The utility and passenger vehicle maker, Mahindra is developing a brand new Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) on the platform of its Mahindra Maxximo. The Mahindra Maxximo is a light pick-up truck that the company sells in the Indian market and rivals with the Tata Ace. The Mahindra Maxximo portfolio includes the light pick-up truck and a minivan. The vehicle is currently being developed at the Mahindra Research Valley based in Chennai.A source close to the development of the model said that developing an MPV based on the truck platform is slightly difficult since there has to be a lot of changes made to the areas power and transmission. A timeline for the development has not been frozen yet and the developing is still rumoured to be in its nascent stages. A passenger van on the Mahindra Maxximo platform is also expected to be production ready by the end of this fiscal.
Off late, the Indian automotive market has seen a heavy demand for the MPVs and MUVs. The segment which once used to contribute only 2% of the total sales volumes now command close to 11-12% of the total sales volumes. Other MPVs in the pipeline due to get launched in India include the Nissan-Ashok Leyland Evalia and the Chevrolet Enjoy.