Pawan Goenka believes Mahindra could be the next Maruti of UV/SUV segment

Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) Limited, India's leading Utility Vehicle (UV) manufacturer, is riding on a cloud nine after the stupendous reception received by its compact Sports Utility Vehicle Quanto, which was launched on September 20, 2012. The Quanto is dubbed as M&M's smallest product in the country and has piled on the company's success stories for 2012. Earlier this year, Mahindra's premium XUV500 SUV grabbed many eyeballs and scorched the total sales in its segment.

Pawan Goenka believes Mahindra could be the next Maruti of UV/SUV segment

 

Mahindra's hefty Indian portfolio now comprises SUVs like Bolero, Scorpio, XUV500 and Quanto compact SUV along with the Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Xylo. Reportedly, the company is soon expected to launch another premium SUV pitched against the likes of Toyota Fotuner, Mitsubishi Pajero and Ford Endeavour, called 'Rexton' by its Korean subsidiary SsangYong Motor Company.

Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Division, M&M, spurned the idea that the company's Indian fleet is strewed and its products could succumb to cannibalisation. According to the Times of India (TOI), Goenka expressed his delight at the Quanto and said, “All the products have their own unique identity and price points. In fact, we now have a portfolio which is as healthy as Maruti's productline in hatchbacks. I can safely say that after the entry of Quanto, Mahindra can be called the Maruti of the UV/SUV segment.”

Indian car enthusiasts' wait reached a fruitful conclusion, when M&M priced the newly launched Quanto in a Rs. 5.82 – Rs. 7.36 lacs price bracket. The car is available in four variants C2, C4, C6 and C8, with C4 being the base model and C8 being the top-end model. The Quanto C2 boasts of a power-torque output of 100 bhp and 240 Nm along with nice trimmings like power steering and an air conditioning system. Further, the top Quanto model C8 comes laced with air-bags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and a reverse assist system.

Goenka affirmed that Quanto's aggressive pricing saw light of the day because of its common Ingenio platform along with sharing of assembly line, paint shop and spares. Further, M&M is also planning to expand its global footprint by exporting Quanto to the European and European auto markets along with the South American nation Chile. The next generation Quanto compact SUV is expected to feature a brand new four-cylinder engine and an All Wheel Drive (AWD).