Mahindra Truck/SUV diesel, 35 - 40+ mpg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 7:13 pm

Threeweight is correct about the historical rebadged Japanese trucks of the past. Now days if you have one, the company who slapped their name plate on quits selling dealer type parts. Chrysler did this with the rebadged Mitsubishi cars and trucks.
What is good for us Jeep owners is that after market suppliers step forward and start selling parts we need when the Bean Counters think it costs too much to supply them.

KhakiCRD · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:27 pm

The SUV they make sounds like a pretty cool design. http://www.mahindrascorpio.com/

impulse · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:28 pm

If after a couple years of sales in the US these vehicles prove to be of decent quality, don't be surprised to see Ford, GM, or Chrysler partner with Mahindra, and start offering their trucks under their own nameplates.
Partnering?? No -- Tata may just buy Ford. (for the name only) They just bought Jag and Land Rover.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:21 pm

I'd buy one and fill it up with off road diesel

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:22 pm

...I spend for my work related travel goes back to India to finance companies like Tata?
Maybe impulse is dead on and my brother will be working for Tata when they buy out Ford.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:56 pm

gmctd wrote:

Looks like the Datsun\Toyota 4 small-passenger pickem-ups from the '80's, built on the 2-pass pickup frame - never sold in the US, the bed had little support behind the axle, so even a tailgate party would warp the tailgate and frame

The 2-pass version is way smaller, narrower, sorta like a Jeep\Jeep pickup from the '50's, stylized, with the Wrangler's square headlites from the '80's-'90's

"By the time Mahindra's haulers go on sale in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2009, we'll be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the birth of the import compact truck in America. In 1959 another small, Asian-based company started selling a few Japanese-sourced 37-horsepower pickups with the funny name 'Datsun 1000'. Today that company sells tens of thousands of midsize and full size pickups, not to mention every other type of vehicle, under the Nissan brand."

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:02 pm

Cutting edge diesel technology, fuel efficient, IFS, Lockers, and an automatic transmission that is going to be a six-speed ‘Tipton’ (manually shift able) transmission.......................................... :shock:

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, this sounds pretty nice to me! :-)r

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:06 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Cutting edge diesel technology, fuel efficient, IFS, Lockers, and an automatic transmission that is going to be a six-speed ‘Tipton’ (manually shift able) transmission.......................................... :shock:

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, this sounds pretty nice to me! :-)r

I read that they turned to Bosch to build the engine. Now I don't have any idea exactly what "build" implies :?:

I also read Bosch was was opening a plant in India

widowmaker · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:48 am

With a few mods, it could look pretty cool

litton · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:43 am

They do look like a nice entry level vehicle but I would hold off bying one until there is a track record of longivity in the US.

Do you remember the "Yogo"? Lots of folk got stuck with no parts, no support, and no resale except as scrap.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 1:24 pm

Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. will shake up the U.S. truck market next year when it introduces a new midsize pickup called the Appalachian sporting a 2.2L four-cylinder diesel engine producing around 150 horsepower and 300 pound feet of torque. Speaking with Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, John Perez, the CEO of Atlanta-based importer Global Vehicles U.S.A. that's aiding Mahindra's entry into the U.S. market, revealed that the truck will deliver 30 to 35 miles per gallon and cost in the mid-$20,000 range. It will be paired with a six-speed automatic that's controlled via a floor-mounted shifter or paddle shifters(!), have a class-leading payload of 2,600 lbs. and feature a 60,000-mile, four year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

If that's not enough to strike fear in domestic and import truck makers alike, Mahindra has also revealed plans to sell a diesel hybrid version of its pickup by 2010. If it happens, the diesel hybrid Appalachian will be, as far as we know, the only diesel hybrid on sale in the U.S. market and achieve fuel economy figures even higher than its diesel-only counterpart. Imagine a midsize pickup in the low-$30,000 price range capable of 40+ mpg.

The Appalachian has yet to go through U.S. certification for emissions and safety, but the company is spending $80 million to ensure its truck passes with no issues. After that, production will begin in India on March 15, 2009, but the trucks will finish assembly at a plant in Ohio to avoid high import taxes. After that, customers can visit a 300-strong dealer network with 24 standalone dealerships, one of which is already under construction.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/11/mahi ... year-dies/

cerich · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:02 pm

litton wrote:

They do look like a nice entry level vehicle but I would hold off bying one until there is a track record of longivity in the US.

Do you remember the "Yogo"? Lots of folk got stuck with no parts, no support, and no resale except as scrap.

sorry ain't gonna happen.

