Mahindra XUV500 Launches

Notice: Mahindra Planet will refrain from the usual flow of low key, snark-filled comments about Mahindra in the US in the following post.

Why the reprieve from MP’s de rigueur glibness?  Because the XUV500 really is a vehicle that Mahindra and India is (and rightly should be) extremely proud of.

The Mahindra XUV500 officially launched yesterday in India.  It is Mahindra’s first completely in-house automotive design and engineering effort.  Mahindra has spent years developing the XUV500, with test mules being spotted around India on and off for last three years alone.

As MP has described before, it is a front engine, 4-cylinder diesel, front wheel drive or all wheel drive, unitized construction, SUV.  Performance and driving evaluations are yet to be available, but judging by the overall look of the SUV and the known performance of the 2.2 liter mHawk engine, it certainly seems like the Mahindra should at least be competitive with other vehicles in its class.

 The styling is fantastic.  Mahindra did a great job of retaining brand identity and creating a unique design which will make a lasting impression.  The interior details look great, and fit and finish appear to be miles ahead of any other Mahindra SUV or pickup.

ZigWheels.com has put together a comprehensive article with a huge series of great photos of the XUV500.  Go there to see more details:  Mahindra XUV500: Exclusive Photo Feature

Speculation: Will Mahindra Forego an Early 2010 Launch in Favor of a Delayed All-New Pickup?

Poll Results
The Mahindra truck arrival date poll has closed, and it looks like nearly half of the voters are figuring on a delay for the official US launch.

News is sparse but anticipation is still high for the TR20 and TR40 pickups in the US. Mahindra vehicles are a polarizing topic across the internet. The overwhelming theme of forum and comment dialog is: Who will buy these trucks? Most people are either completely committed to them, or think they are the worst thing on four wheels.

An All-New Pickup?
MahindraPlanet wonders if Mahindra is having second thoughts about introducing the current generation TR20/TR40 in the US as an “Americanized” version of the global market truck.

As we mentioned back in February, Mahindra does not plan to bring the current generation Scorpio SUV (same chassis as the TR pickups) to the United States. Instead, an all-new Mahindra SUV will arrive sometime in 2010. If the next generation SUV sits on an all-new chassis, and if the pickup were to continue to share a chassis with the SUV… does it not make sense to bring over (or build here) a new pickup and SUV with significant parts interchangeability and manufacturing commonality?

A clean sheet design could easily address safety, NVH, fit and finish, emissions, or other issues associated with bringing the current pickup into the US market.

On the other hand, the new SUV may be designed as a purpose built vehicle for the SUV market (i.e. a lighter duty chassis with a non-leaf sprung rear suspension design). Additionally, we’ve all seen the Pickuptrucks.com spy photos of the current TR40 on US soil.

Of course this is ALL speculation, but at the moment speculation is all we have. Stay tuned, and look for a new poll next week!