time (oh, and he destroyed the record by 20 seconds, too.) Two questions cap it at just over an hour this week. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #195 - Econoline, Panamera, hot-rod Foresters, Pik-Ups and Mount Washington

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Honda Odyssey
GMC Sierra 3500 HD
2011 Ford Edge

News:

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 69:34

Gallery: Old Ford Econolines

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Autoblog Podcast #195 - Econoline, Panamera, hot-rod Foresters, Pik-Ups and Mount Washington originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mahindra diesel pickups finally get EPA certification

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:37:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Government/Legal, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

At long last, Mahindra can get in the business of actually selling its Pik-Ups instead of waiting for the EPA and fighting with its dealers. PickupTrucks.com reports that the little Indian truck has finally received EPA certification, meaning that retail sales of the TR20 and TR40 diesel pickups can begin next year.

Global Vehicles (Mahindra's U.S. distributor) put on a happy face, saying, "Our dealers are excited as well. This is great news," but it's unclear how this development will affect the ongoing litigation between the two entities. Global Vehicles recently sued Mahindra for missing three deadlines to have its trucks ready for sale, claiming that GV and its dealer body spent $95 million getting everything prepared. Our guess is that they'll find some timely way to kiss and make up so that you can get your $22,000 Pik-Up as soon as possible.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Mahindra diesel pickups finally get EPA certification originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra sued by U.S. distributor over pickup delays

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Government/Legal, India

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to the Hindustan Times, Global Vehicles, the Atlanta-based company that is slated to be the exclusive U.S. distributor for Mahindra & Mahindra vehicles, alleges that more than $95 million has been spent on getting the country ready to buy the Indian Pik-Ups. The problem is, and has been, that Mahindra still hasn't provided any vehicles to sell. The Indian company is waiting on paperwork and testing for EPA approval to sell the trucks here.

GV is tired of waiting idly, and has brought a lawsuit against Mahindra for having missed two soft deadlines and two hard ones. GV claims the delay has been "inordinate," Mahindra says the lawsuit is "without merit." We say that no matter who's right, this is not the way to bring a truck to market.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Hindustan Times]

Report: Mahindra sued by U.S. distributor over pickup delays originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra pickups could hit U.S. in under 90 days

Nik Bristow — Sat, 08 May 2010 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, India, Diesel

Mahindra pickup - Click above for hi-res image gallery

Plagued by a series of setbacks, delays, and that little thing called "the chicken tax," Mahindra has yet to receive EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 federal emissions certification for its TR20 and TR40 pickups. But man, they must be getting really close. Right?

John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles USA, Mahindra's exclusive U.S. distributor, says that all the emissions testing on the trucks has been completed and the paperwork is being submitted to the EPA for final approval. Approval itself is expected to take about 30 days. At that point, Global Vehicles could begin importing the trucks to the United States. They'd arrive on our shores 30 to 60 days later.

By our math, that sounds like we could have Mahindra pickup trucks on U.S. roads before the end of August, but neither Perez nor Mahindra's corporate offices are talking sale dates yet. Experience has probably taught them not to make predictions, but with 330 dealers signed up and raring to go, we're sure that official sales date can't come soon enough for any of the parties involved.

When they eventually go on sale, Mahindra pickups will be offered in two configurations: a two-door regular cab, the TR20, and a four-door crew cab, the TR40. Both will offer Mahindra's slightly modified version of the mHawk 2.2-liter inline-four-cylinder diesel engine. Official EPA numbers obviously haven't been determined yet, but the trucks are expected to have fuel economy ratings around 30 miles per gallon on the highway. Not too shabby considering their 1.3-ton hauling capability. Pricing is expected to start around $22,000.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Automotive News via PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Mahindra pickups could hit U.S. in under 90 days originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 May 2010 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra dealers still waiting, pickups still not EPA approved

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Pawan Goenka, Mahindra's president for global automotive, vehicle testing that would provide EPA approval for the Indian automaker's upcoming diesel-powered, 30-mile-per-gallon pickup truck "is taking a bit longer than what we anticipated." That, it would seem, is an understatement.

