For starters Maxximo is a mini commercial vehicle from Mahindra & Mahindra which has just gone into sales in the same segment as Tata’s Ace. Ace is the first of its kind creating this niche of CVs. It was soon followed by similar vehicles from Piaggio and Force motors but no one has been able to match Ace’s performance and productivity until now, but from the looks of it Ace has gotten itself a worthy adversary in Maxximo.
For instance the accelerator is connected to the engine through drive-by-wire technology instead of mechanical linkages, this on top of an electronically controlled fuel pump increases mileage by controlled fuel supply. The gear shift again is not linked mechanically but by cables which make gear shifts smooth like cars. This is significant as one of the major advantages of mini trucks is their ability to squeeze through congested lanes which require constant gear change, it doesn’t mean Ace’s gear shift is a handful but this shows M&M has thought things through.
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If you are the kind who takes the road less travelled M&M had all the machines you would dream for at the Auto Expo. But what if you just need a scooter to get you around, no biggie M&M had them too. M&M even had the light and the Heavy commercial Vehicle segment covered. Lets take one at a time and start with the Scorpios and Xylos. Click through for complete details on the Xylo Celebration Edition, Xylo Modified, Scorpio Special Edition and the mystery Scorpio.
The Show stealer for M&M at the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo without a shallow of double was Thar. This according to Mahindra is an Indian take on the iconic Jeep CJ series and frankly I am blown away from what M&M has done with it. With its naked muscle it convinces that it can take up any terrain and the specs sure confirm it.
It has a 5-speed gear box and a transfer case for switching it to 4-wheel drive. On top of this it has a 2-speed gear reduction which bring the lowest gear ratio to 277.48:1, this means the wheels rotate only once for every 277.48 rotation of the crankshaft which provides the brute torque for pulling anything or pushing through any terrain.
The Thar displayed at Delhi is left hand drive and what we hear from Anand Mahindra’s Twitter page is that they are working on a right hand drive for India. Hope Mahindra drops the Thar in Thar Desert soon.
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Mahindra was one of the few who took this show seriously. Beside its “Great escape” crusade which involves a Scorpio pick-up going up and down a well gripped ramp outside the expo hall, it did put up a good show on the inside.
Mahindra showcased a new kit for its MPV Xylo which involved outer body skirts, front & rear bumpers much like the new muscular Scorpio, totally bizarre taillight and a inside filled with apples (not the fruit). The entire set up costs extra 3.5lakh rupees. It is uncertain whether it’s a technological showcase or it is up for sales.
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Stinger a customized version of the original Bolero was showcased for the second time at the Autocar performance Show. Since we weren’t around the report the first time we are doing it now. After its first unveiling at last year’s APS the car was launched this April.
Stinger has a 95bhp engine and custom built front guard with bunch of all sorts of lights thrown on it. The bonnet has an array of opening to dissipate engine heat. All this and a custom paint job and interior mods it is destined only to be an off-roader.
The Bolero Attitude is a two door version of the Stinger. With hummer like paint job and 4 roof lights both these off-roaders look cool.
Mahindra is going one down on the Ace and one up on the Ape with a 441.5cc diesel engine sub 1 top 4-wheeled light commercial vehicle called Gio much like Piaggio’s Ape Truk. With an ex-showroom price of Rs. 1.65lakh the Gio is 50,000 less than Piaggio’s Truk and 1Lakh less than Tata’s Ace.
The engine is a single cylinder direct injection diesel which is made by Kohler, USA. The engine produces 9.1bhp with a max. torque of 21Nm. The gearbox is a 4-speed sequential which makes urban driving easier. Mahindra claims that the Gio will return a mileage of 27kmpl.
The launch event was held in Mumbai headed by the energetic President of Mahindra Automotive Sector Mr. Pawan Goenka. During the launch Mr. Goenka said
“With the launch of Mahindra Gio, we have created a new Compact Truck category in the commercial vehicle segment. The Mahindra Gio is the first of its kind entry level 4 wheel cargo vehicle, and is all set to change the dynamics of the small CV segment. As city limits gradually expand and distribution needs increase, the Mahindra Gio presents a high earning potential for customers who will benefit from its high mileage, low maintenance cost, optimum utilization of space and low acquisition cost,”
This puny thing is quite interesting for any commercial vehicle. with 5 different peppy color paint job and a sequential gear box it stands out from the crowd and with a funny face it is quite a laugh!
Check out the pictures and specs from the Brochure
Click through for the Press Release
