Mahindra’s making a move

Mahindra – remember them? Some of you out there do, and some of you may own one or know of one that is owned.

Yes, this is the Indian brand which had a big deal of a showroom in Auckland until comparatively recently and pretty much went quiet after said showroom opened.

Well, the brand is still here, but its New Zealand distributorship has changed and so has that hero dealership.

Today, Mahindra’s main headquarters here is in South Auckland and the brand has now determined where it needs to be in the grand scheme of things, largely because there’s been some local input added to the mix.

As well, Mahindra has some new product updates which will be spearheading an all-new campaign for the brand here with a likely starting time of next month.

While we have seen Mahindra product before, the refreshed vehicles are much better now; still rugged as – those who own older models will be able to attest to the durability of the product – and about to put some seriously clawed cats among the soft pigeons of the used import market.

Yes, that’s where Mahindra

New Zealand’s new mission is, and it is doing it with some very solid backing from its parent company.

Despite the company’s massive impacts in its home country where Mahindra is the equivalent of a brand known here starting with T, ending in A with a load of letters like OYOT in the middle, here in New Zealand, its very definitely a case of working slowly to establish a significant foothold with buyers who can’t quite run to new car pricing.

Is Mahindra really that big? Oh yes, it is. Mahindra and Mahindra (official name) does not only build, well, recreational/workhorses – the Pikup – or 7 seat SUV’S – the XUV500 – which is what we know the brand for here.

In India, there’re tractors, trucks, boats, bikes, aircraft, agricultural equipment, IT and financial solutions, clean energy development, defence equipment, real estate, hospitality, industrial equipment and the list goes on... and on... and on.

At international level, Mahindra is also in talks with Ford to produce SUVS and an EV for production in India. It is Mahindra’s build processes that Ford requires to expand and develop its market share/presence in India.

For our purposes though, Mahindra here in New Zealand is paying attention to providing new vehicles with good levels of safety, technology and quality to the 40+ hour a week, overburdened by debt buyer who may well want all the features of a modern vehicle, but can only run to one that is 10 years old.

And there’s nothing to say that a budget conscious fleet buyer should not entertain buying or leasing the same vehicles.

The Mahindra main office in Papatoetoe is also the parts distribution centre, a training facility and finance facilitator as well as being the brand’s primary showroom.

There is a network of sales and service centres throughout the country and this time around, it looks like Mahindra is set to make a serious return to the New Zealand market. Stay tuned…