Mahindra Trucks:

[atgreene]

If it can't plow snow, It'll be of little use to me. It'll be interesting to see if there is a plow package. There is room out there for a true work truck rather than a car on a truck frame. They'll never compete in the high end truck communter market. The work and fleet market they stand a chance if it truely can be used for work.

 

[Builder]

a 2.2 common rail diesel... A license of the 177 hp Toyota D4D ??? coupled to a 6 speed automatic ? it should be able to haul a GCVW of 8 ton just like the Sprinters and Dailies do in Europe. It wont be as fast uphill as a USA truck, but those people who haul 8 ton every day, can still buy `more truck` with a Cummins, duramax or powerstroke. Those who haul occasionally, can save a lot of money when carrying around less bulk in all those other trips when they dont need to tow a trailer...

A truck that small cannot stop and properly control a 16,000lb GCWR. If a 1/2 ton full size domestic can barely do it, I have trouble believing that tin can could do it.

To get this widely accepted, it requires a change of the way americans think... It will happen because of the hard times, and once its widely accepted that you dont become a lesser man when you drive a smaller truck, other manufacturers may hop into that market too...

Will you please stop categorizing us all this way? I'm a tough man whether I'm on a bicycle or driving an 18 wheeler. This crap must end. I think you watch too much TV over there, pal. Maybe it's Europeans that need to change the way they think about us.

The same as it happened with cars, the 2 ton Detroit built cars of the 60s and 70s also have faded away in favour of Honda, VW, even though these brands had a hard time and a slow sales start, getting accepted back then.

Times change and so do American cars. We build smaller cars here too. Like the Focus and the malibu. We didn't just drop all the American brands and drive foreign cars. We adapted to changing times. Just like the space shuttle (you know the big American built space craft??) We built that to replace disposable rockets. Contrary to what Europeans think of us, we do posess a smidgeon of knowledge, common sense & self reliance.

 

[davkir]

I appreciate other viewpoints such as those expressed by Renze and some of the other international members. I find them much more interesting then a lot of the posts I find here.
I think there is a market for all kinds of vehicles, even though they may not interest me at all.
One of my neighbors has an OLD Isuzu diesel pickup and another has one of those unusual miniature pickups from Japan.

 

[Matt_Jr]

The beds cargo load is rated a 1.25 tons. Yeah I know, what can you fit in it that weighs that much? But it looks very durable on the outside. I'd like to see one in person. I don't care too much about style I own an '03 prius- talk about ugly. What kind of mileage does it get. How much torque? Low range? I'm not really worried about how fast, but will it pull my Kubota up the hill I live on? Looks like it'd be fun to drive. Is a manual trans optional?

 

[farmboy12]

The beds cargo load is rated a 1.25 tons. Yeah I know, what can you fit in it that weighs that much? But it looks very durable on the outside. I'd like to see one in person. I don't care too much about style I own an '03 prius- talk about ugly. What kind of mileage does it get. How much torque? Low range? I'm not really worried about how fast, but will it pull my Kubota up the hill I live on? Looks like it'd be fun to drive. COLOR="DarkGreen"]Is a manual trans optional?[/COLOR]

it doesn't look like there is an available manual trans. I'd get one with a manual. As I stated before, that would probably be more suited in the mini-truck category being used as a farm truck.


Kyle

 

[shvl73]

Back in '85, my father had a Toyota 1 ton. It would take the weight and still had fair power. I don't doubt the Mahindra will haul the weight specified. The big problem with the Toyota was rust and it seems they still don't have it solved, based on the buy back of the Tacoma. I just couldn't bring myself to buy an early Mahindra when so much is unknown. How will it take the salted roads in New England, how will it tow a trailer and how big. I'll still watch them. I'll be interested to see how those that buy them make out.

 

[Hoosier Hay Man]

Times change and so do American cars. We build smaller cars here too. Like the Focus and the malibu. We didn't just drop all the American brands and drive foreign cars. We adapted to changing times. Just like the space shuttle (you know the big American built space craft??) We built that to replace disposable rockets. Contrary to what Europeans think of us, we do posess a smidgeon of knowledge, common sense & self reliance.

Like it or not the auto industry has been and will remain a global one, the same as tractors. GM, Ford and Chrysler own or have owned many overseas auto companies. Collaboration between competing auto companies will contiunue also, no matter what continent they reside on.

