Mahindra To Use SsangYong Cars To Expand Product Portfolio In India
Mahindra plans to launch 4-6 new products in India in association with SsangYong and its recent alliance with Ford Motor Company
Homegrown automaker, Mahindra has just launched the new Alturas G4 based on the global Rexton SUV. If latest media report is to be believed, the UV maker is now aiming to use SsangYong brand to develop new products and expand its portfolio in India. For people not in the know, Mahindra acquired 72% shares of the Korean brand – SsangYong – in 2011.
The report further claims that Mahindra is aiming to sell 9,000 units a month from 3 all-new UVs planned this financial year. These 3 new models have been developed using engineering assistance from Mahindra’s Korean counterparts and famous Italian car-design company – Pininfarina.
Speaking to ET Auto, Pawan Goenka, MD at Mahindra & Mahinda, said, “It will be fair to say that this is the beginning of a new range of global products that Mahindra will be bringing in with a partnership with SsangYong, and eventually an alliance with Ford, in the coming years”. “Apart from sharing products, we also plan to share engine, technology and connectivity solutions, including the hybrid solution”, he further added.
Out of these 3 products planned for this FY, Mahindra has already launched 2 UVs – Marazzo MPV and the Alturas G4. The company is now planning to launch a sub-4 meter SUV – codenamed S201 – in the first quarter of 2019. This small SUV is built on the SsangYong’s X100 platform that also underpins the global Tivoli SUV. It will also mark the debut of new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which is developed in collaboration with SsangYong.
Mahindra believes that by sharing vehicle architectures, the company can introduce new products at much lower costs. The company is planning to launch 4-6 new products in association with SsangYong and its new alliance with Ford. Mahindra would have the largest SUV range in India, with a vehicle priced at about every Rs 50,000.