It is a brave new world now with global access to parts thru the internet and cheap Fedex/UPS/DHL international now compared to the Yugo days. Your worst case is not possible anymore unless Mahrinda goes belly up in Idia as well. Even then there are enough Indian product on the road that the parts will be availbale from after market companies.

Not the same at all, the Yugo came from a small and poor European country with a small base of potential consumers at home, the US was the gold mine if they could penetrate, India is bigger than the US eonomy wise and just bonus money to them if the penetrate this market.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:19 pm

...that there a lot of American's who have family in India. And family can communicate what markets are lacking to the folks back home. I suspect they have.
My wife's doctor is from India, our vet is from India, I know Engineers from India. Even the Governor of Louisiana, Bobbie Jindal is the son of parents from India.
Bosch has had plants in India for years producing quality products. Therefore they know how to produce quality.

The Yugo was an obsolete FIAT design that the Yugoslavian government got form FIAT as a package deal where the old worn out factory production equipment was moved from Italy and set up. Many of the parts that failed on the YUGO were due to poor quality control of the material used. Another factor in the failure of the Yugo was the class of owner they attracted did not drive them and maintain them as the original FIAT was designed to.

I will bet that it will all boil down to how they are accepted, are they pretty enough to attract the styling oriented or are they ugly enough to look cool.

Design them right, they will hold together :!:

durangotang · **Posted:** Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:49 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

I'd buy one and fill it up with off road diesel

Tee-hee

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:16 am

Mahindra already has a good reputation in the U.S. with their tractors. I know you can’t compare a tractor to a Truck/SUV, but I do think the brand name loyalty and proven worthiness carries over. I would imagine that there are tens of thousands of people here in the U.S. that’s ready for a fuel efficient entry level pickup. The Mahindra truck would be perfect for many city folks who want a fuel efficient compact truck that can haul miscellaneous items and still fit in their garage. Farmers/ranchers can run to town in their fuel efficient Mahindra truck to pick up parts instead of driving their 4-door dually. Then there are those who are like me and will buy anything with a diesel.

I think most of us agree that the price of fuel isn’t going to get much cheaper. With this being said, I really believe this type of truck will be very much demanded. Personally, I think the Mahindra truck and SUV looks good. And at the moment, there is absolutely no competition. Jeep screwed around and blew off the Gladiator, so I can only imagine that the Mahindra trucks will set the standard for future compact diesel trucks sold in the U.S.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:13 am

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/news/ma ... dmore.html

The "Appalachian" will have a U.S. exclusive interior that's been designed to American tastes (and sizes) by Michigan-based supplier Lear Corporation. Leather seats will be optional. Two-wheel and Four-wheel-drive versions will be available. Mr. Perez says the truck's size is close to that of the current Toyota Tacoma, instead of being a 'true compact' pickup. Mahindra and GV-USA are planning a wide range of accessories for the truck, one of which is expected to be a snow plow. Indian auto manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has plans to offer a mid-size diesel hybrid pickup to American buyers by 2010, promising even higher fuel economy figures than the diesel-only truck it will start selling next year. Both powertrains will be available for its 'Scorpio' SUV too. Last year PickupTruck.com interviewed John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles U.S.A. (GV-USA), an Alpharetta, Georgia-based automotive import company, who's leading the effort to bring the Indian pickup (and Scorpio SUV) to these shores. Mr. Perez just provided an update to PickupTruck.com about the truck's status. "I was just advised that by 2010 we'll have a diesel hybrid pickup (for sale in the US market). It will be available for the two-door and four-door pickups, and the SUV," says Mr. Perez. "Nobody is going to have a truck close to this." This is the first time a diesel hybrid powertrain has been announced by a truck manufacturer for the U.S. market. Gasoline hybrids have recently been introduced by General Motors for its full size 2009 Chevrolet Silverado and 2009 GMC Sierra pickups, and Toyota recently showed its A-BAT compact pickup concept using a hybrid powertrain. "We're not able to announce pricing yet (for the diesel hybrid) but we're not expecting it to be, say, $10,000 more (than the diesel-only pickup). Probably several thousand more," says Mr. Perez. Mr. Perez has previously stated the diesel-only pickup would start at $22,000. The diesel-only truck will use a slightly modified version of Mahindra's recently introduced 'mHawk' 2.2-liter inline four cylinder diesel engine, that debuted in India in the Scorpio SUV. Mr. Perez estimates the U.S. version of the mHawk will have power ratings in the range of 145-horsepower to 150-horsepower and approximately 300 pound-feet of torque, though the numbers haven't been finalized. The mHawk was designed in cooperation with diesel engineering firms Bosch and AVL specifically with the American pickup market in mind. The American mHawk will be paired with a standard six-speed automatic transmission, a floor mounted console shifter, and steering wheel mounted paddles to manually shift the gearbox. "I'm really happy about this diesel," says Mr. Perez. "This is a market that nobody is going to be in for at least three of four years. We're going to be able to give small businesses a truck that can get 30 to 35 miles-per-gallon, and with a diesel engine that's durable. It's a $40,000 truck that we're going to sell in the mid-$20,000s. This is not Chinese junk." And it will be able to haul too. Mahindra promises the truck will be able to carry a very sizeable 1.3-ton (2,600-lb) payload in its 7.5-foot cargo box. By comparison, the 2008 Toyota Tacoma has a max payload rating of 1,685-lbs and the 2008 Dodge Dakota has a max payload of 1,720-lbs. The trucks will come with a 60,000-mile, four year bumper-to-bumper warranty. Three hundred dealers have signed up to sell the Mahindra pickup, which Mr. Perez thinks will be called the 'Appalachian', after the Appalachian mountain range in the eastern U.S., by the time it goes on sale in mid-2009. Most dealerships will be store-in-a-store, paired with existing auto franchises, but 24 stand-alone Mahindra stores are planned. One is already under construction in the midwest. Mr. Perez is being very specific with dealers that sign on about how they treat customers.

