Can Mahindra Become the Volkswagen of Pickup Trucks?
A year or two ago, the future looked very bright for diesel pickups. Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota each announced commitments to produce half-ton trucks with all-new compression-ignition engines by 2010. The news was greeted enthusiastically by truck buyers, who were already familiar with the fuel economy and towing and hauling benefits of diesels, long-offered in the Detroit Three’s heavy-duty pickups.
Nearly lost in the glare of all that diesel star power was an announcement made by Indian automaker Mahindra that it too would sell a midsize oil-burning pickup in the U.S. within two years. Word of Mahindra’s intent was greeted with skepticism, including from this writer. After all, what buyer would gamble hard-earned dollars on a pickup from a country more renowned for Bollywood than for building trucks capable of hauling wood? And how could an Indian-built pickup ever meet the toughest clean-diesel emissions standards in the world?
Now, in what’s shaping up to be one of the most significant pickup truck stories of the past decade, Mahindra has almost completely traded places with Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota. The truck giants have indefinitely postponed their small diesels as diesel fuel prices spiked lat year and bankruptcy woes hit Chrysler and GM, while underdog Mahindra has steadily soldiered on with plans to sell its first trucks in America by the end of 2009.
Mahindra’s path hasn’t been without challenges. There have been several miscommunications about the new pickup. The truck had originally been expected to start sales in the first quarter of 2009, before the launch was postponed until December. It was going to be called the Appalachian before that name was scrapped for an alphanumeric badge, likely TR20 or TR40. And a diesel hybrid version has been put on the backburner. But, by and large, it’s been three steps forward for every one step back.
How can this Mumbai-based manufacturer succeed where the most truck-savvy companies have faltered? It appears to be all about price. Mahindra’s U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles U.S.A. Inc., has said it hopes to sell the yet-to-be-named Mahindra pickup starting in the mid- to low-$20,000s. That’s a price many truck buyers will find attractive in return for a high-torque, 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission that’s expected to be rated at least 30 mpg on the highway (unloaded) and be able to haul up to 2,700 pounds and tow up to 5,000 pounds.
For comparison, a new base-model, two-wheel-drive, two-door Toyota Tacoma (the best-selling midsize pickup) with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder gas engine and four-speed transmission starts at just over $16,000, but is only rated to carry 1,380 pounds in its cargo box and pull a 3,500-pound trailer. The Tacoma is rated at 19/25 mpg city/highway. So while the difference in price between a comparable gas truck and the Mahindra diesel could be as great at $9,000, I think it will be less than that. That’s also significantly less than the cost of a new entry-level heavy-duty pickup, which can tow much more than the Mahindra but is priced in the low- to mid-$30,000s, with fuel economy in the mid- to upper-teens.
By coincidence, the mid-$20Ks is the price of another long-popular diesel sold in the U.S.: the Volkswagen Jetta TDI passenger sedan. VW crowed about Jetta TDI sales in June, when they accounted for 40 percent of the 8,431 Jettas sold. The TDI starts at $22,270.
Like Mahindra’s pickup, the Jetta TDI’s place in the U.S. market is almost entirely unique and unchallenged. Ford and GM sell midsize diesel sedans in Europe, where they’re very popular, but they don’t sell them in the U.S. for much the same reason light-duty diesel pickups have been shelved: they cost more to produce and domestic manufacturers have been reluctant to believe U.S. buyers will buy diesel cars. The closest competitor to the Jetta is an expensive BMW 335d luxury diesel sedan that has a base price of more than $43,000. Jetta TDI buyers can also opt for lower-priced spark-ignition cars, like a Honda Civic that starts at about $15,000 or a gas Jetta SE that starts at $20,000.
The reason for diesel’s up-front price premium over gas engines is because diesel engines and transmissions have to be built using sturdier parts and construction to handle the higher compression, combustion pressure and torque output versus gasoline powertrains. Also adding cost are specialized emissions components, like diesel particulate filters to trap soot and urea selective catalytic reduction to fight nitric oxide.
Last year, diesel fuel also carried a price premium over regular unleaded gasoline when all fuel prices spiked to over $4 a gallon but in the last month diesel has averaged below gas at the pump, at around $2.60 a gallon. It’s especially meaningful because diesels average 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy over gas vehicles, helping blunt or cancel out the pain of higher purchase costs over a vehicle’s life.
