With a view to strengthening its sales network across the country, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd (MNAL) is planning to open 40 new dealerships across the country by March 2011.
The company, which already has announced to launch 31, 40 and 49-tonne trucks and a tipper in the current fiscal, is also mulling to launch Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICVs) after three years and they (ICVs) will be manufactured at Chakan plant.
MNAL, which is presently selling LCVs only, will soon start selling its first Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV)-a 25-tonne truck-MN 25. The company has also started booking orders for MN 25, which will be priced at Rs 15.54 lakh (for BS III version) and initially to be delivered to selected customers and almost by invitations.
In the current financial year, the company is intends to expand the product range in HCV segment by introducing 4 new models- 31, 40 and 49-tonne trucks and a tipper. Out of which, 31-tonne truck- MN 31 will be launched in the next 2-3 weeks, while 49-tonne truck will be launched either in current fiscal or next year. The company has already started manufacturing MN 31 at Chakan plant.
MNAL, a 51:49 joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra and USA-based truck giant Navistar, just opened its new dealership at Nashik. Presently, the company has 20 dealerships across the country.
"We have appointed 60 dealerships and out of which 20 are already operational, while rest of 40 will be operational by March 2011. We plan to have total 100 dealerships across the country by March 2012. In Maharashtra, dealerships will be opened in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur," Nalin Mehta, chief operating officer, who was here in Nashik for opening of MINAL's first dealership in Maharashtra, told Business Standard.
"We have just launched 25 tonne truck- MN 25. We have not yet opened sales for it. Initially, MN 25 will be given to selected customers and almost by invitations, because we want to establish the performance and acceptance of our new product," Mehta said.
"We are also planning to launch Intermediate Commercial Vehicles after 3 years and they will be manufactured at Chakan plant," he said but declined to divulge further details. At present, the company sells LCVs only and last year (FY 2009-10), it sold 12,000 units, generating a turnover of Rs 500 crore. "In the next 3 years, we aim to touch a mark of 50,000 units and Rs 5,000 crore turnover," Mehta added.