The Tata Ace needs to be worried, really worried! Mahindra has just launched its competitor in the mini truck segment and its called the Maximo - a trait that is omnipresent not only just in the name, but in the every feature that the cute truck brings to its buyers. First off, it's got great styling for the class of vehicle that it is - wraparound clear lens headlamps flanking the classic Mahindra grille, two tone interiors, a stylish steering wheel and even a very car-like instrument cluster. With the very modern interiors come awesome ergonomics too - a spacious cabin, cable-shift transmission, head rests for the two lie-across seats, a mobile charging point and a glovebox too.
Technologically, the Maximo is loaded with a crash structure and a steel reinforced body that makes the mini truck meet stringent frontal crash test norms as per the AIS 029 standards for N1 category vehicles. It's even got a drive-by-wire throttle and a Load Sensing Proportionate Valve for the brakes. But at the head of the technological prowess of Mahindra?s R&D team is its two cylinder, CRDe diesel engine that not only gives great performance and mileage, but also reduces vibrations dramatically. The mill puts out around 26 PS of power and 5.5 kg-m of torque enabling it to deliver a 20 kmpl fuel efficiency figure as claimed by its manufacturer.
With its 35 square feet loading bay and the performance the engine offers, the Maximo can ferry around a payload of 850kg with ease and also has best in class gradability which directly translates into profits for its buyers with more load per trip ability and also faster turnaround times with lesser fatigue for its drivers. To add to that the Maximo comes with a 1 year/40000km guarantee with zero expenses on maintenance for the said period. The BSIII Mahindra Maximo will retail at a price tag of Rs 2.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Navi Mumbai). With the mini truck segment being the fastest growing among the small commercial vehicles, Mahindra should be gearing to capture a huge chunk of it soon. Also expect electric and CNG versions of the Maximo to hit markets by end 2010.