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75 Comments
- Homerr, on 10/05/2009, -1/+33Let's see how that collision testing goes before anyone gets excited.
- murderotic4, on 10/05/2009, -1/+29awwwwwwwww yeaaaaaaaaaaaa
Pimp my Mahindra Xzibit!!!! - thatspsychotic, on 10/05/2009, -2/+24Many things have changed in the world of diesels. Exhibited by VW and ULS fuel, diesels can be quite clean and quiet. Plus, now people are more concerned about fuel economy than ever, which is where diesels also reign king, more than offsetting the small fuel price premium. As for usage and torque, if you're not using your truck to haul and tow, why get a truck?
- thatspsychotic, on 10/04/2009, -9/+30Even if they don't sell well, I hope they influence the major manufacturers to make small trucks with turbo-diesel engines. There's really no reason for any truck to have anything else under the hood.
- Konrad9, on 10/05/2009, -1/+19Because I've seen crash test footage of cars made in China right now and they crumple like paper, and not in the 'crumple zone' sort of way, but in the 'oh my god I'm a pancake' way.
- Timpala, on 10/05/2009, -1/+15Mahindra makes an excellent line of farm tractors. I would bet that anyone that owned a Mahindra tractor would have no problem owning a Mahindra truck.
- dikky, on 10/05/2009, -3/+15yeah calling ***** on the 20mpg
- tacojohn48, on 10/05/2009, -3/+15By the time these are released Chevy should just be a memory.
- Konrad9, on 10/05/2009, -3/+15I'd like to see the crash test videos before I even remotely consider getting anywhere near one of these things.
- Carsonauto, on 10/05/2009, -1/+10Agree with thatspsychotic.
I'm not convinced with the size of the frame, and the layout of the vehicle, but I don't understand why trucks are so predominantly gas powered. In terms of efficiency and torque, every truck should have a diesel engine. Using a small gasoline only hurts performance when it matters, and as a result, ups consumption. - tacojohn48, on 10/05/2009, -3/+10Yes
- Peko, on 10/05/2009, -0/+7And unless you missed it om the article - Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge aren't the market leaders in the specific sector.
The answer? Rhymes with Poyota. - kelpdip, on 10/05/2009, -0/+6I hope they sell well just to encourage toyota to stop growing the tacoma. The #1 compact pickup is not a compact pickup anymore.
- MercenarySlick, on 10/05/2009, -6/+12Because driving trucks makes us feel better about our small penises.
- DirtyDiggberal, on 10/05/2009, -1/+7Good luck getting Billy Bad Ass with his lifted F-350 super-, extended-, quad-, extreme-cab and Gravedigger lift to drive one of these.
- JakeThePimp, on 10/05/2009, -0/+6These have been vaporware for years now. I'm actually interested, they make decent tractors and I think there is a market for a small diesel pickup.
- cuoops, on 10/05/2009, -0/+6I wish they would sell the Mitsubishi L200 in America again. It's been over 20yrs. They are tough little trucks.
- Sublimin4L, on 10/05/2009, -1/+6They're not aimed for the large pickup market (obviously). They're aimed at the Ranger/Tacoma/small truck market. Also, some owners don't want or need things such as power windows, leather, cd player, etc. Barebones truck is what they're after (don't have to pay for extra things that they might not use, plus extra crap = extra crap to repair). In terms of idea, this is good. Now they need to focus on the execution and not fudge it up.
- waydee, on 10/05/2009, -1/+6There's a growing market for small pickups like these in Europe, they would do well to send a few over to test the waters. Pickups like the Mitsubishi L200, Nisssan Navara, Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux are, for whatever reason, becoming more common on British roads - I presume continental Europe is the same.
I can see the practicality of them, they're big enough to haul most things, you get a good amount of cab size options, 4wd and solid construction for a decent price. A few people import trucks from the states but that's expensive and they're a bit oversized, especially for the tight country roads they tend to be used on here.
