India's budget Mahindra 4x4s hit SA

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The Mahindra Scorpio

Author: Wilmer Muller

The move follows the launch earlier this year of a new range of pickups from India's biggest industrial conglomerate, Tata.

Mahindra & Mahindra's South African line-up includes two vehicles, the Scorpio SUV and the Bolera pickup.

The Mahindra Scorpio is available in both 4x2 and 4x4 featuring a 2.6-litre turbo-diesel engine from SZ. It has a power output of 81 kW which is available at 3 800 r/min while torque is 255 Nm at 1 800 r/min.

In 4x2 guise the Scorpio's price is R180 000 and the 4x4 costs R215 000.

The Scorpio 4x4's main rival is the Toyota Condor 3000D 4x4 which comes in at R237 878.

Rough roads

On a short 4x4 trail at Gerotek outside Pretoria the Scorpio proved to be quite capable of tackling rough terrain. Ground clearance for the 4x4 model is an acceptable 190 mm.

It also had no problem dealing with steep inclines or declines and the engine, although not the most potent around, provided more than enough power when needed.

However, the Scorpio's steering is a bit vague and doesn't respond too well to the driver's input.

We didn't have the chance to take the Scorpio on-road or travel with it over a long distance. But the little time I spent with the car I was surprised by its good ride quality, while overall the car seemed solid.

The Scorpio is also a spacious vehicle and almost similar in size to the lower-powered Toyota Condor. In the loading area there are an extra two foldable seats, making the Scorpio a seven-seater.

The quality of materials used and the general fit and finish is also better than expected but it is far from class leading. It is more on par of vehicles from the 1990s.

Features

It comes with comfort features such as air conditioning, CD player, power steering and electric windows.

But you won't find a lot of state-of-the-art safety features and the Scorpio doesn't come with items such as airbags or any other significant safety items. It does have crumple zones in all the right places and safety belts for all passengers.

As with the Scorpio, the Bolero's most attractive feature is its price tag. The single cab version retails for R148 000 and the double cab is R160 000.

Both Bolero models are four-wheel-drive and come with a 2.5-litre engine. Power output is 69 kW at 4 150 r/min and torque 210 Nm at 2 500 r/min.

Although the car wasn't too bad off-road its performance is rather disappointing.

Mahindra describes it as a workhorse and I have no doubt it is rough, tough and easy to fix, but it is going to struggle doing a good job if it is fully loaded.

Unrefined

In general the car seems unrefined and quality levels are poor. However this is a bread-and-butter kind of vehicle - it is built to transport people and equipment from A to B and it is able to do so over rough terrain.

It has luxury features such as air conditioning, power steering, central locking and a CD player.

Time will tell if Mahindra's South African venture will be a success, but the Scorpio has what it takes to become a good value for money alternative if you are in the market for comfortable family transport and have a tight budget.

Despite the Bolero's attractive price tag, it isn't an impressive vehicle in any way. It seems outdated and unrefined. However it could be an attractive set of wheels for farmers or small business owners in rural areas who are looking for a basic pickup.

Dealerships and backup

Mahindra vehicles are available from Mahindra dealerships situated in Boksburg, Randburg and Pretoria, to be followed soon by dealerships in the Western Province and Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Mahindra South Africa has tied-up with Bosch Service Centres across the country and AA Fleetcare for service and road assist maintenance. Berco Express, the logistics experts will store and distribute parts across all service outlets.

M&M South African CEO Viya Nakra - formerly the company's deputy manager marketing in India - said South Africa is the springboard for the company to the rest of Africa, and he hinted that his company could consider setting up a South African production facility in the future.

However, this would only happen if local and African sales proved to be satisfactory.

The South African partners of Mahindra & Mahindra SA are African Automotive Investments Corporation (Pty) Ltd (AAIC), a subsidiary of African Resources and Logistics Corporation (Pty) Ltd (Arelco).

Mahindra holds a 51% stake in the joint venture.

Arelco was established by South African entrepreneurs Moeletsi Mbeki, brother of President Thabo Mbeki, and Ivor Ichikowitz.

President Mbeki, 12 cabinet ministers and senior government officials paid a state visit to India in October 2003.

During that visit the South African deligation held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his ministers to consolidate the strategic, political and economic relations between India and South Africa.

The Mahindra Bolero