Volkswagen also shares another thing in common with Mahindra: Two of its biggest competitors, Honda and Nissan, announced in 2007 plans to sell reasonably priced clean diesel sedans in the U.S. by 2010, but have since postponed those plans indefinitely leaving the segment entirely to VW.
The biggest advantage Volkswagen has, though, is its built-in base of buyers. VW has sold small and midsize diesel cars in the U.S. since 1977 and has earned an almost cult-like following based on reputation, excellent fuel economy and lack of competition in the segment.
Even though Mahindra is brand new to these shores, I think its starting position is very similar to that of the Jetta. Core truck buyers are already familiar with the benefits of diesel from first- or second-hand experience with heavy-duty pickups, and there’s pent-up demand for a highly fuel-efficient small pickup that can be worked hard even if it can't tow five tons. Buyers are also looking for a relatively low-cost new truck.
Some will argue that Mahindra’s cost advantage comes from being built in India, and to some extent that’s true. But Mahindra is relying on some of the same tier-one suppliers that U.S. truck-makers use -- like Bosch to help engineer its high-pressure, common-rail fuel-injection system, AVL for diesel engine architecture (AVL is also helping Ford engineer its “Bobcat” ethanol-boost engine), and Lear to create an interior that will appeal to American tastes.
If you again look at VW for comparison, its Jetta TDI is engineered in Germany (not exactly known for low-cost labor) and built in Mexico (where heavy-duty Chrysler and light-duty GM pickups are also assembled and Ford’s upcoming “Scorpion” diesel engine will be built), yet ”only” costs $22K.
What I think this demonstrates is that midsize diesel vehicles can still be engineered, built and sold at a reasonable price for the U.S. if the market is already familiar with the benefits of diesel. If Volkswagen can sell 3,300 diesel Jettas in the U.S. in a month while competing against technical marvels like the Toyota Prius, Mahindra should find it has little problem attracting buyers when competing in its own market of one.
Comments
Yes, Mahindra can become the VW of pickup trucks. First, Mahindra is big enough to pull it off. It will then hinge on whether the quality and reliability is there, coupled with can sufficient numbers of American pickup truck buyers choose "foreign" again.
How many Americans buy the fully "Made in India" first trucks will likely tell the tale.
I don't know, but that is one ugly little truck.
Hi Mike,
I like your enthusiasm here, as I think that smaller pickups and diesel tech are by far the most interesting of all the news that you publish. I'm always checking back for more info on this truck, the T6 Ranger, etc. So keep it coming!
I also like your optimism for this truck, but I disagree on price. $22K+ is nowhere near low enough to get their foot solidly in the door. If thinking about Total Cost of Ownership is something that this buying segment is likely to do, then there will be rough waters ahead. First, the most obvious consideration: will a $22K Mahindra really make up the $6K (or so) difference between it and a baseline $16K Tacoma over the total life of ownership just in fuel savings? Probably not, but even if it does, I'd still call that a wash, or perhaps even a disadvantage if diesel prices goes back up above gas, which is highly likely once the commercial shipping industries pick up again. I'd also be willing to bet that the resale on a Tacoma would be better, at least for the first several years before Mahindra has any chance to command any amount of desirability for its vehicles. And of course it goes without saying that you'd be buying into a brand and its parts and service network that have absolutely no track record in the US market. At least with the Tacoma, the customer is buying into something with a background behind it and a well-established service network.
So given all of that, I think that if Mahindra wants into this market at all, the only way they'll be able to overcome their inherent disadvantages is to beat everyone else on price right upfront, and do it by an obvious margin. That means the TR20 for $15K max all said and done, and the TR40 for $20K. Or perhaps even 1-3K lower for each. Otherwise I just don't see them making it. And regardless of the price of the truck, I'd wait at least a year or so to see where diesel prices go and then even a year or two more to see how the truck and its maker perform before even starting to considering one. But it wouldn't stop me from taking a test drive, that's for sure.
@ Jeff: I'd be willing to bet that the buying demographic could care less. For them, and me included, it's all about raw usability. Squared-off proportions, real bed rails and no bubbly, bloated exterior design cues as we see on mostly all of today's vehicles in this country is something that I actually think is refreshing.
But contrary to what Mike thinks, $22K is nowhere near cheap enough to command the consideration of those who are looking at a $16K Tacoma as an alternative. All the dimensions one can think of that have to do with Total Cost of Ownership just make a $22K Mahindra a non-starter.
