Indian diesel pickup headed to US

Interesting concept, terrible name.

AUTOS: Indian Pickup Due For U.S. Sale Written by: Bob Golfen Date: 07/16/2009 - 02:59 PM

A compact diesel pickup truck made in India and named Appalachia will arrive at 339 U.S. dealerships later this year, the first major effort by an Indian automaker to market a vehicle in the United States.

Available in two- or four-wheel drive, the pickup made by Mahindra Group is about the size of a Toyota Tacoma and powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine developed by Bosch, with 145 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque.

Fuel mileage is estimated at 30 to 35 mpg for diesel pickup, which would be the only one available to consumers in its compact class. A diesel-hybrid version is planned for 2010.

The engine is coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The cargo box is 7.5 feet long, and the truck is rated for a 1.3-ton capacity.

The price tag will be in the $22,000 range, and the truck is fully equipped with safety and convenience features, according to Mahindra, whose North American operations are based in Atlanta. The Indian company has imported tractors into the United States for more than 10 years.

The truck comes with a four-year, 60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Appalachia will be available either two- or four-door configurations. Final assembly of the trucks will be at a plant in Ohio, according to Mahindra.

Automakers in the emerging economies of India and China are poised to enter the U.S. auto market with their products, putting even more pressure on domestic and Japanese companies.

Time for new car debt

whats wrong with the name?

at least we're finally really getting a diesel light duty truck

http://www.mahindrana.com/test-drive-mahindra.html

I signed up. I like the idea, but have to see if it would be comfortable for long drives.

-Rob

I think this will go over big time. I have driven around eastern Oregon, Washington, California, and Nevada ranch country allot over the last 20 years and increasingly I see the large size Polaris, Kamasaki, Bocats,..You know, these:

http://www.diytrade.com/china/4/products/4638573/Carbon_Fiber_Heating_Element.html

Being used on public highways as well as on the ranches/farms proper. Obviously 50k showboat F-350s are cool and everything, but I have felt there is an undeserved market for basic useful diesel trucks speced to do real dirty hard work with a minimum of systems to break for a solid 8-10 years. Asia and East Asia have been crawling with the appropriate regional version of them for 3 decades.

Basically they are the same thing that North America was built with, stripped down, highly maintainable, super tough, and cheap Light trucks.

Why do we invent things and then forget how to make them? And them buy them from someone else? The margin was too small compared to a optioned out Hummer? That worked out.

rob_lewis wrote: http://www.mahindrana.com/test-drive-mahindra.html I signed up. I like the idea, but have to see if it would be comfortable for long drives. -Rob

Wow...they plan on an SUV as well! That would be of much more interest to me than a pickup.

I like the idea but my God is it ugly. I have pretty low standards but I don't know if I could look at it in my driveway every morning.

rob_lewis wrote: http://www.mahindrana.com/test-drive-mahindra.html I signed up. I like the idea, but have to see if it would be comfortable for long drives. -Rob

I dont think they will be as comfortable as a "big three" pickup, but they will be 1/3 the cost to own and run. The boss man will still have his bitchen rig for all the stuff they are great at, and 3 of these.

You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old.

300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less.

But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

One wonders about parts cost and availability (not that a diesels will need a lot). It could be pretty crazy until there is more of a foothold over there.

EricM wrote: You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old. 300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less. But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

"30 to 35 mpg" If you are running a business, that would probably figure into it somewhere. I think the sell lots of them if they get the right distribution/dealer/service deals.

EricM wrote: You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old. 300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less. But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

This aren't rhetorical questions. What type of fuel economy would a 2-3 year old $22k truck offer? What truck would be a good benchmark at 2-3 years old?

dyintorace wrote:

EricM wrote: You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old. 300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less. But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

This aren't rhetorical questions. What type of fuel economy would a 2-3 year old $22k truck offer? What truck would be a good benchmark at 2-3 years old?

Exactly. I'd like someone to name ONE truck that has 300ft lb, a 7.5' bed, and gets 35mpg, regardless of price. Anyone?

It would've been nice if Ford or GM could've came out with a comparable model. Anything would've been better than the 80's Ranger diesel.You could only go up from there.

dyintorace wrote:

EricM wrote: You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old. 300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less. But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

This aren't rhetorical questions. What type of fuel economy would a 2-3 year old $22k truck offer? What truck would be a good benchmark at 2-3 years old?

