Mahindra News

Mahindra currently sells the Pik Up ute in Australia and is readying another load hauler that will come it at a more affordable price point.The Pik Up starts off at $21,990 for the two-wheel drive single cab, which is cheap but not as cheap as the Chinese and the Great Wall V240 range that starts off at $17,990. Mahindra Australia, which is now a factory owned operation, will import a new ute called the Genio to compete with the Great Wall and other Chinese cut-price machines.The company is not ready to disclose pricing, but told Working Wheels the new narrow-bodied ute will not be cheaper than the Great Wall products.The Genio is based on the Xylo people mover platform and is not as focused on off-road work as the Pik Up, although it will be available with a locking four-wheel drive system as well as a two-drive.“It will really be aimed at your metro tradie, it will be suited to the urban kind of life,” says Mahindra national sales manager, Russell Thiele. “The Pik Up is more of a rural focused vehicle.”The full list of equipment will be made public closer to the launch, but the Genio will come with cruise control and airconditioning, front disc brakes (and rear drums) and a front airbag for the driver and passenger.It will not have as much gear as the Pik Up and items such as the sound system will be one grade lower than in the Pik Up model. No side airbags, curtain airbags or electronic stability control are available for the Genio.It has not been tested by ANCAP unlike the Pik Up, which has been given a poor three star rating and was criticized by the safety body. The Genio uses a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, which generates 90kW and 270Nm. 

The Indian-built Mahindra Pik Up has fallen short of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) pass-mark for light-commercials in the latest ANCAP results. The Mahindra Pik Up utility, which has dual front airbags, a collapsible steering column and anti-lock brakes, scored only three stars for its crash test despite recent upgrades to better its safety performance. ANCAP CEO Nicholas Clarke says he has mixed feelings about the Mahindra result, which falls short of the Nissan Navara's four-star score and five star ratings for the Volkswagen Amarok, Ford's new Ranger and the Mazda BT-50. "On one level I have to say congrastulations to them for spending time and money to improve on what was a pretty ordinary two-star result, they've put another airbag and an improved restraint package in the car, but the flipside is that it still only gets to three stars," he said. ANCAP chair Lauchlan McIntosh says there were concerns held over the Mahindra's small improvement.  "Over 90 per cent of vehicles sold now have either a 4 or 5 star safety rating so it concerns me greatly to see the Mahindra still well below the standard consumers are demanding," he said. The new Toyota Aurion retained the superseded model's five-star ANCAP rating, with the new model now getting auto-dipping high-beam and upgraded seatbelt reminder alerts added to the outgoing model's six airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control. Kia's newly-released three and four door Rio models have inherited the five-star rating of its new five-door hatchback; Suzuki has also retained the five-star rating for the new Sport model of its Swift small car. The Jeep brand now has a 4-star rating for the Jeep Compass, which was previously rated two stars by the European NCAP test. The Australian four star rating was acheived courtesy of a different weighting for the pedestrian impact scores, according to Mr Clarke. "Euro NCAP are moving along the same road map to raise the bar but they are a little bit ahead of us on pedestrian safety, the Compass pedestrian rating was poor which can still can get four stars here, but not in a year or two's time," he says. The Jeep Compass which provides what ANCAP calls a "respectable" level of occupant protection with dual front airbags, side curtain airbags and electronic brake distribution as standard.  

And it shows India aims to use price-cut techniques to outmanoeuvre China as it heats up its SUV presence in Australia. Major Indian light commercial and SUV maker Mahindra will launch its XUV500 wagon within three months in Australia and expand the models of its newly-acquired subsidiary, Ssangyong. A Mahindra spokesman at this week's Delhi motor show say the XUV500 is the company's first monocoque SUV and its first designed from the outset as a global market vehicle. Priced at about $24,000 and available as a 2WD or AWD, the XUV500 claims it ha more features than its rivals yet costs about half the price. It competes in India with the Toyota Fortuna, Chevrolet Captiva, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mitsubishi Outlander. But it will also take on China's Great Wall X240 petrol and X200 diesel wagons, the Foton and the XV that is expected to go on sale in Australia also in March. The spokesman - who did not want to be named - at the Mahindra stand at the Delhi stand says the AWD model features include sat-nav, touch screen monitor, upmarket audio, six airbags and electronic stability control. It gets a 103kW/330Nm 2.2-litre common-rail turbo-diesel engine - a development of an existing 89kW/270Nm diesel - and six-speed manual transmission.                              The spokesman says an automatic transmission will be available in the future. This transmission is likely to the six-speed unit made by DSI - a company owned by China's Geely - in Albury, NSW. The gearbox is available on the Ssangyong Koranda. The XUV500, which is marketed with a tiger motif that Mahindra claims represents the SUV's "athletic looks and symbolised by the pronounced wheelarches'', is similar in size to Great Wall's SUV.It is 35mm shorter at 4585mm, 15mm lower and 90mm wider and weighs 2450kg in AWD guise.  Mahindra will kickstart the XUV500 with production at about 2000 units a month and expects to grow that figure on export demand. 