But I'm hoping it shakes up the market and succeeds enough to influence the D3, Toyota and Nissan enough to consider slimming down and re-powering their overgrown, caveman-era efficiency pickups into vehicles that actually belong in the 21st century.
@T: I didn't mention it in the post but I will here: the Mahindra single cab will have a 7.5-foot cargo box versus Tacoma's 6.1 foot bed. I did mention the Mahindra will be able to haul and *extra* 1,300-pounds (2X!) more than the Tacoma. Yowza! You're getting a lot more room, great capability and 20 percent better fuel economy for the extra money.
I'll also make clear that, yes, I think things are looking good on paper for Mahindra but it's all going to boil down 100% to how well this truck performs once we get our hands on it. I'm looking forward to testing the heck out of it loaded and unloaded in a variety of scenarios.
@ Mike: Points well taken. Except that unfortunately 20% better fuel economy with diesel means nothing financially if diesel is 20% more expensive than gas, or even higher. Let's hope that history doesn't repeat itself in fuel price trends. All worries aside, I want this truck to succeed and hopefully put pressure on others to design away the excess bloat which has plagued pickups for years.
Don't forget those base prices are'nt comparible. from what I remember the mahindra base comes with more than the basic Tacoma. I love the tacoma and would buy a diesel version in a heart beat but I believe the Mahindra is a six speed auto, mp3,SD,USB, Air Conditioning, ABS Brakes, 4 wheel Disc brakes....Maybe this dose not make up the full price difference but it's a start.
I dont see this truck passing any frontal or side crash standards.It looks like an early 80s Toyota Hilux/Datsun Lil Hustler pickup,and it surely doesnt look Dodge Dakota midsize.Once these things start crashing,rusting,falling apart,any enthusiasm will be quickly squashed.Sorta Yugo like in my book.
$22K price point for this truck is far too high. Market share might happen if the base price is about $16K. Otherwise, Tacomas will continue to dominate.
$22K price point is too high for this odd import. $16k base might make it viable.
@ Paul. "I dont see this truck passing any frontal or side crash standards."...
And how many trucks/ autos get horrible crash ratings NOW and are bought with out a passing thought?
Anyone ever seen what the highways look like in India? If that little truck can survive there, I say it will survive here. In a few years, that will be about all the diesel pickup most people will be able to afford. Biggest challenge? Getting it past the emissions regulations.
I'll buy one. I'll trade in or sell my 1998 Ram 4x4 1500 with the 5.9 gas engine. This Mahindra will tow my horse trailer loaded or my 22 foot lightweight travel trailer, not that I move either around all that much. That's all I need the truck for now and as much as I love driving the Dodge it's a money pit for repairs and fuel.
If I get a Mahindra I'll be able to retire my tired 97 Saturn SW2 with 247,000 miles that I use for my daily 70 mile commute because the mpg is going to be similar. I may also be able to sell of the 02 Pontiac Montana AWD because I got it to replace the Dodge for family trips. winter drives and hauling dogs, but of course it can't tow the travel trailer if we have to evacuate because of a forest fire. If the longer bed on the Mahindra works well enough for stashing the dogs, then I won't really need the van anymore.
That will leave my husband's daily driver and his little 96 Nissan 4x4 truck for his bad weather "spare". How nice it would be to get rid of my 3 very used vehicles and get the family back down to three total vehicles instead of the 5 we have now.
So I can take the 10 grand or so I should get from my other vehicles and put it toward the Mahindra. Last time I bought a first year vehicle from a new company it was a 91 Saturn SL2. It turned out good so I'm willing to try it again with a different company. If this Mahindra doesn't work out I can do what I did with my 2000 Chevy Tracker ...ditched it after 1 year and ate the loss trading it in on something used that was a better fit.
Oh, and for the person mentioning the crash testing. Other articles say they are doing the US testing now. They hope to have passed the tests by August. Rust? I'd hope people who live in a tropical environment would know how to prevent it, but it's not a huge problem for my location as long as they are using current rust prevention technology. (You East Coast folks have my sympathy, but the last time I worried about rust was when I drove a 18 year old Plymouth Valiant during my teenage years. We just stuffed a rag in the fender wells to keep most of the water out of the trunk.)
