In a First, Truck From India to Sell in U.S.
Mahindra & Mahindra would become the first company to sell an Indian-made vehicle in the U.S. with its plans to offer a compact diesel pickup truck in the country by the end of the year, an executive said Thursday.</br></br>Pawan Goenka, president of Mahindra's auto and farm-equipment operations, said in an interview that the new truck has been road-tested according to U.S. government requirements and that the company expects to gain certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency no later than July.</br></br>Production would begin in India in early fall and the truck would arrive in U.S. showrooms by December, Mr. Goenka said.</br></br>Mahindra hopes to model its effort on the recent success of entrants to the U.S. market such as Hyundai Motors Co., Mr. Goenka said. But the hurdles for Mahindra to crack the already-crowded U.S. car market are high.</br></br>Though Mahindra is a major vehicle maker in India, and sells in many other countries, its name is virtually unknown to most Americans. Moreover, the U.S. market declined sharply during the recession.