At an event hosted in Cape Town that would be equivalent to Volkswagen’s so-called Group Night (which we are also attending on 3 September), Mahindra Automotive laid out its ambitious plans to target an altogether more global audience. This includes a consideration more towards electric mobility, while also recognising the growth in the markets that it has in mind for leisure-focused bakkies.
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Within a massive, dome-shaped arena erected on the picturesque Lorensford Estate, this Indian brand hosted media and celebrities from both its home market and abroad (including from the brand’s largest passenger car market outside of India; South Africa) at an event that was broken down into several significant announcements.
New Global Pik Up concept
While the popular current Pik Up offering will continue (including the SA-spec Karoo derivative), a new notably leisure-focused bakkie is set to compete against the likes of the modern Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
Related: Mahindra’s Pik-Up Concept Looks Ready to Fight Ford’s Ranger
Currently underpinned by the same ladder-frame platform as the XUV700 SUV, Mahindra says that by the time this model goes into production, it’ll be considered a ground-up development, such are the plans for a bespoke suspension arrangement, wheelbase, towing capacity and track widths, front and rear.
Showcase on the day by an attractive-looking concept vehicle, Mahindra says that “at least” 85% of what we saw on the show car will make it into the production version.
Set to be powered by the brand’s GenII mHawk turbodiesel motor and mated with either a six-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission, the yet unnamed bakkie will definitely be available in single- and double-cab shapes, with an extended cab version still being considered.
With talk of a sunroof being offered, the new bakkie will feature low-range and several pre-set terrain-based driving modes, as well as on-road drivetrain settings that one the day were labelled as, Zip, Zap and Zoom, together with a custom mode.
On potential pricing and positioning of the new bakkie, Mahindra was clear that the brand will remain one that prioritises value for money. There was talk of at least matching what the China-built bakkies are currently retailing for.
New Mahindra logo
With extensive plans to move into the EV space with at least three new SUVs, the brand introduced an evolution of its existing “twin peaks” logo that is set to adorn the bonnets of each of its forthcoming battery-electric vehicles. There are no plans to bridge the gap with hybrid technology.
The new logo for Mahindra Electric Automobiles is said to denote “Infinite Possibilities.”
On the subject of EV, Mahindra has sought the expertise of Academy Award-winning Indian artist AR Rahman to compose up to 75 new sounds (and a soundtrack) that will feature both inside the brand’s forthcoming electric vehicles (including a welcome note etc), as well as within its marketing campaigns.
Thar.e concept
While the brand confirmed that it has no intentions of marketing its current internal combustion-powered Thar products outside of its home market (where the demand still outstrips supply), the big news is that the future-focused all-electric Thar is on the cards for a global audience, including South Africa.
Featuring any number of interchangeable parts (the headlamps are the same shape and design as the taillight units, and the front and rear bumpers are the same shape and size), as well a focus on sustainable production methods, the plucky-looking concept (again, the brand says that the production version with will closely mimic the concept car’s lines) is set to feature an 80 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and an electric motor housed on each axle, front and rear, for all-wheel drive capability.
Related: Mahindra Thar.e Debuts as Electrified SUV to Potentially Arrive in SA
Look out for our “What’s Up, Mahindra” feature in the forthcoming October issue of CAR magazine, as well as more insights into the fast-growing Indian brand (the largest in its home market) on this platform.