...we go electric.More specifically we investigate the promise of electric cars.We are starting to hear that they are close to arriving on our streets but you know what I think there is one thing we are forgetting. Not everyone drives their car into a garage every night were there is a power point and extension cord standing by.Most people, especially in city areas where you would think electric cars will be more popular to start with, park their cars on the street at night.So how do they recharge their batteries? Well there is a new scheme being planned for Canberra that will see recharging stations installed in car parks and other public places.Plus...in the old days tradies and farmers pretty much had the choice of just a couple of manufacturers when it came to their vehicles.Now a days however the range of commercial vehicles available is huge. There is about to be even more competition with the introduction of Chinese made Great Wall Motors utes.Mahindra Australia has also unveiled a brand new model of their pik up range.For all this and much more, listen to the podcast above. 

...but it says it is here for the long term and its revised Pik-Up is proof positive of its commitment.Key among the changes the Indian carmaker has made to its tough workhorse are those aimed at lifting its safety rating to an anticipated three stars once it is tested by ANCAP. With dual front airbags and antiskid ABS brakes standard across the Pik-Up range Mahindra is confident it will achieve a three-star ANCAP rating.While some Pik-Up customers, notably farmers, might not appreciate the addition of airbags as they prevent them from using their vehicles to push and shove gates, equipment and stock around their farms, but the extra safety features are sure to appeal to city slickers.Town dwellers are also likely to be attracted to the new grille, headlights, fog lamps, bumper and bonnet scoop that combine to give the Pik-Up a fresh new face and make it more appealing.Add to the external makeover new ergonomically designed seats for improved comfort, a sporty gear knob and park brake lever, tilt-adjustable steering column, new fabric trim, a new CD sound system with MP3 compatibility and steering wheel controls, and powered mirrors, and you get the impression Mahindra is trying to reach out to buyers wanting more from their utes than the rugged reliability Mahindra has been relying on to win over sceptical Australians.As it was in the first generation of the Pik-Up the range consists of single and dual-cab utes and cab-chassis models, with either two or four-wheel drive, and powered by a 2.5-litre common rail turbo diesel engine boasting 79 kW at 3800 revs and 247 Nm at 1800-2200 revs.A five-speed manual gearbox is standard, there is no auto available, and the four-wheel drive transfer case has electric selection.The suspension is a proven tough combination of front torsion bars and rear leaf springs, the steering is power assisted and the brakes are a combo of front discs and rear drums with standard ABS antiskid electronics.All models boast a payload of at least one-tonne, the single-cab two-wheel drive boasting the highest at 1160 kg, and all will tow up to 2.5-tonne.Mahindra's warranty is for three years or 100,000 km and there's also 24-hour roadside assistance for three years.Mahindra launched in the Australian market with the Pik-Up two years ago as partner in a joint venture with Tynan Motor Industries, but has since taken control of the operation by acquiring an 80 per cent share and renaming the company Mahindra Automotive Australia.Taking control was necessary to advance the Mahindra cause in Australia, said Pravin Shah, Mahindra's Executive Vic President of International Operation in the Automotive Sector. Shah said he was satisfied with the progress the company had made to date, and reconfirmed its commitment to stay in Australia for the long term.When asked about sales to date, Shah refused to elaborate, saying he preferred not to speak about sales as they simply provided a yardstick for others outside the Mahindra to measure his company's success. All he would say is that they were in the thousands. "The number has four figures," was all he would say. "That means they are between 1000 and 9999."While preferring not to talk about current sales Shah was keen to talk up the future, saying Mahindra was likely to release an SUV in the coming months, and had plans for all-new SUV and Pik-Up models for 2011. The new global models are currently being developed on all-new platforms with the intention of selling them in markets all around the world, including Australia.

