Autoblog

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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REPORT: Mahindra out shopping for new U.S. pickup factory

Dan Roth — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:29:00 EST

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

Indian vehicle maker Mahindra is looking for a way to avoid import taxes when it puts its pickup truck and Scorpio sport utility on the U.S. market sometime in 2010, so it's no surprise that Automotive News is reporting that the manufacturer is on the hunt for a stateside assembly location. It's the same reason why there are Honda and Toyota plants here, and Mahindra is no stranger to selling vehicles in our market - or assembling them here, for that matter.

Already well established selling tractors to American farmers, Mahindra has three U.S. plants for its agricultural products already. Looking at how Mahindra has stretched out to many different regions and markets, there's little doubt that assembling pickup trucks here in the U.S. from knock-down kits is going to be easy, as they're already doing the same thing in Egypt and Brazil, for example.

The U.S. market has precious few true small pickup offerings left, the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma and the Chevrolet Colorado/ GMC Canyon twins are about all there is, and there may be untapped potential for a well-priced truck, particularly one with a diesel engine. That's what Mahindra is banking on, as it is apparently planning to make the United States one of its largest export markets.

[Source: Automotive News - sub req]

REPORT: Mahindra out shopping for new U.S. pickup factory originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:29:00 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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Your chance to be among the first to test drive a new Mahindra pickup

Chris Tutor — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:34:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, India, Diesel

Are you holding out for a Mahindra trucks and wondering how they stack up against more established brands? Then you need to head on over to Mahindra's Web site and sign up for some seat time.

Mahindra importer Global Vehicles is all set for a fourth-quarter 2009 launch of their first offerings from India and is taking names for early test drives. From what we can gather from the company's U.S. Web site, they'll be parading around the country soon, giving interested pickup shoppers a spin around the block in its two- or four-door diesel-powered pickup trucks. On the site, there's a lot of bragging about the two-door's seven-foot bed (Toyota's Tacoma has a six-footer), four-year, 60k-mile warranty, six-speed automatic trans, and clean-burning, four-cylinder diesel engine.

No word yet on, well, a lot of things. Like what cities this national tour will be trucking through or even when it will begin. More importantly, the company has said it has 325 dealers lined up, but still hasn't brought up pricing, EPA fuel economy numbers, crash test ratings or an exact date that sales will begin. For now we'll have to make do with the vague "fourth quarter of 2009" and the promise of an early test drive.

[Source: All Cars All the Time]

Your chance to be among the first to test drive a new Mahindra pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Appalachian Breakdown: Mahindra to dump regional pickup name for alphanumerics?

Dan Roth — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, India

Rather than get all hung up on what's in a model name, Mahindra may want U.S. consumers to become more familiar with the new-to-America brand itself. Initially, the Indian automaker's mid-sized pickups were expected to carry the "Appalachian" moniker when they came to America, but now, PickupTruck.com is reporting that the trucks will probably go alphanumeric, if recent patent filings for TR20 and TR40 designations are anything to go by.

The website speculates that the "20" and "40" indicate two- and four-door versions of the trucks, which will be tweaked to better cater to buyers in the US market. The imported, Toyota Tacoma-sized, diesel-powered newcomers are expected to be available by December, no matter what they're called.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Appalachian Breakdown: Mahindra to dump regional pickup name for alphanumerics? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:27:00 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's diesel pickup drops 'Appalachian' name

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Truck, India

While it might not be the prettiest girl at the prom, we're still extremely intrigued by Mahindra's upcoming diesel pickup for the American market. Up until today, we've been referring to the new truck as the Appalachian, though reports now indicate that it will drop that moniker. Apparently, the Indian company wants to highlight its own name in an effort to build some much-needed brand recognition in a market it has never played in before. For that reason, some sort of nondescript name made from numbers and/or letters is to be expected.

Mahindra's newly un-named truck will feature a new four-cylinder diesel engine produced just for the States with help from Bosch and AVL. Power output should hover around 150 horses, though torque is expected to be a massive 300 lb-ft. Coupled with what should be reasonable fuel economy from just 2.2 liters of displacement, we think that Mahindra's new pickup could re-ignite the compact pickup market in no time at all. At least one domestic brand might be thinking the same thing, as this spy shot indicates that one of Detroit's finest brought one over for testing.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Mahindra's diesel pickup drops 'Appalachian' name originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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