Navistar, Inc. celebrated the launch of its first commercial trucks for the Indian market on Jan. 5. At the 10th India Auto Expo in Delhi, Mahindra-Navistar Automotives Ltd. (MNAL), the commercial vehicle joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) of India and Navistar, Inc., unveiled a family of commercial trucks and tractors in the range of 25-, 31-, 40- and 49-ton (equivalent GVW ranges of approximately 56,000 pounds up to 109,000 pounds.)
Both Navistar and Mahindra & Mahindra have taken on shared responsibilities as part of the joint venture, lending each others unique expertise where appropriate. The product development for this new family of vehicles was handled by Navistar with Navistar's team working with MNAL engineers to bring North American technology into the Indian market.
"India is an important market for us and the Mahindra-Navistar joint venture will redefine the trucking industry in India,"said Dee Kapur, president, Navistar Truck Group.
The Mahindra-Navistar range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles will be manufactured at Mahindra & Mahindra's new Greenfield plant at Chakan, near Pune. The plant, which spans more than 700 acres, has been set up with investments by Mahindra & Mahindra of more than $857 million and will produce other Mahindra & Mahindra products as well.