Mahindra first announced an expected mid-2009 sale date for the truck, which was later revised to end-of-2009, then February of 2010 and then finally March of 2010. You'll notice that this Thursday the calendar turns the page to April, meaning Mahindra has missed yet another target date.

At this point, Mahindra does not yet have official approval from the EPA to sell its wares in the United States. The Indian automaker says it should take about a month for the paperwork to be completed (a timeframe not acknowledged by the EPA, naturally) and then dealers can finally place orders for the trucks. Considering that Mahindra's vehicles will ship from India, it's clear that there will still be some time before you'll be able to stroll down to you nearest dealer and drive off in a new oil-burning bundle of joy.

That fact is not lost on Mahindra's 300-plus dealers, some of whom have paid up to $200,000 in franchise fees and in some cases have been waiting for years to see their investment pay off. That said, nobody ever said that launching a completely new brand of vehicles in the U.S. was going to be easy, inexpensive or timely.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Report: Mahindra dealers still waiting, pickups still not EPA approved originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra to set U.S. Pik-Up launch date in next few weeks

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Work, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

Tired of waiting around for an official launch date for the hotly anticipated (in certain circles, at least) compact diesel pickup truck from Indian automaker Mahindra? Good news, then. According to a report from Automotive News, the largest utility vehicle maker in India and its U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles, will make an official announcement regarding the targeted sale date of the Pik-Up within the next two-to-three weeks.

Before you get too excited, realize that Mahindra only hopes to announce a launch date - when that date will actually be is still anyone's guess. In fact, Mahindra President Pawan Goenka said in an interview that the vehicle is still undergoing Environmental Protection Agency testing here in the States and an official application to allow the truck to be sold here has yet to take place. The truck could also receive a new name by the time it comes to market in the States.

Following the Pik-Up's official launch in the U.S., Mahindra plans to continue focusing on its export markets with a new SUV designed specifically for the European and North American markets. Judging by how long it's taken to get its first model on the market, though, we'll keep our excitement bottled up for the time being.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Report: Mahindra to set U.S. Pik-Up launch date in next few weeks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mahindra pondering shacking up with Navistar to build pickups in U.S.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Chicken Tax strikes again? When Indian automaker Mahindra first decided to sell its oft-delayed compact diesel pickups here in the United States, the company said it planned to assemble the trucks from knock-down kits imported from India as a way to avoid paying the 25 percent tariff on imported trucks. Later, that decision was repealed and the first Mahindra trucks that make it across the ocean will in fact be completely assembled in India.

At the time, Mahindra alluded to quality concerns as the reason the change was made, but that apparently doesn't mean the decision is set in stone. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Mahindra has been in talks with Navistar - makers of heavy-duty trucks and diesel engines - to have the American company assemble its TR series of trucks here in America at Navistar-owned facilities.

Now that Ford is building its own diesel V8 engines for its line of Super Duty pickups, we'd imagine that Navistar will have a bit of latent manufacturing capability, which could equal a win/win scenario for both it and Mahindra. Further, the two companies have been involved in joint ventures in India since 2005. We'll see how it all plays out soon enough, but in the meantime, the first Indian-built Mahindra pickups are scheduled to arrive within the next few months.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: The Wall Street Journal via PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Mahindra pondering shacking up with Navistar to build pickups in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mahindra distributor reportedly says first U.S. models to hit market in spring

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, India, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

Starting to wonder if the Mahindra TR20 (two-door) and TR40 (four-door) small pickups will ever come to market here in the States? You're not alone. Though our Magic 8 Ball still tells us it's likely that the compact trucks will indeed make an appearance at some unknown point in the future, news comes by way of PickupTrucks.com that the Indian haulers have been delayed yet again until sometime in the spring of 2010.