Farmers etc. will buy whatever is cheap and built to last, I'm sure the Indians can build a product like that. - Hardataq, on 10/05/2009, -0/+5I heard he drove it off-road once! Well, it was a gravel road...but it still counts!
- See4See4, on 10/05/2009, -1/+6I signed up to test drive as well, but that was before I heard rumors of up to $30k price tags. For that kind of price, our business would do just as well to buy a used f150. Maybe if they are cheaper, but thats the only way.
- kerby74, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4Those types of trucks are about status much like high powered inefficient sports and luxury cars are in metropolitan areas.
By the time you jack them up like that they are worthless in the woods for the hunting/fishing/outdoor type of guy. - kerby74, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4The Big Three haven't even come close to market domination combined in the small truck segment in many years.
- Gough50, on 10/05/2009, -4/+8I've already signed up to test drive one of this as soon as they're available. My silverado is getting a little tired, and I'm getting tired of 13-15MPG. I don't have to haul that much stuff, but I do need a 4WD pickup. I'd buy domestic if there was anything remotely comparable, but there isn't.
- kerby74, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4Even hauling very little, if that little bit of stuff is like a bucket load of soil or gravel or you hunt and have a deer to carry home... chances are you want an open bed and not an SUV to carry that in. I drive a truck which does all that and my wife has an SUV which we don't do that in and we live where we routinely need to engage 4x4 to get around.
Everyone complaining about what should and should not be on the market always seems to fail to remember what is on the market is there because of market demand and therefore is supplied.
What is right for you is not necessarily right for me. - Gough50, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4I don't have to carry of lot of stuff, but it's more than I want to load in and out of an SUV on a daily basis. A full-size pickup, like what I'm driving now, is more than I need, so a small p/u should fit the bill. This is the first one I've seen since Ford dropped the diesel Ranger.
- Gareth321, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4Safety is usually a low priority in countries that have very relaxed car safety laws. It's for this reason it will take me a VERY long time to buy a car manufactured in China or India.
- smacksaw, on 10/05/2009, -1/+5Because the sheet metal looks like something that was pass the gov't requirements of a third-world country.
- csrajuse, on 10/05/2009, -0/+4Makes sense to me, I would sign up for a test drive... there is no reason for a small pickup not to have a diesel engine.
But what I would love to see from Mahindra stable is this with a diesel engine...http://img150.echo.cx/img150/5721/19ot.jpg - Projektorboy, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3As long as these trucks don't kick my dog I'm okay with them.
- Dustmuffins, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3Amazetbm: Gas is 20% cheaper than diesel.
Capwn: Where have you been? Diesel is more expensive than gas right now.
lol - Amazetbm, on 10/05/2009, -1/+4Gas is 20% cheaper than diesel. It's funny that you used the Ford ranger because the diesel version gets 40% better mileage. If you calculate your fuel costs based on the price at the pump and not cost per mile you've short changed yourself.
- thatspsychotic, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3"A truck should be both powerful and fuel efficient"
Like diesel?
"If the load is small, the truck should use less energy."
Like a turbocharged engine? Looks like a turbo-diesel is exactly what you want.
"In India, do their trucks last a long time, and have few issues?"
My point was to apply this generally, not specifically to Mahindra's product. - sporkman, on 10/05/2009, -3/+6Yup, the Chinese made cars suck dick in a crash. I would bet that these indian made ones will too.
- Hardataq, on 10/05/2009, -2/+5I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that read, "Whoa, your truck is huge! Sorry about your penis." I realize that's basically the same comment Mercenary made, but figured I'd share anyway.
- kerby74, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3Not sure where you live but I could buy several used F150's where I live for $30 grand.
- DirtyDiggberal, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3Cool story, bro.
- kerby74, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3This would be a great run-about type vehicle. I live in an area where a lot of farmers have been importing those odd little asian trucks with the cab over design and the tiny bed with really tiny rear dual wheels. They register them under farm tag laws which bypass the regular DOT safety regulation. For running around the farm and for running to town to grab a few hundred pounds of feed or barb wire or whatever they makes a lot more sense than the quasi-semi truck sized Super Duty they need when hauling livestock or hay and the like.
