Mumbai: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has christened its much awaited SUV, project code named W201, as the XUV500. Designed and developed entirely in-house by Mahindra, the XUV500 is Mahindra’s first global SUV platform, with significant inputs in styling and development from customers across the globe. The vehicle will be manufactured at M&M’s future-ready manufacturing facility at Chakan in Maharashtra.
Designed entirely in-house at M&M’s research and development facility the Mahindra Research Valley at Chennai, the XUV500 is also the country’s first indigenously developed monocoque SUV with the first transverse engine offering from Mahindra.
What makes the XUV500 truly unique and global is simply the manner in which it was conceived and designed. In fact, all research & development activities for this global SUV were aligned with global standards of quality, technology, testing norms, regulations & emissions from the very start.
It was conceptualized with the aim of creating an altogether new category between the Scorpio and high end SUVs. Consumer research for the Mahindra XUV500 was carried out in various Western markets, South Africa and India, with testing and validation of the product being done across Europe, Australia and South Africa among others.
"We are all set to create a new milestone with the launch of the Mahindra XUV500 which truly embodies and encapsulates the essence of the Mahindra Rise philosophy. Having extensively tested and validated our product with global and Indian customers alike, I am happy to add that we will simultaneously launch the XUV500 in South Africa under the same brand name. I am confident that the XUV500 will follow in the footsteps of its illustrious predecessors to evolve into an iconic brand," said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, M&M Ltd.
"The Mahindra brand has evolved over time. Today it enjoys the strongest equity in the SUV category. Therefore, Mahindra will now be the lead brand for the XUV500. Additionally, with the XUV500 we are attempting to create a new category in the SUV segment, that will not only challenge the conventional but will also certainly translate into double customer delight," said Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief Executive, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd.
Mahindra has a market share of 60.5% in the SUV segment.
Mahindra and Mahindra is all set to establish an automobile manufacturing plant with a testing facility on 400 acres at Cheyyar, in Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 1,800 crore. It will be a single line plant, manufacturing one product. "We have committed investments of Rs 1,800 crore spread over seven years. Right now the focus is on adding to our Chakan plant. After that we will focus on Cheyyar plant.In the second phase we will also have an automotive plant," said Dr. Pawan Goenka. |