Jalopnik
Mr. Levine over at PickupTruck.com has been busy today, further hashing out the details we saw this morning on the new reverse outsourced Mahindra Appalachian. It seems the mid-sized pickup will be assembled right in Ohio to avoid the dreaded 25% chicken tax and will be getting an interior designed and built for the US market by Lear. Two or four wheel drive will be on the table, and factory designed accessories like snow plows will be available. Very interesting news if you ask us. The real gem comes from Mahindra's prime importer, CEO of Global Vehicles U.S.A. John Perez when commenting on the pending truck:
"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."Oh no you didn't John Perez, we know we didn't just hear you baggin' on Chinese Junk. Oh it's on now. [via PickupTruck.com
Comments
So at least it has that going for it...
Wow, I didn't know that the Mahindra logo looked so similar to the more recent Olds one. I doubt many others on the road will, either, any they may link the new product to a dead brand; and with this logo, it won't be excitement conjured up. Maybe with the old one...
Bitch, they've been sailing chinese Junk rigs since the Han Dynasty! Wait, we're talking about cars ...
If they go with a hi-line edition called the Appalachian State, no one in Ann Arbor would buy one.
I would like the looks of this more if the whole thing looked old school. Instead, the cab looks like a 70's datsun and the front end a 90's Mazda B series. All square looking would be cool.
So does that mean when some Indian fellow is upset with his Mahindra, he will have to call a customer service rep in Ohio? Im no Alanis Morriset, but I think thats what they call Irony...
it still seems overpriced to me...
What? Chinese cars ARE junk. Have you seen the Chery crash test videos on YouTube? It is horrendous!
[www.youtube.com]
@rlj676: it looks like a New Tacoma had a baby with an Old 80's Datsun pickup
@crazygutgut: If the supervisors made them use Indian names the circle would be complete. Do it!
@crazygutgut:
COTD nom!
Cars II: Muppet Babies Take Mahindra
@crazygutgut: And that's a bad thing?
Man, anything that has a snowplow as a factory option is a winner in my book.
Chinese Junk=Indian Junk.
It will be awhile before these two countries can build moderate to heavy machinery worth a damn. Stick with graments for now guys.
@crazygutgut:
I think this is better looking than the tacoma though.
I don't know how big of a market there really is for a standard cab-old school mini-truck. Particularly given that the labor assembling it is paid in USD, not USP (pennies) in India.
Looks vaguely like a chopped '70s Land Cruiser
I wonder what the importer of those funky looking Chinese cars will be saying about this Indian junk.
Interesting body line down the side,
I'm sure the pinstripe guys will love it...
(in Hindu dialect)hello my name is Mahindu how may I assist you?
yes is your Mahindra running?
okay ....is the key in the ignition?
okay.....has it been blessed by a priest and chocked by tangerines???
(all of the sudden hick accent)
well shoot man thars the problem!!!
go call my pal Ranjeev over at the BP and have him call
"Steve" he will bless your pickup
have a nice day...
It's smart to go after the professional market first, where hard numbers have a chance at trumping brand bigotry.
We'll see if it's as good as they claim, but a small diesel 4x2/4 pickup that gets over 30MPG and can take a beating? They could make a nice little niche for themselves.
@allenparkpete: They already have a jingle for the "Appalachian State" edition. [www.youtube.com] "It's HOT, HOT, HOT!"
"Fully locking differential and integrated snorkel will help you ford up to 18" of flaming corpses and industrial waste"
@AndyDuncan: Exactly.
As I mentioned in the previous thread, Mahindra has a great reputation in the US already...in farm equipment and tractors.
[www.4x4offroads.com]
man this is kinda hot hot hot
not bad. for fleet truck sales, this is an excellent idea.
hell, i drive an average of 300 miles a week for business, in a car (mazda 3) and only average about 28mpg because of the loads. give me a cheap diesel pickup, 4x4, and still 30 mpg and ill take one in a heart beat.
Just like a wrangler pickup.. but it isn't.. because they're actually making it.
@#*@$#*$ Chrysler Execs..
@crazygutgut: with a little genetic leftover from the Isuzu Pup.
@crazygutgut: Actually what you propose is irony. What Ms. Morissette sings of in her song is in fact mostly misfortune or lack of preparedness. Still, the premise of your post is indeed lol funny and deserves consideration for COTD. Congratulations, and Godspeed.
I just hope that these depreciate like the early Korean cars. I might actually buy one by 2012 or so, especially if I can get one with a manual trans. Even if they leave the auto market in a couple of years the tractor dealers should still be able to get parts.
I still wanna know if they will come with 24 hour roadside flying carpet assistance?
I heart me some Chinese junk:
ugh.
1) it's overpriced for what appears to be a pretty bare-bones rig.
2) it's fugly.
3) automatic-only? for reals?
@icntdrv: That's scary. Did you check out the crash test videos for the Jiangling Landwind and the Brilliance BS6? The Landwind was supposed to be going on sale in Europe until it was deemed unsafe. I believe there are also plans to put the BS6 on sale in Europe.
Compare with this crash test video of the Volga 3110: [www.youtube.com]
It's still a brutal crash and the trajectory of the steering wheel is outright disturbing, yet the structure holds up far better than in the Chinese cars. Bear in mind that the Volga is a Russian shed that can trace its roots back to 1968.
A full 8' foot bed would be a lot smarter for the contractor/handyman market. Having left sheets of plywood in the intersection, I speak from experience.
Will the cup holders be big enough for a Large Squishy?
Yet another nail in the US Auto Industry. India, China, and soon (with the small Ford Transit) Turkey! We are going to have to start producing vehicles that everyone wants, and that means making it better than anyone else can, and not building to a price point. This is a great example of that. We should have been here first.
@POLAR: No, just a book of Patanjili's sutras in the glove box.
A white guy with a Hispanic name selling an overpriced Indian-made pickup truck named after a notoriously backwards region of America who's insulting Chinese vehicles? This is what they really mean by diversity.
(*ducks*)
"If the supervisors made them use Indian names the circle would be complete."
A friend of mine was training Indian CSRs. I suggested naming some of them Biff, Chad, and Skippy.
"This is Skippy. How may I be helping you?"
Oh hell yes.
You gotta love the India Vs China trash-talking.
You also gotta love diesel.
Apparently, it's going to be bigger that "compact", though
"Mr. Perez says the truck's size is close to that of the current Toyota Tacoma, instead of being a 'true compact' pickup."
Bummer
"I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A MAHINDRAAAAAAA..."
@bzr: "named after a notoriously backwards region of America", As someone from Appalachia, I wish to say "screw you". I also want to point out that I am not related to BZR. ;)
@yellofury: Perhaps installing a set of truck nuts would suffice to bless this truck.
It's not Chinese Junk, it's Indian Junk. [Insert racist indian-chinese joke here]
Yah, great styling. The grille looks like somebody sucker-punched a Daewoo.
what's not to like about this truck?
creates jobs locally, has reasonable value for $20k, uses diesel.
if they can deliver it, this will help the bottom line for many people.
@SundaySunday: who hasn't sucker punched a daewoo?
Would a set of bullnutz hanging off the back of one of these babies be considered a religious object?
@SubyDrew: Hey, I don't make the rules. As for me supposedly having illegitimate children, judging by your post, well you're the one from Appalachia so that's your problem! ;)