What's the hype on this Mahindra pick-up, when it's only a remake of the classic, versatile Jeep Comanche (http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/1991/Jeep/3592/1991.jeep.comanche.5969-396x249.jpg)? Same thing as with the Suzuki Equator truck and the Nissan Frontier... If You guys can't wait for this hyped-Hindi-truck, just buy an decent, used Comanche...
The price will be lessened with a trade-in under the Cash For Clunker program. Life span of a diesel is also nearly double a gas engine. My '96 Chevy S-10 4x4 has 340K on the odometer, which has worked intermitantly for 6 months. After 2 engines and 3 transmissions its days are numbered. I'll be getting some Indian next go round. I'ld prefer that the Mahindra truck not come with power windows, AC, automatic transmission or in an extended cab version. The Jeep Gladiator concept truck was more to my liking, a 6 speed stick diesel with basic amenities; no carpet and a hose-out interior. If anyone builds a good, economical truck that meets the US standard, I'll buy it. Too bad the D3 don't.
IF they come to market before the Cash for Clunkers program ends, I will definitely buy one, otherwise, I guess I'm buying a Toyota!
I think the first test subjects for this vehicle will be the thousands of current loyal Mahindra tractor owners accross the uS that swear by Mahindra's reliability. After a year, we should know from them about quality if they start popping up on dealers used car lots.
As far as looks? I think most people looking at pick-ups now want usability and fuctionality. Cool European lines are for sedans and sports cars.
I heard that Ford dropped it's deisel plans because they feel they can get the same fuel economy from their eco-boost gas engines. Can you confirm this? Any news on the rebirth of the F100 or a redesigned Ranger?
Like some of the other folks have mentioned, I like my truck as my daily driver but would like better than 14 mpg i get from my 1995 Dodge. Midsize with a bench seat, air conditioned and an automatic are all that's required. Fuel economy, utilty and safety are the primary criteria. If I want a luxury ride I drive my Wife's car.
I think this truck will be very successful if they can deliver on three fronts. 1st - quality- if the Mahindra demonstrates reasonable workmanship and reliability (comparable to Korean cars for example), 2nd - fuel economy - if the truck can get diesel fuel economy close to the 30mpg they're talking about, and 3rd - price- if they can avoid screwing the consumer with outrageous msrp (like they do here in Canada on anything Truck or anything Japanese) then they'll do really well. Pricing comparable to the Korean manufacturers would be smart.
I think the domestics really underestimated the desire from the consumer for a truck that can handle decent workloads and get outstanding fuel economy. The light duty diesel programs were set to be a big hit if they could keep the initial price down.
I hope this truck delivers on the promise it shows. I'd buy one.
For me it all comes to dependability, and unfortunatly Mahindra trucks haven't proved better or even equal to the Japanese brands in Third World coutries. From all the options we have here in Costa Rica, I'd say Mahindra is at the very last place, even behind the Kia Bongo Crew Cab. If the dependability issues are not addressed properly before entering the US market, it's going to hurt. Right now the only 2 brands worse than Mahindra that come to my mind are Romanian ARO, and Indian Tata (both try to sell here, and didn't make it...)
Have you ever bought a 16k Toyota? Ha, your specs are wrong too. The Toy (at that 16k wish price) payload capacity is only 1,480 lbs, the Mahindra touts 2700 lbs. Towing is yet to be released but I’m sure it'll be more than the Toyota's measly 3,500. It’s all in the torque of the diesel. Why do you think Europe's vehicles are mostly diesel? You get what you pay for. They already have a 25% tariff on the imports, (thanks chicken tax) so I think the price couldn't be better when you compare the two.
@Jimmy: I'm sorry but you're wrong. Check Toyota's consumer site (http://www.toyota.com/tacoma/specs.html) and configure the Tacoma yourself. A 4x2 2.7-L 4-Cyl 4-speed automatic single cab Tacoma has a max payload of 1,380-pounds and a starting price of $16,070.
According to Mahindra's consumer website, the Mahindra pickup is expected to have a max towing rating of 5,000-pounds.
The mid-20s price for the Mahindra was talked about long before Mahindra made the decision to import the truck from India instead of assemble it in the U.S. from CKDs.
I agree with many other posts here - in regard to Mahindra's pricing. A fully-loaded 4x4 Crew Cab could maybe hit $22K. A fully-loaded 4X2 Regular Cab cannot exceed $18K.
