New Mahindra Trucks

[Gittyup]

I like the hinged bed sides that let you turn the bed into a flatbed. I saw a lot of those in Korea and China. Very practical, if not quite so pretty. I see that little Alpha has them too. Seldom see this on U.S. trucks of any kind. I think even the off-road only japanese gray market mini-trucks also have the hinged sides.

I don't see Mahindra selling many at mid 20's prices. If someone is going to take a risk on an untried brand, they are going to expect to save some money. Payload and style will not over come this.

 

[Renze]

I like the hinged bed sides that let you turn the bed into a flatbed. I saw a lot of those in Korea and China. Very practical, if not quite so pretty.

Pretty much standard here in Europe too. Mercedes could equip their chassis-cabs with an cheap Italian Scattolini flatbed with aluminium hinged sides. for many people good enough. At the trailer builder i used to work, we also built heavy duty flatbeds on these, for scaffold rental companies... Off course in scaffolding business, you dont really find carefull people, (often scum that just came out of jail ) so they wanted heavy durable flatbeds, sometimes with 1" hardwood floors, and tow rings on which you could lift a loaded vehicle off the ground...

 

[Lunk]

I'd heard about this coming for almost 2 years now. I haven't bothered to look into it much because it seems to be one of those things you keep hearing about but never see. You know, like the "Chery" Chinese autos that were supposed to be sold here in the 1st quarter of 2008. Anyway, don't forget that Mahindra & Mahindra was who made most of the revered Willy's Jeeps. That is why they are allowed to use the similar grill as a Jeep; they invented that look. Granted, the Willy's Jeeps were built to U.S. specs, but Mahindra & Mahindra had some ability to add their own touch; such as the grill. The original U.S. design was for more of a screen type of grill that would catch more debris. Mahindra & Mahindra argued that the little engines in those Jeeps would overheat at slow speeds (most of their driving) without a pretty open grill design.

I'm not going to sign up and buy one of their first offerings. Based on history, they will have their growing pains here (think Toyota and Honda - that way you won't think I'm slamming the Mahindra pickup) and will have to make significant changes to meet the American wants and needs. I think it will be great to pick one up that is a couple years old and has already lost 60% to 70% of it's original selling price. Again, no knock on their product, just a deduction based on the history of all other manufacturers coming to America.

Actually,

Mahindra didn't make any "Willys" Jeeps. I believe they manufactured Jeeps under license from Willy's after WWII.

If you looked at the numbers, I think FoMoCo made the most Willy's" Jeeps in WWII. DOD liked Wiilys design the best, but realized that their reources were limited for large-scale manufacture. Ford was contracted to build the Willy's design as the Ford GPW. It's said that every piece, right down to a single nut, had the Ford "F" stamped on it, but the parts were all interchangable.

Lunk

 

[George in Spokane]

Bantam "jeeps"!!

 

[newbury]

<snip>would really like my next personal vehicle to have a diesel engine in it.

Like this?

(My VW TDI, hunting land in Mississippi)

I agree - diesel is the way I prefer to flow.

 

[flusher]

Actually,

Mahindra didn't make any "Willys" Jeeps. I believe they manufactured Jeeps under license from Willy's after WWII.

If you looked at the numbers, I think FoMoCo made the most Willy's" Jeeps in WWII. DOD liked Wiilys design the best, but realized that their reources were limited for large-scale manufacture. Ford was contracted to build the Willy's design as the Ford GPW. It's said that every piece, right down to a single nut, had the Ford "F" stamped on it, but the parts were all interchangable.

Lunk

Go to eBay and search for "Mahindra Jeep". You'll find one for sale now along with info on the history of these jeeps built in India.

 

[Lunk]

Go to eBay and search for "Mahindra Jeep". You'll find one for sale now along with info on the history of these jeeps built in India.

Googled it, and found this...

"In the years immediately after World War II, two Indian brothers, J.C. and K.C. Mahindra, started assembling completely knocked-down (CKD) Willys Jeeps that were imported to India from the US. K.C. was a graduate of the famous English University of Oxford, and his brother J.C. had a background in the iron and steel industry. In the early days of their operation, only 10 percent of the components for the Willys Jeeps were sourced in India, but this percentage gradually increased to 17 percent. In the 1950s things really took off for the Mahindra brothers; plans were submitted to the Indian government in 1954 to increase the amount of Indian-manufactured parts and decrease the number of CKD kits imported. The plans were approved, and in April 1955 the company purchased a factory at Bhandup, and gradually the Mahindra Company shifted from assembling CKD Jeeps to license building Jeeps."

Lunk

 

[Scooby074]

I was thinking of making a new thread on this, but i just read how Mahindra's profit has dropped 99% in the 3rd quarter due to currency and world economic conditions.

I hope this wont effect their North American expansion or the company proper.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=a6BjTGL77zZw&refer=india

 

[Redneck in training]

I was several months on a business trip in India about two years ago and had a chance to look at the Mahindra trucks and SUVs. My driver told me that they were pretty good vehicles but had some issues (like flimsy switches and this sort of things). Otherwise the "metal" was supposed to be quite good. The engines were diesels in about 50-60HP range. It seems to me too low for US market.

 

[Dataway]

While I love the ideal of a diesel in a mid-size pickup, and I love the payload....I think mid $20k is way off the mark for the market they will attract.....way off.

Right now I can go to a GMC dealership and buy a full size GMC 1/2 ton, 2 door, manual gearbox, V8 gas, posi rear etc, work truck for $18,000 after all the various "deals" are thrown in, and haggling with the saleman. The dealer is 15 minutes away, I can buy any part at the local NAPA, resale value is good, and quality is good. That's the truck I own now...and with the coil over shocks in the back I've carried 2,500 lbs in the back (BP milling machine and tools), and it tows my 23' 7,000 lb gooseneck race trailer.

So I'm thinking they have to get the price down to under $20k to be anywhere close to the price point for their market. It doesn't seem to me that they know their market very well, what with the required auto trans, power windows etc. Both of which I specifically ordered my GMC without. (no AC either).

My GMC has 80,000 miles on it, still has the original starter, battery, exhaust...just about everything except the crappy brakes I've replaced twice (rotors and calipers). Still drives like it's almost new.... so they do have a pretty high bar to meet regardless of the present opinions many people have about US made trucks.
JohnnyB