M&M''s next SUV is Rexton
By Our Corporate Bureau | 04 Jul 2003
Mumbai:
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is planning to launch
a new sports utility vehicle (SUV), Rexton, sourced from
South Korea-based Ssangyong Motors, once owned by Daewoo
Motors.
The Rexton will be priced slightly above the Scorpio. The company will make the decision as to the whether the SUV will be manufactured in India or imported and sold as a fully built imported vehicle.
The
launch of the vehicle will mark the entry of M&M into
the premium SUV segment. The new SUV will compete with
SUVs like the Chevrolet Forrester and the Suzuki Grand
Vitara.
The vehicle, expected to be priced in the range of Rs 13-15 lakh, is powered by a 290-litre turbo diesel engine and is capable of shifting from a two-wheel drive to a four-wheel drive.
The SUV was designed in collaboration between Daewoo and Ssangyong, and Daewoo even marketed the vehicle in Ireland just before its collapse.
M&M expects to use Ssangyong''s marketing network to market its Scorpio in Korea and other ASEAN markets in return. Ssangyong, a truck and sports utility vehicle producer from South Korea, was purchased by Daewoo in 1998 and later hived off when the latter''s troubles began.