Scorpio pick-ups in 8 months

The pick-up truck market in the country is heating up, as Mahindra & Mahindra's (M&M) pick-up trucks would compete against the ones launched by Tata Motors (Tata TL 4x4).

Pick-up truck is a utility vehicle with a wagon attached to it. The Indian utility vehicle market (sports utility vehicle and multi-utility vehicle) in the country rolls out over 15,000 units per month.

M&M is planning to launch its Scorpio range of pick-ups in the country during the next 6-12 months. The model will combine the role of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) and a pick-up. These vehicles find equally good market across the urban and rural parts of the country.

"There is a potential market for pick-ups in the country. We will be launching our range of pick-ups in the immediate future," said Pawan Goenka, president, automotive.

M&M has already launched its pick-ups in South Africa and Spain. The Scorpio pick-up is expected to have a 2.6 litre common rail diesel engine.

Like the overseas models, the Mahindra pick-up is designed to deliver great performance such as standard features like air conditioning, power steering, power windows, central locking and stereo CD/MP3.

The Bolero pick-ups will ride on 2.5-litre turbo diesel and comes in 4x4 and 4x2 versions. M&M is expecting to sell 500 pick-ups every month by the initial 12 months of the launch of the company's pick-ups.

Tata Motors launched its 1.2 tonne pick-up Tata TL 4x4. Tata TL runs on tubeless tyres, ensuring that there is no fear of tyre burst. The TL has proven its mettle in SA, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.