I don't believe that price is nearly as important on the lower end of the truck market as people think it is. I agree that a $6k price differential will hurt the Mahindra pickup somewhat, but this truck's success will rise and fall on quality. If it does well in the eyes of the press and holds up well for the first buyers, the Mahindra will sell well enough to establish a North American beach head for the conglomerate. Keep in mind that the average Tacoma is SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive than the average Ford Ranger ($2-$4k, depending on cab), yet the Taco outsells the Ranger by a very large margin. Since the Ranger is a very reliable vehicle, I think we can conclude that price isn't as important as it's sometimes made out to be.
Don't forget about Mahindra's 4 year/60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. They are advertising this on the video clip on their website http://www.mahindrana.com. If I recall right, in the past there was brought up the prospect of free fillups of urea solution in the emissions control, don't know how much that is worth.
I am more interested in the possible 6 seat version, only the 5 seat version will be available in 2010 according to Steven Lee at Global Vehicles USA. I hate losing a seat because of the center console.
Who knows what their Multi-Utility Concept vehicle will look like in 2011, providing the pickups do well.
I asked Mr. Steven Lee of Global Vehicles USA how the test Mahindra pickups were doing and he said they were passing tests with flying colors. They have also done some internal crash testing and those results have come back superb. They are awaiting final testing results, this as of June 26.
I asked Steven Lee of Global Vehicles USA how the test Mahindra pickups were doing and he said they were passing tests with flying colors. They also had done some internal crash testing and those results came back superb. They are awaiting final testing results as of June 26.
chk out the mahindra 4x4 action at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUiKHnSUvLo
It's been repeatedly suggested in these posts that price isn't important in the low-end market. I'm not quite sure what that could possibly mean, but in this case it's clearly wrong. Price is especially important because, no matter how you cut it, you're taking a risk, and that risk affects the value of the vehicle. Service and reliability of these vehicles is untested in the US. If that's not a concern for you, reboot, your central processing unit has crashed. Risk has become an even more pressing issue, especially given that, for many of us low-end buyers, these are not the kind of times to be taking chances with twenty three thousand dollars.
This vehicle is definitely exciting, and I hope it can be a game-changer, bringing more diesels into the market. And I think it was really nice of Toyota to completely screw up the looks on the Tacoma (2005 - present) so that Mahindra's ugly diesel would at least have a fighting chance. Thanks Toyota. In order to really capitalize on the ugly-nomics of the situation, however, Mahindra needs to go 15K base.
Its going to funny as hell if Mahindra spanks Toyota and Nissan pickups , it wouldn't take much since they have sissified them so much .
If you buy this truck you should not be living in the united states of america! this is whats wrong with this country.
I am a Mahindra truck dealer in Hattiesberg Ms.I have driven this truck and until you have seen this truck and driven it you just cant understand it!The truck is built like a tank with plenty of power and unbelievable space inside the TR4 version.The diesel is so quit it sounds like gas engine.We made our first order of ten 11 CR4'S and 2 CR2'S (witch 7 of the fourteen are already spoken for)this truck has no competion and is an incedible product.For more information all this truck call me Keith Smith at 6014087615.
As to whether this truck is too ugly to sell, I was one of the early buyers of Toyota Hilux trucks. They were uglier than a mud fence, compared with American half-tons. Still, they ran and ran and ran. I'm thinking somebody interested in this vehicle is going to take pride in the ugliness. I also owned a '94 Dodge half-ton 4x4 short-bed. People either loved or hated that style (that was the year Dodge broke away from the "box" look.) If the truck underneath works, lasts, and doesn't leave you broke, someone looking in that niche is going to buy it.
@ Paul. "I dont see this truck passing any frontal or side crash standards."...
You should work for the NHTSA and/or IIHS! I mean, considering you can judge the crash worthiness of a vehicle simply by looking at its styling (vs. anything engineering oriented), you've got a very valuable and marketable skill going for you! Let us know when they hire you.
i've been waiting for sometime for this truck to finally roll out. changes for the us specs appear cosmetic though it'll seem to have a new turbo diesel engine. though i am anxious to see and try on the truck, i applaud mahindra for delaying its launch so that it'll address quality and performance problems potential or otherwise by further extensive testing. there is absolutely no competition for this segment so 40,000 units /year i think is easily achievable and may even be surpassable. mostly positive reviews from countries where it is being sold. i can't wait.
Bring on the Bollywood Truck! Man, I love my Jetta TDI and am "part of the cult" so you big-truck boys can discount what I say if you wish.
