Friday, September 24, 2010

Breaking: Global Vehicles Order, Mahindra Pickups Here Within 8 Months

This press release just in from Global Vehicles:


For Release: Sept. 24, 8 a.m. Eastern

Contact: Jim Cain
The Quell Group
248-649-8900
248-231-9806

Global Vehicles to Place $35 Million Order to Support U.S. Launch of Mahindra Pickup Trucks

o Nearly $100 million investment by importer Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc. and close to 350 Mahindra dealers rides on a successful launch
o Global Vehicles expects sales could reach $1.4 billion annually in four years
o Initial orders will be delivered to dealers in the Southeast, followed by other regions over the next eight months
o First-year sales volume could reach 30,000 units


ALPHARETTA, Ga., Sept. 24, 2010 – A $35 million-plus factory order will be placed today for U.S.-spec Mahindra TR20 and TR40 pickup trucks to begin the launch of the brand in the United States, exclusive Mahindra importer Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc. announced.

Together, Global Vehicles and the nearly 350 Mahindra dealers it recruited in 49 states have invested almost $100 million to bring the rugged, affordable and fuel efficient trucks to the United States. Mahindra said in an August press release that it had EPA certification to sell the trucks, and they announced plans to begin selling vehicles in December.

“We are proud of the sales and service network we created to support the launch of Mahindra vehicles, and we look forward to bringing American buyers something truly unique in the marketplace – rugged, high-quality, clean diesel pickup trucks that can achieve nearly 30 miles per gallon,” said John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles. “Our dealers are all seasoned auto industry professionals who will treat customers with honesty, integrity and respect. We built our business on these bedrock principles, which should be the foundation of every business relationship.”

Perez expressed confidence that Global Vehicles will prevail in pending arbitration hearings and court proceedings that the company initiated to force Mahindra to honor the terms of Global Vehicle’s distribution contract, which Mahindra inaccurately claims is no longer in force.

Global Vehicles believes that Mahindra purposely delayed the EPA certification process so it could invoke a contract clause that would allow it to walk away if the truck could not be certified for sale in the United States. Global Vehicles extended the deadline for certification three times, with the latest deadline set at June 11, 2010.

Mahindra submitted its certification paperwork to the EPA about 10 days after the June 11 deadline, and announced in an Aug. 20 press release that its vehicles were certified for sale. At the same time, Mahindra posted a two sentence statement on its website stating that its relationship with Global Vehicles had ended.

Mahindra demanded the clause at the eleventh hour before the contract was signed in 2006 because it expressly wanted to limit its losses if the trucks could not be certified for sale here. Earlier this year, well before the June deadline, Global Vehicles asked Mahindra to remove the clause because it was no longer applicable and they refused. Global Vehicles later asked Mahindra for another extension but was again refused.

“We trusted Mahindra when they said they wanted to cap their losses if the vehicle couldn’t be sold here,” said Perez. “We patiently waited and accommodated Mahindra through years of delays and kept an extremely powerful distribution network intact while the factory worked through the complicated task of meeting U.S. emissions standards. We did this because we believed we were all working toward the same goals. Now Mahindra is trying to change the rules. We delivered our end of the contract, and we’re ready to get down to business.”

Global Vehicles U.S.A., Inc., based in Alpharetta, Ga., is the exclusive importer and distributor in the United States of motor vehicles produced by the automotive arm of the Mahindra

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Both sides are claiming loudly that they are ready to do business, but it sounds more like Mahindra is the problem. Hopefully they can settle their differences, because that is the quickest and surest way to getting those trucks here. Start with the lawsuit and injunctions and counter-suits . . . Mahindra might prevail in about ten years because they have deeper pockets. I think it's just a last minute attempt to get a better deal- not an unknown strategy in the car business.

Anonymous said...

Chris,

How are ya figuring eight months?
I mean, I saw the blurb, but how does that fit into a mythical equation if Mihindra refuses to fill the order?


Don

Anonymous said...

Will Jeep Gladiator CRD will be available to the public first?

Anonymous said...

If the pickups are going to be here by Dec. '10, then why would it not read ....Here Within 3 or 4 months?

So, another delay to these things getting here?

Or....

Mahindra is STILL going to bring them here by Dec. '10 but GV and their dealers will be getting there's later?

Anonymous said...

Wow, I can't belive is just mis-used there's...sorry, that should have been their's!

Anonymous said...

I don't believe you should start correcting your errors.

Anonymous said...

and "NEARLY" 30 miles per gallon makes an appearance..

Anonymous said...

New press release from Mahindra

Mahindra Rejects any Attempt by Global Vehicles to Order Mahindra vehicles as it is Invalid