2010 Revisited: “You Just Have to Be in the US”

Ah, January of 2010.  The year held so much promise.  A year full of hope; filled with gilded daydreams of Indian pickup trucks roaming American country roads and city streets: 

“We want to build a globally renowned brand in our niche area of sport and utility vehicles. We want to be the first and best-known Indian brand around the world, and when you have that mission, you have to be global, and you just have to be in the US. As the Frank Sinatra number goes, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.” – Anand Mahindra

Four days later, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mahindra was on the lookout for a US assembly location for Mahindra SUVs and pickups and that TR20 and TR40 compact diesel pickups would be delivered to US dealers between April and June of 2010.

Cue the sound of the record player needle rapidly scratching across a record.

Today’s reality certainly isn’t as warm and fuzzy.  We’ll leave you on this early fall Friday with a fond look back at the glory days of long ago… okay, a year and a three quarters ago.

Anand Mahindra Interview: “You Just Have to Be in the US”

Mahindra to Launch TR20 & TR40 in March and Deliver in April, US Assembly inFuture