Critics argue they are because many utes can't match a sedan when it comes to features like side airbags. The Australian Automobile Association has taken up the fight to pressure vehicle makers to lift their game. The powerful AAA wants state and federal governments to ensure their workers drive vehicles that have a minimum four-star safety rating. The Tasmanian Government now has a four-star standard for its buying policy and is leading the way nationally. The Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) last week released its latest safety ratings for utes. Only one of the four tested — the Holden Commodore — rated four stars. Nissan's Navara and Mazda's BT50 managed a three-star rating (the Nissan was tested in Europe) and the Indian-made Mahindra Pik-Up only scored two stars. Utes tested from January 1 this year will not score a five-star rating unless they come with electronic stability control as standard equipment. ANCAP chair Lauchlan McIntosh said the performance of the Holden ute was a sign that manufacturers could design and build models with better occupant protection. “We are seeing more and more four and five-star vehicles on the Australian market nowadays, and we would expect that a utility vehicle should earn a five-star rating in the near future,” he said. However, more work needed to be done. “Many utes are lacking in basic occupant protection, which is an occupational health and safety concern for drivers of these vehicles. Unfortunately these vehicles are also often bought for family use.” Ford's Ranger ute is based on the Mazda BT50 and is expected to have similar crashworthiness. The frontal offset crash by ANCAP left the passenger compartment severely deformed, with the steering column, dashboard components and park brake lever all potential sources of injury. After a poor result from Euro NCAP, Nissan upgraded the airbag performance of the Navara ute and is now fitting new triggering software to utes sold in this country. The Mahindra Pik-Up, which only rated two stars, had minimal safety features and, despite the dual-cab configuration that was popular with families, did not include top tether anchorages for child restraints, McIntosh said. “Under Australian regulations these are optional on this style of vehicle, which can be classified as commercial,” he said. “Mahindra has advised ANCAP it will be providing driver and passenger airbags in its 2008 models and the anchorages will be a standard design feature from next year.  

Forty Mahindra vehicles recently completed the 41st Mahindra Great Escape, an annual non-competitive rally in India started in 1996. This year the Great Escape crossed the Great Thar Desert. Now TMI Pacific, Australian distributor of the Mahindra Pik-Up utility, is planning its own version of the Indian trek. The local event will also be called the Mahindra Great Escape, and will involve dealers, customers, media and other stakeholders TMI Pacific chief operations officer Claire Tynan took part in the Indian adventure, driving a 4WD Scorpio. "It was an absolutely exhilarating experience," she said. "The drive was a testament to the capability of the Mahindra vehicles when put to the test, while the well-thought-out track only added to the challenge." The Scorpio, built on the same platform as the Pik-Up, was among six Mahindra models that took part in the adventure. The route this year covered sand dunes, rocky patches, steep inclines and drops. As well as the national Great Escape held in Rajasthan every year, Mahindra also conducts a series of regional Great Escapes in various parts of India. Tynan said details of the Australian adventure had not yet been confirmed. In Queensland, Mahindra is sold at Fraser Agricultural in Proserpine and at Sunshine Coast Mahindra.  

Carmakers from emerging market countries have revealed their intentions at the Frankfurt Motor Show, even though their presence had been discreet compared with the European, Japanese and US giants.As car sales stagnate in those three regions, manufacturers have turned towards China, India and Russia, all of which had exhibitors present at the fair. China sent the biggest delegation, with 44 stands that included carmakers as well as parts companies.Two years ago the Chinese had a timid presence at the show but that changed this year. For most Chinese auto companies, however, coming to the shows was “a question of getting a foot into the European and US market,” says Hartwig Hirtz, who imports cars to Germany for Brilliance, a major Chinese brand. He sold his first models this year and awaits European certification to attack 17 other markets in 2008, with an annual sales target of 15,000 units.But getting started was not easy. In addition to charges of copyright violations, some Chinese cars have had catastrophic results in crash tests. “The Chinese might not have taken European security obligations seriously enough,” Hirtz says.For Elisabeth Young, president of Asie Auto which imports Brilliance in France, the short-term Chinese target is to show they can do as well as the Europeans. “It's important as well for the domestic market, which is very competitive, and where clients still favour European and American brands,” she says. “Within 10 years, they want to be among the world's biggest.”India, meanwhile was much more discreet, with no cars and just a few stands squeezed in next to Czech exhibitions, displaying the green, white and orange national flag.India has nonetheless been making noises. Tata Motors is mulling a bid for the British luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover, which might be sold by Ford. Another Indian group, Mahindra, has also been suggested as a possible bidder for the British companies.As for the Russians, Lada remained their only brand on display, and included the Niva four-wheel-drive vehicle.Lada first appeared in Frankfurt in 1970 and is reasonably well implanted in Europe, where it sold 25,000 cars last year. “We have a traditional clientele,” a spokesman says. “It's a niche market.” It mainly attracts those who have less to spend, but is a market in which Renault has nonetheless achieved considerable success with its Romanian-built Logan. “On this point, we are unbeatable,” says Benoit Chambon, spokesman for AZ-Motors which will import Shuanghuan cars to France. 

