Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) appears to be more aggressive in regaining the lost battle for the New Year as the maker has already lineup up around dozen new offerings. Well, the maker lost the competition to the soft roaders including Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster in the past couple of years and its market share dropped too low resulting in a downfall for the firm. It’s under performance in the automobile sector has also made its stocks loose their luster.
As the competition is getting fiercer with Hyundai Motor and Maruti Suzuki planning for UV launches, Mahindra & Mahindra is also targeting to hit the market with around seven UVs in 2015. The maker is likely to include a lifestyle UV (new Thar), a soft roader (micro SUV) and a premium UV (face lifted XUV 500) alongside launching petrol and diesel hybrids and an anticipated Bolero replacement internally codenamed U301.
Notably, Mahindra has never lined up so many models for launch in one year and this shows the intention of the vendor to get a grip on the market with overhauled Genio and Bolero and other three mini truck models in the sub 1.2 tonne segment. The manufacturer is in plans to launch one model every 35 to 45 days time frame with an incremental volume of 80,000 to 90,000 units per year, revealed sources close to the firm. However, there is no comment from a Mahindra spokesperson regarding the firm’s future plans.
Since the debut of 2013, Mahindra & Mahindra was not only affected due to competition, but also due to diesel deregulation. The prices of diesel and petrol are not too different and it narrowed to only Rs 11 per liter, while it was Rs 20 in January last year. This is a major reason for many customers to opt for petrol vehicles that are cheaper than diesel ones. As Mahindra makes diesel models predominantly, the maker was one of the vendors that were worst hit by the change in customers’ choice.
Last week, the vendor announced weekly production shutdowns through March 2015 to reduce stocks. As the compact UV race was not successful for Mahindra for two years, the maker is claimed to be focusing on micro SUV segment that is targeted at the premium hatchback buyers.
