Mahindra is working on a new “global pickup” that’s due in 2027-2028, and it has segment stalwarts like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in its sights.
“Going forward, we have aspirations of bringing in a truly global pickup for Australia and a range of EVs,” said Mahindra’s global automotive boss Veejay Nakra.
“This is a product not being engineered for India, but a platform and a product being truly engineered as a global pickup.
“Australia is a critical market when it comes to the global pickup, so we would be working with customers, our channel partners over here, to take all the inputs into what we need to define the global pickup as. So, the market would play an important role in helping us define what we want to offer.”
Mr Nakra confirmed it will feature body-on-frame construction and a diesel powertrain.
“If you want to be successful… Australia is an important market for us, and for us to be successful we need to scale up in this market. If we have to scale up, we have to have the right option for the market,” Mr Nakra said when asked whether the global pickup would have a 3500kg braked towing capacity like key rivals.
The current Pik-Up is smaller than rivals like the HiLux and Ranger, and offers only a 2500kg braked towing capacity.
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Scorpio -
Scorpio Classic
When asked whether the company’s work on a range of five new electric vehicles could see it introduce an electric ute, Mr Nakra said that’s not in the plans right now.
“At the moment to begin with, as we launch, we are looking at an ICE-based global pickup,” he said.
“Obviously as we go forward, depending on how the market shifts and what the requirements are, we will evaluate all sorts of powertrains going forward.”
Mr Nakra left the door open for the global pickup to be sold alongside the existing Pik-Up instead of replacing it outright.
Mahindra currently employs this strategy in India with the new Scorpio, which is sold there as the Scorpio-N while its predecessor is sticking around with Scorpio Classic badging.
“I think we would see that as we go along, there could be multiple opportunities, different segments, different price points, I think those are all in the reckoning at the moment.”
“I think we will take those calls as we go along, depending on what the definition of the global pickup is, what would be the offerings from a range of single-cab, double-cab, king-cab, powertrain options, the price points that we would cater to… I think that’s a call we will take as we go along.”
Mahindra is planning to expand its presence globally, led by its upcoming quintet of electric vehicles on a new platform called Inglo – but the global pickup will also play a part in its expansion.
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Mahindra electric SUV concepts
“There are various markets in the world that are large pickup markets, and through the global pickup, besides the traditional markets where we are present, we would also have access to some other markets for pickups,” said Mr Nakra.
“And clearly with the EV coming in, we would have access to some other markets like for example the UK where we don’t have a presence today.”
The current Mahindra Pik-Up was introduced locally in 2017 and is closely related to the previous-generation Scorpio – indeed, it was sold in India as the Scorpio Getaway.