Dick Honan, the man who sparked the political debate that led to oil companies being forced to offer motorists ethanol/petrol blends, has won again.BP announced yesterday it had contracted with Mr Honan's Manildra Group for the supply of 40 million litres of ethanol during the next year, with the possibility of extending the agreement for a further two years.Manildra Group is Australia's biggest producer of ethanol, which is a by-product of its wheat-based industrial starch business, based at Bomaderry in southeastern NSW.For years Mr Honan conducted an acrimonious debate with the major oil companies, accusing them of refusing to supply him with wholesale supplies of petrol so that he could distribute a 20 per cent ethanol petrol blend.The use of ethanol reduces the petroleum industry's share of the fuel market.In 2003, it was revealed that Mr Honan had met secretly with Prime Minister John Howard in August 2002 before the Government introduced a scheme under which ethanol would not attract excise until 2011, thus destroying an ethanol import market.That policy was designed to force oil companies to supply ethanol blends, so that the Government's uncosted 2002 federal election promise to develop biofuels industry of 350 million litres a year by 2010, originally seen as a boost to the struggling sugar industry, which could be achieved.While the federal Government has encouraged oil companies to blend ethanol with petrol, up to a maximum of 10 per cent, the NSW Government has mandated a 2 per cent ethanol level across the product range from October 1.Oil company representatives said yesterday this was not achievable across the whole of the retail business, as many petrol distributors and wholesalers would not be ready in time.Effectively, the switch to E10 blends will see the gradual wind-back of the existing 91-octane unleaded petrol, with the ethanol blends having octane ratings of about 94 , making them compatible with new, fuel-efficient car engines.BP said yesterday that, as a result of its deal with Manildra, it would offer new BP Unleaded 91 to NSW motorists at a 3c a litre discount through its Biorewards program.Currently, BP's 88 sites across Queensland, NSW and the ACT are being supplied with the new fuel. By the end of the year all 50 BP branded service stations in NSW will be selling the new product in place of regular unleaded petrol.BP Australia president Gerry Hueston said the company's actions demonstrated its commitment to create a sustainable future for biofuels in Australia.Both Shell and Caltex said yesterday that BP was well behind in supplying ethanol-petrol blends across Australia. 

New cars as cheap as $10,990 are about to zoom into the Australian market.Chinese models will be leading the way and are expected to shake up the local motoring scene, the way Korean cars did in the 1990s and Japanese makes in the 1970s.Budget-priced vehicles are also coming from India, Italy, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.China has hundreds of car makers with names such as Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motors, Nanjing, Hafei, Zhongxing, Zhonghua, Brilliance China and Shanghai Automotive.However, some of the Chinese models have fared poorly in European crash testing.The Brilliance BS6 sedan got only one star out of a possible five when tested last month, while an SUV Landwind made by Jiangling Motors scored a zero.It was the worst result in 20 years of testing.Details of what Chinese makes will be released here are being kept secret by executives of the companies which will join the invasion.The smaller Chinese cars are expected to start at $10,990.Industry observers agree and expect the Chinese strategy will be for cars to be priced under their Korean equivalents, which have recently been as low as $12,990 in order to get a footing in the crowded market.The arrival of the first Chinese-brand cars is being handled by Ateco Automotive, an independent importer which already brings in Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Citroen, Ferrari and Maserati.The deal is being masterminded by Ric Hull, the executive involved in establishing all the major Korean brands including Hyundai, Daewoo and Kia in Australia.Ateco spokesman Edward Rowe said Chinese cars could reach Australian showrooms by mid-2008. “We're still working on it. We're talking to specific companies but there is a confidentiality agreement in place,” he said.Rowe says the plan was to start Chinese imports with small cars, then increase the range. “Ultimately there will be a full range of cars and commercial vehicles,” he said.Chrysler has made a deal with Chery for a Chinese-made small car to be exported to the US and Canada.An Indian brand Mahindra went on sale in NSW last month and plans to open a Queensland dealer network by September.A spokeswoman said: “Talks are under way with a number of dealers. Queensland will be the next market for Mahindra, it's imminent.”The brand is starting with the Pik-Up utility, diesel-engined “one-tonners” from $23,990 but the spokeswoman said they were 'exploring their options' to sell more models.“There are other opportunities there, but we're concentrating on getting launched first.”Czech-made Skoda cars last sold here 25 years ago and will return in October, with a five-seat mini-people-mover called the Roomster, and the Octavia lift-back.Skoda head Matthew Wiesner said prices would be set against their Japanese equivalents, rather than at traditional European levels.