Mahindra India has launched a ’special edition’ Maxx Maxi Truck, which is priced at Rs 3.30 lakh, ex-showroom Chennai. Only 1,000 units of this vehicle will be made and will be fitted with an MP3 player/radio, revamped instrument panel and dashboard, uprated seat cover fabric and twin external rear view mirrors.
The Mahindra Maxx Maxi Truck will be available in a new colour - Champagne - and the bodywork will sport new, distinctive graphics. With its 63bhp, 18Kgm MDI engine, the vehicle has a top speed of around 100km/h, has a load carrying area of 37sq.ft., and can haul up to 900 kilos.
Mahindra and Mahindra announced that it is ready to launch Xylo in India. According to the press release from the company, “The much awaited Mahindra Xylo has been co-created with customers for developing a vehicle around the lifestyle and luxury aspirations of its end customer. This is further testimony to Mahindra’s customer centric vision of co-creating products and services based on the feedback and latent needs of its consumers.”
The vehicle has already undergone thorough testing in India and other countries. It is expected to be priced around Rs. 6.5 lakh to Rs. 7.5 lakh and will be pitted against ToyotaInnova and upcoming TataIndicruz Crossover.
“Xylo has been developed by a team consisting of 160 experts who have created new benchmarks in styling, technology and performance,” said Pawan Goenka, Mahindra Auto President. The car may be launched by end of December 2008.
The much-awaited Mahindra MUV - Xylo is expected to be launched by december this year. Developed in-house under what the company calls Project Ingenio, the Mahindra Xylo will build on the Scorpio’s success and take the company’s SUVs to the next level towards becoming world class products.
‘We are all set to create a new milestone with the launch of the Mahindra Xylo, which will continue Mahindra’s legacy of customer-centric innovation. I am confident that the Xylo will follow in the Scorpio’s footsteps and evolve into an iconic brand,’ says Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.
‘The Xylo has been developed by a project team consisting of 160 experts who have created new benchmarks in terms of styling, technology and performance. The Mahindra Xylo, extensively tested and validated for real world usage in India and many other countries, is sure to delight the customer,’ adds Dr Pawan Goenka, President - Automotive Sector, M&M.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), India’s leader in utility vehicles, today announced that it would unveil the all new Mahindra XYLO (Zy-lo) in the current quarter. The Mahindra XYLO is the brand name for Project Ingenio developed in-house by Mahindra post the success of the Scorpio.
The much awaited Mahindra XYLO has been co-created with customers for developing a vehicle around the lifestyle and luxury aspirations of its end customer. This is further testimony to Mahindra’s customer centric vision of co-creating products and services based on the feedback and latent needs of its consumers.
Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group, said “We are all set to create a new milestone with the launch of the Mahindra XYLO which will continue Mahindra’s legacy of customer-centric innovation. I am confident that the XYLO will follow in the Scorpio’s footsteps and evolve into an iconic brand.”
Dr. Pawan Goenka - President Automotive Sector M&M said, “XYLO has been developed by a Project team consisting of 160 experts who have created new benchmarks in terms of styling, technology and performance. The team deployed the ReFinE methodology aimed at creating emotional surplus. Mahindra XYLO, extensively tested and validated for Real World usage in India and many other countries, is sure to delight the Customer’s ‘Senses’.
Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief of Operations, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., added, “The brand name XYLO is trendy and contemporary, implies luxury, high fashion, technology and creates a futuristic connect.”
After having been acquired by Mahindra & Mahindra last year, Punjab Tractors Ltd. (PTL) - which seemed to be in the financial doldrums earlier - is now beginning to do much better. The company’s excess capacity at its two plants at Mohali is now being used to manufacture Mahindra tractors, While PTL’s own Swaraj-branded tractors have also gained some ground.
According to reports in the media, sales of PTL tractors increased by 57% in the first half of this fiscal, at 17,257 units, and in the same period, the company’s market share increased from 7.3% to 10.7%.
With a production capacity of 60,000 tractors per annum, both of PTL’s manufacturing units at Mohali have excess capacity, which will now be used to make Mahindra tractors. This also means that M&M will no longer establish a new tractor manufacturing facility (the company was earlier looking at setting up such a unit somewhere in South India), which is likely to result in a saving of hundreds of crores of rupees for the company.
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) has launched the new ‘FuelSmart’ system on the Scorpio and Bolero multi-utility vehicles. This technology has been introduced on the Scorpio M2DI and Bolero SLX BS3 variants.
Developed by the Mahindra R&D team, along with inputs from Bosch, Mahindra FuelSmart system, with its Micro-Hybrid technology, enables the engine to switch off automatically at a traffic light, when idle and in neutral gear. The engine starts seamlessly, automatically, once the driver depresses the clutch before moving forward.
This stop-start system is based on the principle of not burning fuel when it is not required. The FuelSmart system automatically detects when the vehicle is stationary with the engine idling, and stops the engine automatically. This conserves fuel, reduces running costs, and reduces emissions. The savings may not be huge for one single vehicle, but when one considers a scenario where a very large number of vehicles are equipped with this technology, the collective savings will be massive!
Murli Deora, Union Petroleum Minister said, ‘Innovative technologies like the Mahindra FuelSmart system with Micro-Hybrid technology will help the government achieve its sustainable energy goals. Initiatives such as this will serve as a benchmark in India’s sustainable energy programme.’
‘The Mahindra FuelSmart system reflects our commitment to sustainable growth. This initiative is part of our Sustainable Mobility Solutions programme which seeks to pioneer technologies that are not only fuel-efficient and innovative, but also environment friendly,’ said Keshub Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group.
‘This technology was specially created keeping in mind the heavy traffic congestion drivers have to face on our roads today. An incremental cost of only Rs 3,800 makes the Mahindra FuelSmart System quite affordable. Therefore, it can be used across a large number of vehicles and make a significant difference to energy consumption,’ said Dr Pawan Goenka, President - Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Mahindra Renault Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra and Renault S.A. of France, has announced that it has received an additional export order of 500 units of the Logan for South Africa. This is the second order, taking total order size to 1,000 units. The order comes soon after the successful dispatch of 200 units of the Logan to South Africa in September this year.
‘Since its launch in 2007, the Logan has carved a distinct niche for itself in the passenger car segment in India and is now gaining global acceptance. Auto enthusiasts in South Africa can now experience the Logan’s strong value proposition which includes solid build, performance and fuel efficiency,’ says Nalin Mehta, CEO, MRPL.
While the diesel version of the Logan has done reasonably well in certain parts of the country, the Logan’s overall sales performance in India has been relatively poor, which has resulted in Renault and Mahindra rethinking strategy, and holding back on further collaboration on newer Renault products for the Indian market.
Mahindra & Mahindra and the UK-based BAE Systems were looking at setting up a joint venture for military land vehicle systems, that would cater to the requirements of the Indian Army. However, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has rejected the M&M and BAE Systems proposal to jointly develop and manufacture defense equipment. BAE Systems would have held 49% in the JV, while the cap on foreign participation in India’s domestic defense production, in the private sector, is currently restricted to 26%.