To prove it, Ford will be bringing in 6 car designs from Europe. One of them being the European Ford Focus to compete in the high milage market.

Isuzu diesels power GM trucks today. The Duramax is an Isuzu engine. They built a great little diesel truck called the Chevy LUV. It would get above 40mpg. They engine way out lived the body though.
I always wanted to bolt one of those little diesels in my od Farmall F-14.

 

[Builder]

Like it or not the auto industry has been and will remain a global one, the same as tractors. GM, Ford and Chrysler own or have owned many overseas auto companies. Collaboration between competing auto companies will contiunue also, no matter what continent they reside on.

To prove it, Ford will be bringing in 6 car designs from Europe. One of them being the European Ford Focus to compete in the high milage market.

Isuzu diesels power GM trucks today. The Duramax is an Isuzu engine. They built a great little diesel truck called the Chevy LUV. It would get above 40mpg. They engine way out lived the body though.
I always wanted to bolt one of those little diesels in my od Farmall F-14.

The Duramax is not an Isuzu engine anymore. It was designed by GM & Isuzu, that is true. However, GM bought Isuzu out of the partnership and now it is built in Moraine, Ohio by DMAX Ltd.

 

[dgl24087]

The beds cargo load is rated a 1.25 tons. Yeah I know, what can you fit in it that weighs that much? But it looks very durable on the outside. I'd like to see one in person. I don't care too much about style I own an '03 prius- talk about ugly. What kind of mileage does it get. How much torque? Low range? I'm not really worried about how fast, but will it pull my Kubota up the hill I live on? Looks like it'd be fun to drive. Is a manual trans optional?

I've read 150 hp and 300 ft-lbs torque.

 

[Renze]

A truck that small cannot stop and properly control a 16,000lb GCWR. If a 1/2 ton full size domestic can barely do it, I have trouble believing that tin can could do it.

The 2.2 might come a bit short, but the 3 liter V6 in the Mercedes Sprinter 5 series (aka Dodge Sprinter 3500) has the power and the ability to pull and brake 19,290 pounds GCWR if fitted with a proper air brake system with EBS. (With an individual homologation permit, even 22,000 lbs is allowed but not advisable for rookie drivers if there is too much wind ) The Mercedes 2.2 liter, 150 hp four was restricted to 15,400 GCWR but did it just fine. The 3 series Sprinter (Dodge Sprinter 2500) was restricted to 13,889 pounds due to lighter frame, springs and diff, but when converted to 5 ton leaf springs, they towed even better than the 5 ton dually.

The magic word is REAR TORSION BARS and you'll hold anything on the road, if proper weight on the 5th wheel is applied.
I dont know about today, but historically seen, American cars were notorious for the poor handling because of the absence of sufficiently sized torsion bars...


When last year i still worked at the trailer manufacturer, we actually installed a 12 Volt EBS system from Knorr on those trailers, intended for the American market because in Europe all air brake equipped vehicles are 24V, so this 12V EBS kit was hard to get.

Will you please stop categorizing us all this way? I'm a tough man whether I'm on a bicycle or driving an 18 wheeler. This crap must end. I think you watch too much TV over there, pal. Maybe it's Europeans that need to change the way they think about us.

... I'm referring to the relation between social status and TRUCK size, not 'torsion bar' size so -PLEASE- !!! dont take it personal

By the way, the comments of our politically left orientated media on Bush' casual press conference was hilarious:
They interviewed a so-called reporter who happened to just have written a book about the "disasters of Bush government": The guy wasnt subtle enough to hide that he needed this interview to generate some sales of his book today...

Times change and so do American cars. We build smaller cars here too.

Yes you sure do... but it was the (back then) rusty Japanese and unperfect Germans, that paved the way, then American automakers followed...
What i was saying is that this Mahindra truck might just pave the way for a similar shift in the U.S. small commercial vehicle market...
For instance a 200hp Cummins QSB 4.5 would be plenty of engine for most truck owners, if they can overcome their addiction to Diesel power...

Contrary to what Europeans think of us, we do posess a smidgeon of knowledge, common sense & self reliance.

No offense, but you missed my point completely, and your defensiveness would, for many Europeans, only be a confirmation of what you THOUGHT i was saying... but i didnt.