Indian marque Mahindra is being re-launched here. Sean Willmot updates us on the whos, whats, whys and wheres?
Mahindra’s new NZ distributor is an Auckland-based start-up called DDW, a company targeting the local SUV and Ute sectors with a range of new vehicles, financing, warranty and back up for comparable prices to eight-year-old second-hand imports from Japan.
As well, Mahindra has the rural sector in its sights, pitching it’s traditional utes with conventional transmissions against Quads and CVT-equipped UTVs.
Of course, anyone wanting an affordable seven-seat SUV or, more appropriately here – a double or single cab utility – will be welcomed as well.
So what’s in it for the 4WD’er? If you’re one of those who laments the loss of the Lada Niva or is sorrowful at the sunset of the Suzuki SJ410 – chin up, Mahindra’s $25,990 and $34,034 (plus on-roads), Pik-Ups are here for you.
Pik me!
The Pik-Ups are powered by Mahindra’s 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, common rail diesel with a top-mounted intercooled turbo, then connected to a super slick, 6-speed manual transmission – also Mahindra – with a BorgWarner electric shift transfer case and a (standard) Eaton differential lock.
Mahindra invited a selection of motor-noters to the Off Road NZ park at Rotorua –owned, upgraded and improved by Carol and Ian Tew – to put the Pik-Up (and the SUV) through its paces.
The Pik-Up was introduced to grassy slopes to test its hill hold and hill descent, which was all kosher and well capable of doing the business on slick, dry grass.
We ambled around the trails without any issues then came to the next area to demonstrate the Pik-Up’s cross articulation.
The Mahindras took this in stride, albeit on three or two wheels, driving through and cruelly compressing the suspension before a final test of driving through on the diff lock alone – feet off the throttle and at walking pace – the advantages of the 320Nm of torque from 1600rpm to 2800rpm immediately apparent.
Easy peasy
Our last test was a blind descent on dirt on a stupidly steep incline. Hey, no problems, hill descent on, over the top, down the slope and tap the brakes at the bottom before the turnaround. Easy peasy. Now that we’ve turned around, how do we get out?
“No problem,” says Ian, “drive back up that slope. Of course, we’ve never done it in our 4WDs, but we’ll be interested to see if these Mahindras can….”
And after the first Mahindra strolled up the incline leaving little hint as to its passage other than a tow bar drag line, well, any thoughts that this was the little truck that tried, soon turned to the Mahindra being the little truck that could.
Pretty? Not so much. Practical? Without question. Mahindra is back, and its brought it’s A-game.
To read the full story in the May 2019 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (April 22) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.