Sound familiar? It should - this isn't Mahindra's first delay. As a matter of fact, it's not its second delay, either, not that the extra time is completely unexpected. After all, it's not easy to launch an entirely new brand in the United States with as-yet untested products.

In any case, Global Vehicles USA, the chosen distributor for Mahindra's wares here in the States, is saying that the TR20 and TR40 have now passed U.S. federal safety and emissions standards and the final paperwork will be completed by February. We shall see.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Mahindra distributor reportedly says first U.S. models to hit market in spring originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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U.S. Mahindra pickup reportedly stalled until February

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Diesel

Mahindra Pik-Up - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's apparently tougher than Mahindra first thought to break into the American pickup truck market. According to a report by PickupTrucks.com, Pawan Goenka, Mahindra's president of automotive operations, told reporters in India, "We will start production of Mahindra 'Pik-up' utility vehicle by December this year for the U.S., and by end-February next year, the vehicle will be sold there."

For those keeping track, this is the second major delay announced by Mahindra, bringing the truck to the United States just about a year later than originally planned. Even Global Vehicles, the chosen distributor of the trucks in the States, was caught off guard by the decision. Granted, a delay is certainly more palatable than a botched launch attempt.

When it finally does hit in February of 2010, expect the truck to come in both TR20 (two-door) and TR40 (four-door) styles and come equipped with a standard 2.2-liter four cylinder diesel engine that should return 30 miles per gallon and tow up to 1.3 tons. Pricing reportedly won't be announced until September.

Gallery: Mahindra Pik-Up

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

U.S. Mahindra pickup reportedly stalled until February originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Mahindra pickups in U.S. will be assembled in India, not Ohio

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:24:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Marketing/Advertising, India

Mahindra's plan to launch its midsize pickups in the United States has taken another interesting turn, as the Indian automaker now plans to assemble the first U.S.-bound units at home and not in Ohio as originally planned. The change means that Mahindra will now be forced to pay the 25% federal "chicken tax" that was first created in the early '60s in retaliation against European tariffs on U.S.-bred chicken.

In any case, Mahindra doesn't expect additional delays in getting its diesel-powered pickup trucks to U.S. dealerships. In fact, selling Indian-made units may actually expedite the truck's fourth-quarter introduction by a few weeks.

Look for a big marketing push in advance of the Indian truck's launch here in the States, especially at motocross events around the country. Mahindra believes that its truck will appeal to dirt bike riders who want a fuel-efficient hauler. The manufacturer says its truck will combine 30 mpg economy from its 2.2L four-cylinder diesel engine with a 7.5-foot bed that can accept a payload of 1.3 tons; all in a package that's priced 10-15% below comparable Japanese offerings.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

First Mahindra pickups in U.S. will be assembled in India, not Ohio originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mahindra to show diesel-hybrid pickup at SAE Congress

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:02:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Green, Misc. Auto Shows, India

Potential buyers interested in the upcoming Mahindra & Mahindra Appalachian pickup truck will get a sneak-peek of the new machine at the upcoming SAE World Congress, April 14-17 in Detroit, Michigan. The most interesting part of this news, though, is that the vehicle on display will sport a diesel/electric hybrid drivetrain, which could be the first and only such system sold in the U.S. The standard diesel Appalachian truck is expected to come with a 2.2-liter four cylinder diesel engine putting out between 140 and 150 horsepower along with 300 lb. ft of torque. Expected to sell in the low $20,000 range and be available in both two and four-door versions, Mahindra could potentially re-ignite the small truck market abandoned long ago by American automakers. With the hybrid option coming in at around $5 grand more, before any available tax credits are applied, we think that this upcoming Indian truck will make some waves here in the states when it goes on sale in 2010.

[Source: Diesel Forecast]

Mahindra to show diesel-hybrid pickup at SAE Congress originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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