Mahindra 4x4 pickup

[adrenaline503]

I pretty much totally agree with the above post. When I was truck shopping I didn't see much value in the big three, even though they cost less than the used Frontier that I bought.

Not meaning to generalize, but Asian culture, including Indian culture (not that you can really group that country under a single culture) seems to be better prepared for competing in the global marketplace. Surely that has to do with the fact that they have been in the global market well before America was created. The drive to succeed, personal honor, accountability and sheer numbers of people to pool from will be a force that Detroit may not be able to compete with. It might be my perception but American car companies, and perhpas a few other industries expect that Americans should buy American regardless of the quality or value of the product. Couple this with more difficult economic times, and you have a situation where Americans are less likely to buy American unless the quailty and value match that of other nations. Don't get me wrong, American beer is still the best. Well, I guess that really isnt from here either.

Time will tell how readily Americans accept big ticket items from what is seen as the the 3rd world. Personally I wouldnt buy the first off the boat, but after a few had been on the road, I wouldnt have any issue buying one for patriotic reasons. I really wanted to buy an "American" brand, but the Power Wagon was out of my price range. Eventually, I see all these car companies being bought by forgein investors. I wonder how much stock in American car companies is held over seas, maybe those times are closer than we think.

 

[haven]

A recent Business Week article says Global Vehicles USA, the importer of the Mahindra and Mahindra pickup, will start selling vehicles in early 2010. This is later than the mid-2009 date announced earlier this year.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2008/06/mahindra_sudden.html

There may be some misunderstanding. Global Vehicles said they would offer a diesel-electric hybrid pickup by early 2010. Maybe this is where Business Week got the date.

Still, it's discouraging that there have been no announcements or news releases from Global Vehicles since February. They didn't respond to email I sent them, either. Not a good sign!

 

[gary in ohio]

Still, it's discouraging that there have been no announcements or news releases from Global Vehicles since February. They didn't respond to email I sent them, either. Not a good sign!

slipping dates, vague information,No updates. hmmm, Sound like a Romanian import GV tried a few years ago? I am still waiting for this magic Ohio plant to be announced. so far nothing.

 

[Nullifier]

We are going to get our clocks cleaned by these folks, who are building wonderful vehicles of all shapes and sizes at very low costs. Sure they're missing what we'd now consider standard features... but as someone who grew up driving basic cars without fancy options packages (like no power anything, no AC, no auto transmissions etc) I am 100% comfortable in every vehicle I've been in over here.

That is a big part of our problem to many "standard" features. over the years it has been "sorry you can't get manual locks and windows anymore", "no sory no manual transmission", etc meanwhile the base price goes up 2500.00. Now I hear ford is dropping the manual on the superduty and that auto trans is like an extra 8k to the sticker. What the heck are they thinking.

:box:

Of course prograssive plants like in brazil where auto manufacturers can have a super plant where their suppliers build and place thier parts onto fords assembly line to save everyone on shipping, handling, inventory, accounting, and 100 others cost cutting things it is no wonder U.S. auto plants are closing. It is time for these Unions to look past making todays auto workers happy for a thing like no loss in vacation benefits, retirement options that won't be there etc, and start working with these auto manufacturers to ensure jobs for the future. THere is no reason why they can not negotiate a super plant here. Make a plan where workers will be guaranteed thier current package and show up at the same plant however they will be an employee of what ever part supplier they are building and installing parts for in the super assembly plant. It will split the burden of labor and save on alot of natural resources. THere is a reason why you go to a shell, taco bell, A&W gas station these days. Wake up America!!!

OK end of rant.

 

[Incusus]

Maybe we already are, and just haven't realized how irrelevant and geriatric we are yet

Ding Ding Ding!!

We still have workers here at auto plants who assume they are "entitled" to a job just because they have managed to keep it for a number of years, and who consider it a personal attack and threaten to go ( or simply go) on strike when the company has to do *something* to save money or improve quality in order to stay in business.

In addition, US automakers saw the writing on the wall years ago; that the workforce in this country is overpaid and lazy compared to the rest of the world, and moved production to up and coming countries. Of course in doing so, they gave the people of those countries the means and knoledge to begin producing competetive vehicles.