I'll add that I would much prefer an SUV with those specs. I don't need or want a pickup style vehicle, but would love to have an SUV with towing capacity that gets 35 mpg and seats 5 adults.

Yes, it is not very pretty, but I love how it is a basic TRUCK. The styling makes me tink off a cross between an old toyota tacoma/hilux and the nose off of a side-by-side 4x4 atv... thing. Just waiting on a definate price for a 4x4 model, either cab is fine with me. Now to find a dealer.

JFX001 wrote: It would've been nice if Ford or GM could've came out with a comparable model. Anything would've been better than the 80's Ranger diesel.You could only go up from there.

The embarassing thing is that they exist. Look at the Ranger you can get in South Africa.

With a 2.5l turbo diesel, to boot.

MitchellC wrote:

JFX001 wrote: It would've been nice if Ford or GM could've came out with a comparable model. Anything would've been better than the 80's Ranger diesel.You could only go up from there.

The embarassing thing is that they exist. Look at the Ranger you can get in South Africa. With a 2.5l turbo diesel, to boot.

They could've owned the domestic market.

2.5L-3.0L diesels in a Ranger/SportTrac? Where do I sign?

When I saw the thread title I thought the truck must float since you can't really make the drive from India to the US. This isn't a floating pickup truck at all.

I think the truck needs a little taller greenhouse.

Remember when Hyundais were competing with Yugos? I could see this catching on.

JFX001 wrote: 2.5L-3.0L diesels in a Ranger/SportTrac? Where do I sign?

These types of pickups are very popular in the southern hemisphere. Just about every automaker makes their own variant of the compact 4-door diesel 4x4.

Man, that thang is hideous isn't it? Doesn't mean it won't sell, though.

MitchellC wrote:

JFX001 wrote: 2.5L-3.0L diesels in a Ranger/SportTrac? Where do I sign?

These types of pickups are very popular in the southern hemisphere. Just about every automaker makes their own variant of the compact 4-door diesel 4x4.

I know.....why not US????

Why can't we produce a diesel Ranger/Canyon?Why haven't we done something in the past 20 years to refine diesel technology for smaller trucks?

They need a good incentive for people to buy it http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533574,00.html?test=latestnews

Missouri Car Dealer Offers Free AK-47 With New Truck Friday, July 17, 2009

BUTLER, Mo. — Buy a truck and get a free AK-47 gun.

That's the deal a Missouri truck dealer is offering new customers who buy a pick-up truck in August.

Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors in Butler, says he knows people will be bothered by the promotion.

But not to worry, Muller is not handing out free guns. Instead, he will give buyers a voucher to use at a gun store after they obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon.

The AK-47 is an upgrade on a previous promotion in which Muller gave away vouchers for the price of a Caltec pistol.

The retail value of an AK-47 is $450 dollars but Muller says customers can spend their voucher on the gun of their choice.

I travel to the Caribbean a lot on business. The Islands are crawling with small diesel trucks, SUVs and cars. Why we can't get them here is beyond my understanding. Some are so small the driver can put his hand out the passenger window! 40-50mpg? Dangerous? Maybe, but...............

dyintorace wrote:

dyintorace wrote:

EricM wrote: You can get a lot more Truck for $22K if you don;t mind 2-3 years old. 300 ft lb or Torque? that's easy, and for much less. But if anyone want's one, they should get one. or whatever.

This aren't rhetorical questions. What type of fuel economy would a 2-3 year old $22k truck offer? What truck would be a good benchmark at 2-3 years old?

I'll add that I would much prefer an SUV with those specs. I don't need or want a pickup style vehicle, but would love to have an SUV with towing capacity that gets 35 mpg and seats 5 adults.

When I was in Bangkok last year that is exactly the car of choice for business people who spend hours a day driving around to the thousands of factories spread all over southern Thailand. The SUV I was in was pretty much a last gen Toyota 4 runner with a turbo charged Intercooled diesel 4 banger with a slush box that got 35-40 mpg with 5 adults in it (one crazy Thai driver, one super hot Thai woman Interpreter and 3 full sized neo-colonialist crackers) going 60-80 mph half the time and 2-3 mph the other half air con full tilt at all times. It felt like it made 150 hp and 250 ft lbs. Great SUV.