Thaindian News

Hyderabad, May 11 (IANS) Mahindra & Mahindra, one of India’s leading auto makers, Wednesday launched its Maxximo mini van in Andhra Pradesh.

The next-generation passenger carrier, developed on the technologically superior Maxximo platform, is priced at Rs.3.27 lakh in the southern state, said a company official.

Launched in Mumbai last month and in Rajasthan last week, the eight-seater mini van will be available across the country by this month-end.

Mahindra & Mahindra, part of the $11.1 billion Mahindra Group, hopes to capture sizeable market share in the mini van segment in the country. The existing market size is at 150,000 vehicles.

“We can’t quantify but we are well poised to garner a big share,” Mahesh Kulkarni, General Manager, marketing, automotive division, M&M; Ltd, told reporters here.

M&M; presently has the production capacity of 2,000 to 2,500 mini vans per month and can ramp up the same.

The second product to be launched on Maxximo platform, the Maxximo mini van will compete with Tata Magic and Maruti Omni in the mini van segment.

Equipped with C2 CRDe diesel technology, which pumps out 25 HP power, it offers fuel economy of 18 km per litre.

Targeted at semi-urban and rural areas, the vehicle will be available through 230 dealers and 600 outlets across the country.

The firm hopes that the mini van, like the Maximmo load carrier vehicle, would receive phenomenal response. Launched eight months ago, the load carrier has already achieved 20 to 22 percent market share with average monthly volume of 270 units.