Riding on performance: Mr Rakesh Kalra (left), Managing Director, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd, and Mr Nalin Mehta, COO, at the launch of MN 25 and MN 31 heavy trucks in Chennai on Monday.
Chennai, Jan. 24
Mahindra Navistar Automotive is not a “price player”, but a performance player, says Mr Nalin Mehta, Chief Operating Officer of the company.
The company, a joint venture of Mahindra & Mahindra and Navistar of the US, today launched two trucks — MN 25 and MN 31 — in Chennai, priced at Rs 15.55 lakh and Rs 18.94 lakh. While these are “aggressive prices”, the company would like to position itself as one that will provide its customers good economics of ownership, he said addressing a press conference here.
Asked if Mahindra Navistar was not at a disadvantage over truck companies that have plants in States such as Uttarakhand, where manufacturing is incentivised with tax exemptions, Mr Mehta said Mahindra Navistar's plant at Chakan, Maharashtra, too enjoyed comparable fiscal benefits.
Mr Rakesh Kalra, Managing Director, Mahindra Navistar Automotive, said the company would complete the launch of its heavy duty range of trucks in 2011-12. These include tractor trailers and tippers of 40 tonnes and 49 tonnes vehicle-weight.