Story by : Deepanshu Taumar
Riding the expectations of a good monsoon ahead, all the automobile manufacturers are lining up products to get wet in the upcoming rains. At one side Japanese auto manufacturer Isuzu was ready with its new production facility at SRI city with an annual capacity of 50,000 units, launched V-cross at Rs 14.70 lakh (Ex-Showroom Chennai) while the home-grown automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra launched its Big B officially known as Big Bolero Pik-up at Rs 6.30 lakhs (BS4, Ex-Showroom Pune). Going by the vital stats of the Big Bolero, the pick-up have the class-leading cargo body length of 9 feet (2765 mm) and payload capacity of 1500 kgs. The Big Bolero Pik-up comes in two variants BS-III and BS-IV priced at Rs. 6.15 lakhs (BS-3 ex-showroom Pune) and Rs. 6.30 lakhs (BS-4 ex-showroom Pune) respectively.
Already having a 69% market share (FY2016) in the pick-up segment, Mahindra has launched many industry-first products and technologies in the pick-up segment. These include the innovation of flat bed pick-ups, 4WD, CBC, introduction of the first micro-hybrid technology, first AC pick-up, first CNG pick-up and a range of models in the portfolio. The company gauged the need gap in the market for extra space in cargo and payload and provided the customers with the Big Bolero Pik-up. Designed to cater to the needs of stand operators, businessmen and traders the Big Bolero Pik-up will be available in 2 variants – offering payload capacities of 1,250 kg and the industry-first 1,500 kg.
Further, the Big Bolero Pik-up will be powered by Mahindra’s MDI Engine which churns out power of 46.3 kW @ 3200 rpm (63 HP) for BSIII variant and 52.2 Kw @ 3200 rpm (70 HP) for BS-IV variant. The Big Bolero Pik-up also boasts of a big ergonomically designed cabin, stylish interiors, and power steering as a standard feature across all variants, making it an ideal work companion for customers.
Speaking on the launch, Pravin Shah, President & Chief Executive (Automotive), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, ” Being the leader in the pick-up segment for over a decade, we have made our systems and processes robust to understand and address the evolving needs of our customers. In fact, we keep introducing new products and technologies at regular intervals to enable our customers to progress in life. The launch of the Big Bolero Pik-up with superior value proposition is a veritable step towards this direction. The big cargo box and high payload capacity, combined with the fuel-efficient high-performance engine will enable the customers to earn more while the spacious and comfortable cabin will offer a fatigue free drive. With this launch, we have further upgraded our pick-up range to offer best-in-class value and efficiency to the customers.”
The Big Bolero Pik-up will be manufactured at company’s Kandivali Plant. In addition to the 1,250 Kg and 1,500 Kg variants, the Big Bolero Pik-up will also be available in CBC (Cowl Body chassis) variant which will help the customers to build the Cargo Body according to their need and application.
The Mahindra Big Bolero Pik-up range comes in options of 2wd flat bed & CBC models. Bolero Pik-up also has a 4WD variant which will be introduced in new looks and interiors shortly. This kind of range ensures that the customer is able to choose and buy the variant as per his application & need. All models in the range cater to different customer needs. For example, the CBC model can be used in the form of water tankers, refrigerated pickups, generator van, poultry vans, etc. The 4 wheel drive variant comes into play in hilly and muddy areas, where the terrain is difficult to negotiate and helps customers stay ahead. The largest selling Flat Bed model caters to the needs of small and medium class businessmen and market load operators alike by providing them with a larger load tray and powerful performance. We also have a CNG model in the range which not only gives a great performance but also helps in building a cleaner environment.
The Big Bolero range has a much lower operating and maintenance cost and requires an oil change only after every 10,000 kms and gear oil change after every 40,000 kms, resulting in higher earnings for customers. Not only this, it comes equipped with 3 years unlimited kms warranty.
Mahindra has one of the widest network spread for sales and service support and the Big Bolero Pik-up customers can avail of it. In keeping with the company’s customer-centric initiatives, the company offers special finance and exchange schemes to help its customers upgrade and provides accidental insurance benefit of Rs. 10 lakh under its UDAY (CRM program), and a 45-minute express service QWIK to reduce the customer’s turnaround time.
