Indian car-maker Mahindra wants to make serious inroads into global markets and a new ute is part of the plans. We’ve already seen the XUV700 and Scorpio, but a truck based on the Scorpio will provide a competitor to the growing budget Chinese-made ute market in Australia with VFACTS data showing models like the GWM Ute 4X4 are now outselling the Mazda BT-50, Nissan Navara, and Volkswagen Amarok year-to-date.
Unveiled in South Africa, the Pik Up is a concept for now, but expect it to arrive in Australian showrooms within a few years (2025). Let’s take a closer look.
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The Global Pik Up concept is aimed at the lucrative double-cab segment and comes armed with the right set of tools. Based on the toughened-up ladder-frame platform underpinning the Scorpio, the Pik Up gets a more muscular stance courtesy a blacked-out front-end plus being sprinkled with off-road gear like a snorkel and upright bumpers.
Compared to the new Scorpio, the Pik Up has better approach/departure angles and the standard would be a 4×4 system along with drive modes.
The concept version also looks butch with large all-terrain tyres, thick cladding and two full-size spare wheels tucked away at the back. Mahindra will also generously equip the Pik Up with autonomous technology and a feature-packed interior including a sunroof.
The new generation ladder-frame chassis would also be prepared for a good score in the Euro NCAP and the Global NCAP crash tests.
Unlike the Scorpio, the Pik Up will also be diesel-only with a more powerful iteration of the 2.2l engine along with the option of a six-speed automatic or a manual gearbox.
While competition is fierce in the double cab pick-up segment, Mahindra will bank on its competitive pricing, giving buyers a more affordable alternative to established pick-ups like the Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger, and Toyota Hilux.
The current Pik Up is a more utilitarian machine being bare bones but the new generation model is a giant leap forward regarding the technology and the capabilities. For the Australian market, the production version of this concept Ute promises to be a significant launch for the car-maker in gaining more market share although we hope the one you see in the showrooms would be like this concept version.
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