Mahindra targets US market

Mahindra & Mahindra has charted out plans to increase its presence in the European market, US being its top target according to Mahindra boss, Pawan Goenka.

Goenka plans to launch in the US later this year with a heavily re-engineered version of the Scorpio SUV selling through a newly appointed network of 300 dealers. He admitted that was just the start of the firm's plans. "We want to be a global player in utility vehicles," reveals Goenka.

"If volumes are good we will think about making cars in the US and then we will be looking at Europe with a higher focus," said Goenka.

Mahindra has a limited presence in Europe currently, but the company wants to expand into the UK too. Rumours are that it is currently working on a far more sophisticated version of the Scorpio, though to be launched in 2011. It will have a monocoque chassis 4x4, a first for Mahindra.

However Goenka is adamant that Mahindra will not be branching out into saloon cars. "We never intend to be in passenger cars on our own, it's too crowded and competitive a market," he said.