Even if the truck doesn't meet my needs and I buy another bare-bones contractor's Ecotech F-150 for our farm, the Mahindra might jumpstart the competition. I don't need to pull big loads--just move lumber and bulk goods.
Having just been in England, driving a nicely appointed Vauxhall Vectra Diesel (think Chevy Malibu) I lament America's lag in this area. Modern diesels ROCK and the US is woefully behind here.
I'm on the test-drive list for the Mahindra truck...unless its first-year reliability reeks, I'll be buying one for our farm.
I see these comments stating how ugly this pickup is; therein lies the appeal, I for one, am tired of the sameness in the "pseudo-macho" appearance of most vehicles including the big three pickups. The "Ugly" styling of the Mahindra will only add to the character and appeal for a small truck market segment that is searching for a unique and utilitarian.
I can't wait to test drive one of these "ugly" trucks. I've owned my share of so-called ugly trucks (i.e., Ford Courier, 1st gen Isuzu Trooper, Honda Element, and my current ride, Honda Ridgeline) through the years and most of them have been great vehicles. This Mahindra truck should be exactly what I normally look for in a vehicle...outside the mainstream and utilitarian, but with excellent creature comforts.
I have owned a line of trucks for the last 28 years. This truck will make it big. I have friends in South Africa and Brazil who have driven Mahindra vehicles and they couldnt be happier..they say its built like a tank and fuel efficiency is unbelievable. Cant wait to get my hands on one.
I owned a 1985 GMC S15 longbed with the Isuzu 2.2 diesel, 5 speed with AC. Best truck I ever had. Drove it over 325,000 miles, (head on wreck and total lossed) 2 clutches, 1 ac compressor, 1 set of glow plugs. Averaged over 36 miles to the gallon. There is a market for this type of vehicle today. I do not know why GM does not put a diesel in the Colorado or Canyon. I had a neighbor who had the old Jeep Comanche with the Renault diesel and it was a good truck, but it literally rusted out at 200,000 miles. I welcome the entry of Mahindra in the US market. I have already been in touch with a dealer in Brunswick County NC and plan to purchase one when they become availale. If Mahindra turns out to be as durable as the Isuzus of the 1980's they will be hitting one out of the park.
Some of us what diesels because the perform better and last longer.
This makes total sense. The American manufactures are worried about selling cars and trucks but they are always sitting on the side lines watching imports beat their brains in. Of course this truck is going to do well, it’s inexpensive and gets great fuel economy! It can serve as a great work truck and it will have off road capabilities, what more can you ask for? The fact that it is so damn ugly only adds to its charm! When will the big three get it through their thick skulls that America is more then ready for the diesel engine? Men love trucks, and real trucks have diesel engines (Hello) anyone listening? We like no frills, we like fuel economy, it makes it that much more fun! I had an old VW rabbit pick up and that truck was a blast (60mpg) way back when. That truck was naturally aspirated and could not get out of its own way, but it was fun to drive never the less. VW has missed the perfect opportunity to do it again. The big three will always come in last when it comes to understanding the needs of its customers!
Move the transmission shifter to the steering column, put in a bench seat. Sold
Speaking of "ugly", It doesn't matter to me. Utilitarian shouldn't be pretty. I believe it used to be more squared off in the front and offered a very pratical utility bed with fold down sides for easy loading, depending on one's needs.
All it needs now is long 'Hyundai' warranty and a few niche market ads about a new 'Indian' on the block coming to trouble the fat 'Cowboys.'
No because
1.VW already makes a pickup and is having problems selling it 2.this car failed all tests trying to come into N.America and if you want to die, this car is for you.
If an American company put out a tough little diesel P.U. Truck,
I WOULD BUY IT. (NO FRILLS REQUIRED; JUST GUTS)
Without any American models, it's either build your own or buy foreign.
Hi mike, Thank you for your article.But i say, price point for this truck is far too high.
From what I've seen the fuel economy numbers are a HUGE disappointment. Without good numbers there, people have to be crazy to buy ANY pickup truck, because the pickup truck you buy today will almost certainly be running on $10 per gallon fuel. I'll be waiting for a plug in hybrid or something, but the fuel numbers just blew me away when I read them a few months back. Ya gotta get at least 25-27 mpg City traffic in 2011 and later.
Wow.. I caught the date on the article, July 6, but not the year, lol.. 2009..
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