"They have been told to treat our customers like they are buying a Land Rover. If they don't, they won't be a dealer. We don't want our buyers to be jerked around," says Mr. Perez.

Mahindra has spent almost $80-million getting the pickup and SUVs ready to meet U.S. federal vehicle regulations, like diesel emissions and crash tests.

"Mahindra is being three-times cautious about entering the U.S. market so there won't be any issues with the truck (by the time its tested for U.S. certification)," says Mr. Perez.

Production starts March 15, 2009 in India but final assembly of the pickup will take place at an unannounced location in Ohio. This way Mahindra will be able to avoid the 25% federal import tariff (aka 'Chicken tax') levied on foreign-built pickups. Mr. Perez says the amount will be only 4%. The first trucks should be on sale by summer 2009.

Reflex · **Joined:** Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:48 pm **Posts:** 567

Belive it when I see it. Hardly the first and certainly not the last 'too good to be true' future car. That said, if they proved the market for small truck diesels I'd be very appreciative since it would give me future options with domestic companies most likely...

onthehunt · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:28 pm

Quote:

. It's a $40,000 truck that we're going to sell in the mid-$20,000s.

Wonder how??

Quote:

.Production starts March 15, 2009 in India but final assembly of the pickup will take place at an unannounced location in Ohio. This way Mahindra will be able to avoid the 25% federal import tariff (aka 'Chicken tax') levied on foreign-built pickups. Mr. Perez says the amount will be only 4%.

I bet if GM could get kids to assemble their trucks for $5 a day and then undercut everyone else by avoiding tariffs they could compete too!! Oh well, it's our own fault. We are letting them do it. I think I'll wait and see how the steel holds up.
Bunch of rusty foreign steel around this part of the country.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:50 pm

They don't call the Midwest the Rust Belt for nothing. As a rule the more populated the city the more salt they dump on the road. It is not uncommon to just apply salt for a 2" to 4" snow fall and not plow.
Good alloys and good prep of the steel surfaces is a must.
I remember when GM and Ford bought some junk steel from Japan. You could spot the body panel made from the bad steel, it was totally crumbling and the rest of the car or truck was in great condition. What it turned out to be was that the Japanese steel supplier did not pickle the steel after rolling it setting it up to rust through.
I hope the people at Mahindra know all about this, otherwise there will be a lot of 2.2L common rail diesel engine kits in the Midwest for the older Wranglers out West. :idea:

Steve

litton · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:02 pm

I suspect there will be a major gap between marketing hype and reality. Granted they may come in and "buy" market shrare for introduction period but I remain skeptical. We've all see it before and we'll see it again. If you want those kind of performance #'s at those $$$, what will be traded off.....there ain't no free lunch. Take the CRD Liberty for example, if you shaved 2,000 lbs off the Libby, you would get better fuel ecomony but would have a Jeep with rather poor stucturally integrity. Drop the HP and Torque 25 -30 % then you'll pick up another few % of fuel economy but and we already have complaints about the F37 dropping power.

Hold the speed on a CRD to 55 and you'll get well aver 30 mpg in most cases.

Drop the 5 star crash rating and you can save another few $$$.

My CRD was 23K so whatever they offer and can deliver better be on hell of lot better.

Proof is performance not literature.

Just my humble opinion based on a lot of decades of observation. We've seen at least a two dozen new cars hit his shore and disappear just as fast and many from major manufacturers here and abroad. Remember, those that ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

Mahindra Truck/SUV diesel, 35 - 40+ mpg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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