The more choice the better. Yes, truck buyers are fiercly loyal... I am a Ford guy after owning Chevy, GMC, a Dodge and a Nissan. I just think they are better. But I never care what anyone else drives, I like choice. And there are a lot of truck buyers with a lot of needs and desires and those desires are not met by what is on the market now. I get tired of the bashing on manufacturers about what they do and don't do when they really are just doing the market research and making what people want. And it is not their fault the market changes a lot faster than they can design, test and build something new.
And no diesel is NOT the end all be all answer for ALL trucks. My F150 has a 5.4 liter gas engine and I wouldn't want it any other way. It gets decent gas mileage (for what it is... 16-20 depending on situation) and has never failed to meet any tow/haul need I have had and enough power to get me out of some really nasty places when I was having outdoor adventures with plenty of comfortable seating for my family of five. Modern Diesel's are seriously complicated where I can do most the work on my truck myself and even when I do take it in the bill for maintaining a gas engine is way less regardless of fuel prices. - Dustmuffins, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D827IxEJVS4
- Phate8263, on 10/05/2009, -0/+3Exactly, I have never understood a jacked up diesel 3/4+ truck. They are too big, and too heavy to actually do any offroading.
If you're gonna offroad a pickup, the best bet would be a short wheelbase single-cab shortbox. Something that won't sink to the bottom of a mud/snow pit, and can actually make a tight trail corner. - DarkShroud, on 10/05/2009, -0/+2For what it is the price looks a bit high compared to what I can get with a Ranger. Before people start digging me down, Toyota keeps uping the size. Ford is #2 in this market, with Chevy at #3 I think. All Ford has to do is bring back the diesel or even better the Eletric engine option for the Ranger. Yes there were fully EV rangers and they still run like new for the peopel who have them.
This move is ballsy all the way around. Ford has a strong foot hold just because the truck parts, includeing body panels, are so damn cheap. Toyota has strong reputation as well. And then there are the truck owners, they are seriously brand loyal. It takes something big for them to switch. - Ajajadude, on 10/05/2009, -0/+2That's true. I guess I've never known anyone who owns a Ranger/Tacoma to need it for anything that requires the capacity of a pickup. They just have one to have one.
- DarkShroud, on 10/05/2009, -0/+2The F-150 gets 21mpg.
But I will say the Ranger needs a diesel option again. I've heard rumors of Ford actually looking at the Ranger line up but will see what actually happens. - Ajajadude, on 10/05/2009, -1/+3Whats funny in all of this is people digging each other down and arguing with each other because of their needs...and the realities of other people that they can't verify.
- smacksaw, on 10/05/2009, -0/+2THANK YOU...it's amazing how trucks get bigger and bigger. In Canada we just got the Ford Transit Connect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect
Bad news? No diesel and crude rear brakes.
There has to be a market for inexpensive small trucks. Something cheaper and better than the Ranger. - Bowie, on 10/05/2009, -1/+2
If they make their cars anything like they write their code, it'll come with one tire missing, the horn is wired up to the turn signal, and the whole ***** thing will explode within half an hour of driving it off the lot. - RajAtWork, on 10/05/2009, -0/+1Silly Customer, You Cannot Hurt A Mahindra!
- Ajajadude, on 10/05/2009, -2/+3I don't see many people who I know that own large pickups being able to use these micro-pickups. Looks like it's kinda hard to put 2 dirt bikes into the back of one of those suckers pictured in the article.
- LastDawnofMan, on 10/05/2009, -1/+2The only thing they could do to break into the tight U.S. market is cheat by engineering their trucks to work well and last for a long time. The law shouldn't allow them to be sold unless they are built to fall apart after 2 years like American cars.
- bjornski, on 10/06/2009, -0/+1Is this something you've experienced previously with other trucks?
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