[jack33]

A Military spec 550 below 5 lacs would be a great one.

[shivshanker]

my two cents .....

I am sure for a person who is keen on having a 4x4 for weekends/getaways can easily be deterred by a 5 lakh price band.

While Mahindra Customisation does offer Stinger and Souvenir as an add on option option.. this is with additional 2 lakh of rupees.. and these are only for the cosmetic changes.

An option that the Mahindra Jeep Div might seriously want to consider upon a customer's order, would be to transfer the chassis with engine to Mahindra - Customization to reduce the customisation price and bring the overall price lower.

cheers!

Shivshanker

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by shivshanker

my two cents .....
I am sure for a person who is keen on having a 4x4 for weekends/getaways can easily be deterred by a 5 lakh price band.

If the build quality is there, like it supposedly was for the "Classic", I expect many would use it for their daily driver. I would. But you have raised a good question....Who exactly is going to buy it and how are they going to use it? Where I am, government people still drive around in 20 year old rebuilt Mahindra 4x4s. They have bought a handful of newer Gypsys but they keep rebuilding their old Mahindras. They would opt for a basic mm540. These include Forestry office, hydroelectric people, land office etc.

[4x4addict]

DD:

Before the bolero was launched the CJ500/CJ550 was the laymans jeep. If you wanted some creature comforts like a door and hard top people opted for the MM540/MM550. The buyers included Govt and private people. Once the Bolero was launched, I think it ate into the sales of the premium (relatively) jeep and the MM540 sales died a slow death. Even if they do launch the MM again, I think govt depts will still stick to the Bolero DI. In Tamil Nadu prettymuch every govt jeep that I see these days is a Bolero.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Even if they do launch the MM again, I think govt depts will still stick to the Bolero DI. In Tamil Nadu prettymuch every govt jeep that I see these days is a Bolero.

Yeah, you are probably right. If Mahindra launches the Thar in India no frugal govt office will buy it. In fact, unless Mahindra does something about the pricing NOBODY will buy it, 'ay? M&M, you better start thinking of 5 to 7.5 lakh for this thing or it is going to sell like a dead mongoose.

[shivshanker]

I was hoping to catch Mr. Dhabhar's attention with the mention of the Mahindra Customisation. As at this moment .. one needs to take delivery from the showroom and then handover the vehicle to Mahindra Customisation department for the cosmetic surgery.

[mmmjgm]

Dhabhar saheb,

As of today's market any one wanting a 2nd or third car to use as a hobby off roader can buy an old army auctioned jeep at 45-75k and spend another 2 lakhs on it and he will get a capable offroader which can last 4-6 years if maintained well, meanwhile for the existing lot of jeeps in the market sold by M&M, it would be great if the service channels & dealers were given an opportunity to bring in restoration work.

This will increase their cash flows, say for instance GTO's jeep got a new engine thanks to the channel, similarly if the restoration work is formalised at various M&M workshops, it would help us customers avoid going to an unknown road side or unauthorised shop.

The new vehicle which is being planned should be generations beyond what the existing models are in the market.

Suppose you do launch a fully designed new MM540 and if it shares mechanicals & body shape as the current models in the 2nd hand market, the restoration market may canibalise sales from the new model line up. The restorer also gets a customised jeep at the end of the endeavor.

FYI- Tata has already begun openly testing their twincab pickup version of the 2.2 dicor engine truck/SUV. Named something like the xenon or such. Very beautiful body lines. An awesome frontend, great pickup as well. You would need to place something like the 2.2 litre engine into the jeep as well if you wish to compete with this.

My 2 cents.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by mmmjgm

FYI- Tata has already begun openly testing their twincab pickup version of the 2.2 dicor engine truck/SUV. Named something like the xenon or such. Very beautiful body lines. An awesome frontend, great pickup as well. You would need to place something like the 2.2 litre engine into the jeep as well if you wish to compete with this.

My 2 cents.

If Tata put 4WD in their single cab Xenon then there might be some direct competition. But I can not see bopping thru the bush in this bus.

[headers]

@DD: ROFL as always.

Personally, a 2.2 Dicor on the Sierra with 4wd will make a great offroad machine..ofcourse reduce the weight by atleast 500 kgs too!

It may be my next pet project!

[mmmjgm]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

If Tata put 4WD in their single cab Xenon then there might be some direct competition. But I can not see bopping thru the bush in this bus.

Saw it in the flesh on the expressway last weekend, looks far better than the pic, handles great, was doing 110kmph, held its line pretty well too.

Looks awesome though.
Cheers

[lazy]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Well, now for the reqally really important question - HOW MANY OF YOU WILL ACTUALLY PUT YOUR MONEY ON THE TABLE AND ACTUALLY BUY IT? ...........Let's say that most (not all) of all that you long list wallah guys want is offered. Passenger car beating on-road power delivery / driveability with decent performance, ....... a soft top and a fantastic 4WD with after sale add-on options on mechanicals as well as show sha......

Behram ji

Though I haven't ever done off-roading, I still would be a prospective customer for such an offering.

How much am I willing to pay ?
- well, I was ready plonk 10 for Safari, when this recession hit us so postponed the spend. I'd still put 6 or even 7 OTR, if its good (comfy, reliable, refined) enough as a daily driver.
And I know of atleast 6 friends who would too, though none is into off-roading.

If it isn't good as a daily driver then that shrinks MM's market considerably, since very few can afford a 2nd vehicle that's primarily a hobby equipment, even at 5.5

cheers
lazy

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by mmmjgm

Saw it in the flesh on the expressway last weekend, looks far better than the pic, handles great, was doing 110kmph, held its line pretty well too.

Looks awesome though.
Cheers

Yeah, I like the way it looks....I think it might be too big for crowded market streets where I am and too big for serious off-roading but I look forward to seeing one so I can find out. It is supposed to be released for sale very soon according to the web. It is built on the Grand Sumo platform, I believe.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all - OK guys - one thing comes out very strongly, which is decent cruiseability "on road". Now consider a scenario where excellent level of cruiseability is available, so cruising at 120 kmph is no sweat at all, it can go even further and roadholding etc at those speeds is also spot-on. What would you pay then? Requesting you all to pease revert.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[Blue Thunder]

6.5 lakhs on-road Chennai for the above, sir.

[mmmjgm]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear all - OK guys - one thing comes out very strongly, which is decent cruiseability "on road". Now consider a scenario where excellent level of cruiseability is available, so cruising at 120 kmph is no sweat at all, it can go even further and roadholding etc at those speeds is also spot-on. What would you pay then? Requesting you all to pease revert.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Dhabhar saheb,

The pricing benchmark would be the TATA twincab pickup, if priced below it, 90% of the time these vehicles hardly go off road.

Most of the times Automakers generally price according to segments. If its a soft top, I doubt its going to compete against the Tata Twincab pickup (photo as displayed by Dan).

If its a hard top & in the same segment as the Tata Twincab, yes pricing would matter.

Last but not the least, the new Mahindra Vehicle should have the ability to go anywhere.

I.e. you can open a new segment like the Chevy Forrester (Subaru rebadge) which has full time 4x4, may be not with the bells and whistles, yes driving experience akin to that.

Best thing to propose to Senior Management is please buy out GM and get their designs here and make them here.



As Rick Wagoner has already stated on TV without cash they may not survive beyond 31/12/08.

My 2 cents.

M M