Rexton and Korando to be assembled in Mahindra's facility in Pune

Mahindra & Mahindra India, the auto giants will come with two sports utility vehicle (SUV) models from Ssangyong Motor Co. and are planning to assemble and market the cars in India. Sources from the company revealed that the South Korean auto company's two SUVs will be entering the Indian market which will be assembled and sold in the domestic auto market.

Pawan Goenka, Mahindra's President for the Automotive and Farm equipments sectors quoted that the two SUVs, Korando and Rexton from Ssangyong Motors are expected to be assembled in the manufacturing unit in Chakan plant in Pune, Maharashtra.

Mr Goenka, further said that the Indian auto giant also plan to bring two new trucks in partnership with the US based, Navistar International Corp. in the next quarter.

On 23rd November, 2010, Mahindra, India's largest SUV manufacturer stamped to acquire 70 per cent of the stake in the Ssangyong Motors, the South Korean auto company for $463.6 million. It is expected that all the formalities are likely to be completed by March 2011 and Mahindra will take the charge of the South Korean auto company by then. Ssangyong, due to recession in the global auto market started running bankrupt. In August, 2010, Mahindra & Mahindra was selected as the preferred bidder for the auto company.

It looks like Mahindra India, is working on the same lines of its contemporary Tata Motors. In 2008, Tata Motors took over the British Luxury car brand Jaguar and Land Rover. Currently, Mahindra India, rules the SUV segment with four cars Mahindra Scorpio, Mahindra Scorpio W, Mahindra Bolero and Mahindra Xylo.

Mahindra in India is also coming with a new jeep like SUV car model named Thar in December, 2010. The jeep, Thar will be a refined version of the Commander Jeep which is again entering the Indian auto market after 10 years of sabbatical. As per the sources, Thar will come with a price tag of Rs 7 lakh and will be first entering India's famous tourist destinations Rajasthan and Kerala, this month. Thar is already available in South Africa which is priced at Rs 9.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Mahindra has redesigned the SUV Jeep according to the Indian needs and conditions as revealed by a source close to the project.