I live in Dayton, Ohio. In the last 5-10 years I've watched the General Motors company spin off its local products and factories to other companies (Delphi, ITT Automotive, etc) when they saw the writing on the wall. As of right now, ITT took its motors and actuators engineering center from here and moved it to Germany and production to Juarez Mexico. Delphi has closed at least 5 major manufacturing facilities here, only one remains. Of the massive GM presence in this town 25 years ago, we now only have 1 truck and bus plant (slated to close in 2010 now that suv demand is down) and the joint DMax plant (an Isuzu/GM jv). Of 9 major factories and engineering and development centers, we will have one left in just a year or two.

(rant)
Also, before anyone jumps on me for "generalizing" about American factory workers, let me point out that not only have I personally worked at the ITT Automotive engineering facility and former Wisconsin Blvd Delphi chassis plant and seen the behavior of our "union backed" workforce firsthand, but my wife is a former Delphi employee (10 years, 3 plants), my brother in law is a former Delphi employee (7 years, 2 plants), my father in law worked for Delphi/GM for over 30 years so I've heard all about what goes on in those plants. Intentional work slowdowns, breaking machinery intentionally, and worse. I've heard all about how people making $26/hour (plus all the overtime they can take) complain about the company making cuts to stay open... I could tell you stories that would turn you green. (/end rant)

In Short...
I'm not at all suprised to see better and more innovative vehicles being built by people in other countries who actually have PRIDE in their work and follow a simple rule of work and get paid/work harder and get paid more.

 

[haven]

I finally got a reply to a message I sent to Global Vehicles USA. I asked where the assembly plant would be located, and who is the dealer for southern Nevada.

"Thank you for your inquiry. We are not yet ready to announce the dealer
locations to the public. However, we will have dealers located in all 50
states including Nevada. The 2-door and 4-door trucks will be available in
late 2009. Please keep checking back to our website for updates.
--Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc."

So it appears the introduction of Mahindra and Mahinrda models will be pushed back from summer 2009 to "late 2009." Maybe that Business Week article that talked about early 2010 is accurate after all.

Chip Haven

 

[jcbrandon]

... I really wanted to buy an "American" brand, but the Power Wagon was out of my price range. Eventually, I see all these car companies being bought by forgein investors. I wonder how much stock in American car companies is held over seas, maybe those times are closer than we think.

The Power Wagon is (was) built in Mexico.
Just a small data point to add to the global car wars conversation.

 

[Gurkha]

Buy the Mahindra and Tata at your own peril...........it will not be a Toyota or Honda,in fact it wont' even be a Ford or GM by miles, you will pay for it in the long run, trust me when I say that as an ex end user.

 

[Brian McVickers]

Buy the Mahindra and Tata at your own peril...........it will not be a Toyota or Honda,in fact it wont' even be a Ford or GM by miles, you will pay for it in the long run, trust me when I say that as an ex end user.

Sounds like a pretty sweeping negative reveiw Gurkha. Would you be willing to provide more information, your experiences with Mahindra, specific examples and details?

Brian

 

[Gurkha]

Sounds like a pretty sweeping negative reveiw Gurkha. Would you be willing to provide more information, your experiences with Mahindra, specific examples and details?

Brian

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=250021#post250021

 

[CA-RJ]

Isn't Mahindra designing a new interior and engine for the US market?

 

[Gurkha]

Mahindra will be giving you the same engine, chassis and suspension it sells here in India. The engine most likely to come would be 2.2L CRDI diesel.

 

[CA-RJ]

"The US-spec version of the mHawk will have a power rating of close to 150hp (112kW) with approximately 300 lb ft of torque, pickuptruck.com claims. The mHawk was designed in cooperation with diesel engineering firms Bosch and AVL specifically with the American pick-up market in mind. The portal claims a six-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddles will be standard."

According to this quote from automotive world.com, the engine will be made for the US market. I doubt the emission standards in India and the US are the same.

 

[Gurkha]

BS-III emissions standard in India emulate Euro-IV. The M-Hawk engine is 2.2L BOSCH provides the FI and AVL the know how for the engine. The current tranny used here is the Peugot BA10 modded. Most likely the newer one would be sourced from ZF India. Mahindra uses electronic 4x4 T case made by B&W.

 

[Scofco]

Shame for the bad review, it wasn't the review I was hoping to read.