A top executive for the U.S. arm of India’s Mahindra & Mahindra (Global Vehicles U.S.A.) has denied the accuracy of a recent report that claims American dealers might be getting cold feet or losing momentum ahead of the planned 2009 U.S. launch. “The dealers are not dragging their feet when it comes to building showrooms,” Marketing Vice President Xavier Beguiristain told Leftlane.
“We have about 100 dealers signed up with the architectural firm,” Beguiristain said. He went on to say the owners of Arlington Toyota have already built a free standing facility for their Mahindra dealership.
Beguiristain also suggested the spring 2009 timeline might not be entirely accurate, and the first vehicles will likely be “in the dealer showroom is sometime in the second half of 2009.”
Mahindra has high hopes for its compact pickup and SUV, which will be the first models sold in America. Beguiristain described the vehicles as “fuel efficient, clean burning, and rugged.” He said the pickup has a “1.3 ton load capacity and will be unequaled in the light utility vehicle segment.”
With recent rumors Mahindra might acquire Hummer from General Motors, dealers might end up with an ever wider vehicle profile than first imagined. A strong dealer network would certainly allow the cash rich Mahindra to consider a number of automaker acquisitions in the coming years.
