Posted on 04/09/2008 12:34:04 PM PDT by Red Badger
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.
This, to me, begs the question: why are none of the existing sellers of light trucks in North America offering us a small-displacement diesel engine? I mean, those great big Cummins and Navistar-built units are great for people that need to haul 12,000 lb trailers, but most of us just don’t need that much hauling ability - a smaller, lighter cheaper alternative just makes sense to me.
Well, there were those Jeep Libertys with a smallish diesel engine - but I guess that was Daimler-built and not available any more? I don’t know why it never made it into a small pick-up.
Good question. Sometimes I think American Auto manufacturers are either blind or stupid or both. To be fair, they concentrate don the large SUV luxury market because they had the most profit, and just let the low end languish.
The number one rule of successful business is “Find a need and fill it.” Mahindra may be doing just that.
I would love to see one. I have said for several years that anyone who sold a mid-sized pickup with a diesel engine would run away with the market. Most folks just need a pickup to haul crap around. I don’t know how people live without a pickup of some sort (even a small one) to haul material, mulch, etc. I don’t need an engine the size that Ford, Dodge, and GM sell. I just need a pickup to haul stuff and would LOVE to have a small diesel (to compliment my 2 diesel cars and diesel Sprinter van).
The engine was in short supply, IIRC.
I wonder if that 80 Mil is earmarked for follow-up R&D - or good ol' bribes?
Seriously, has Mahindra previously built a vehicle with passive restraints?
I wonder how large the cab is? I’m about the size of three average Indian folks.
I always laugh when I get a 3XL shirt that was made in Bangladesh, the person who sewed it could probably fit his or her whole family inside it.
>>Not only that, but India doesn’t have a repressive communist regime to contend with. Since they are a democracy, capitalism can flourish...............
India’s problem is that they are saddled with a regulatory bureaucracy that’s as bad or worse than anything that Chinese entrepreneurs have to deal with.
The US took forever to switch to low-sulphur diesel fuel.
That has delayed new diesel engines in the US.
The Liberty’s diesel was not capable of meeting new diesel emission standards. It had to be ended.
The Cherokee has a newer design diesel, which does meet the standards, but doesn’t get very good economy.
The price of diesel fuel in the US is also holding back diesels. It has improved, but recently in my area, diesel was $1 more per gallon than gasoline, meaning a diesel had to get phenomenal FE to make sense to buy it.
That Liberty diesel was Italian. supplied by VM Motori in Cento, Italy. They were a Daimler Chrysler subsidiary.
My Silverado Duramax/Allison is running better than ever with 110k miles. I get between 18 and 21 mpg. You won't be sorry.
“Sorry, but real men only drive American trucks.”
The truck pictured above doesn’t do anything to dispel that either.
It looks like something that should come in pink.
Soon you will be going to dealerships featuring bodacious Tatas.
I need to offer my services to them as a marketing consultant.
<}B^)
Reminds me of an older Land Rover...
If they sell vehicles in the EU or South America then passive restraints are standard........
So you don't have to worry about a made-in-India engine, if you worry about such things, it's a German-powered 1980 Toyota.
well, they’ll keep the curry smell out and replace it with roast beef.
Chrysler already licenses some Jeep designs to Mahindra and rumors circulate that they are in discussions about a joint venture.
Chrysler has excess capacity and is looking to replace its Dodge Dakota mid-size pickup.
This could be a marriage made in New Delhi
I think that was a long time ago.
Mahindra used to make Willys Jeeps, too.
Chrysler recently fought Mahindra over the use of the word Jeep.
I don’t think the two will be working together.
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