While the Mahindra name has a long history in India, it has only recently ventured into the private car segment. In this short time, Mahindra has established itself as a successful SUV car maker in India. Even with competition from Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, and several foreign brands, the Mahindra brand never seems to lose even an ounce of its popularity. Mahindra & Mahindra is one of India’s true automotive heroes and we delve into how it earned its name.
Foundation of an Industry Leader
The corporation was actually established as a steel trading company in 1945 with the name Muhammad & Mahindra by Malik Ghulam Muhammad and the Mahindra siblings, Kailash Chandra Mahindra and Jagdish Chandra Mahindra. Anand Mahindra, the present chairman, is the grandson of Jagdish Chandra Mahindra. When Muhammad emigrated to Pakistan after independence the corporation was renamed Mahindra & Mahindra in 1948.
Mahindra’s car manufacturing story began with a legendary utility vehicle, the Willys Jeep. The assembling of the Willys Jeep allowed Mahindra to become the manufacturer for the Jeep in India. From here, Mahindra shifted towards light commercial vehicles and agricultural tractors. Mahindra built its name in rural India as a manufacturer of reliable and durable agricultural machinery. This reputation for durability is the foundation for Mahindra’s success and the cars that defined this leader.
The cars that defined Mahindra & Mahindra
Mahindra Major Jeep
The Mahindra Major Jeep is instantly recognizable as a versatile workhorse. This utility vehicle has worked on the rural fields of India, in the cities with the police, and even spent a lot of time in Bollywood movies. The Mahindra Major was a facelifted Jeep CJ3B and it earned the love of millions in India. While the late Indian actor Rajesh Khanna serenaded his dream girl, the Mahindra Jeep he was riding in was the Sapno ki Rani for millions of Indians.
The take-anywhere capability and easy affordability were the reason why the SUV was popularly seen cruising through the rural, remote, and yet-to-develop areas while also serving the Indian police and military forces. You still get to see Mahindra Jeep cruising through urban as well as rural areas, as its ageless glory and durability is still keeping it active on the road today.
Mahindra Bolero
It wasn’t long before Mahindra Bolero, the rebadged Mahindra Armada arrived in 2000 and magnificently quenched the need for a durable and spacious off-roader. The ruggedness and simplicity of this SUV found its fame among adventurers as well as rural transporters. The reliability of the Mahindra Bolero is praised all across the nation, making it Mahindra’s top-selling SUV. Bolero has a cult following in rural India due to its easy mobility through rough terrains. The SUV went through some facelifts over the years and never relinquished its popularity among Indians.
Mahindra Scorpio
The success of Bolero propelled Mahindra to launch another SUV but with a more premium touch. The Mahindra Scorpio popularised itself as a new-gen SUV in India. The Scorpio didn’t take long to become the adventure companion for many and the perfect cruiser for the city and rough terrains. The combination of luxury, robust off-roading, and reliability made it the second-best-selling car of Mahindra in India and is a favourite among the Indian Police forces.
The grand success of Bolero and Scorpio perhaps made M&M perceive that ending their vehicle names with the letter “O” was a lucky factor. As superstitious as it sounds, it seemed to work for them pretty well.
Mahindra Thar
Thar is more than just a car. Believe it or not, the Mahindra Thar is almost as old as India, tracing its legacy all the way back to the Willy CJ-3B Jeep launched in 1953. The Thar succeeded the Mahindra Major Jeep in 2010 and its bold, sturdy, and prestigious aura drew massive attention from the nation. A 4X4 drivetrain, a rugged yet classy design, and a phenomenal off-roading capability, the Mahindra Thar was never just a regular SUV. People have always taken pride in owning Mahindra Thar and this tradition seems to be continuing with the latest 2020 Mahindra Thar.
Mahindra XUV series
After conquering the hearts of rural masses, Mahindra planned to conquer the urban masses as well, and the XUV series helped them do so. The launch of Mahindra XUV500 in 2011 left no stone unturned in leaving the masses enthralled by the SUV’s magnificence. The 7-seater all-wheel drive SUV had all the premium and luxury along with a striking and iconic appearance. Mahindra XUV500 proved to be a fantastic off-roader as well as a soothingly comfortable ride for city roads and terrains. The successful streak of XUV500 led Mahindra to present another member of its family- XUV300. Mahindra looks to continue expanding its flagship with revisions to the XUV500 and XUV300 planned as well as the XUV700 set to enter the Indian market.
Mahindra and Mahindra Today
What could be gathered from the journey of Mahindra and Mahindra so far, the manufacturer has predominantly served the needs of rural India and some of its most successful contenders have been Bolero, Scorpio, and Jeep. In 2018, M&M ranking 17th in Fortune India 500 was a simple reminder to the foreign rivals of what the Indian conglomerate is to Indians. Even this rank is just a number for the reverers whose hearts M&M won in 71 years of relentless innovation.
The Indian car maker has always been a pioneer in bringing the best technologies from foreign brands to India. REVA Electric, SsangYong Motor, Peugeot Motorcycle, Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery (MAM), Ford, Renault, and many others have played a major role in Mahindra’s growing presence as a global manufacturer set on expanding its horizons. Interestingly, M&M holds a 76.06% stake in Italian car designer Pininfarina SpA which works with many prestigious brands Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Fiat to name a few. While keeping the international essence in their voyage, Mahindra has always served Indians with what they desired. As dominant as M&M are right now, their unrelenting streak is poised to continue for years to come.
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