Mahindra may have screwed up its US distribution deal (OK, somebody screwed it up), but perhaps the problem was simply that the Indian firm hadn’t sufficiently motivated the American public. After all, we may love simple, rugged diesel-powered pickups here at TTAC, but third-world-chic isn’t exactly a mass-market trend in the US (yet…). No, what Mahindra needs to get its US-market plans back on track is this, the Mahindra Bolero Attitude, a “custom concept” that Mahindra has been teasing on Facebook. It’s got all the Eff-Off attitude of a Hummer (RIP), but Facebook users report between 30 MPG (13 km per liter in the city) and 35 MPG (15 kmpl) on diesel fuel. With numbers like that, America’s love affair with obnoxiously brash SUVs could just make a comeback…
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot…
Well they made it uglier than the Hummer, that’s something, at least it is good on fuel economy.
Did you notice how low the Cat and exhaust line goes?
I wonder if that wouldn’t be an issue on real offroad applications…
Otherwise, nice Tonka truck.
What I don’t get is why people wouldn’t just get a ‘zuki if they wanted a small off-roader. I’d take a Suzuki 4×4 over one of these any day of the week.
I wonder if that wouldn’t be an issue on real offroad applications…
What is this “Offroad”??? You mean, like, the Mall or whateva…?
Seriously, this thing looks like the guy who used to design boomboxes finally got a new job. Are those subwoofers in the front-bumper?
@SVXPearlie… maybe because they havent made a real Zuki 4×4 in years?? Most people dont really want to go off-road, they want a cool tough looking vehicle that works for everyday driving, and can also maybe go off-roading… a little… not enough to scratch the paint mind you, but more than they can do in, say an Ouback.
I think the low-hanging exhaust is what Ed meant by “third world chic.”
Yep, that exhaust would get very loud very quickly if this thing were used off-road.
Wow. This looks like a toy! Is it real? I’d like to see one in person.
i belive Fisher Price already captured the “Power Wheels” Market.
That settles it. You ride ON TOP of it, not in it! I thought the scale looked all wrong. I think the neighbor’s kid has one.
Seriously, though, if they removed most of the tacked-on stuff and simplified the headlight clusters and cleaned up in general, this could be pretty cool looking, and maybe drive cool as well. Kind of reminds me of the Jeepster Commando C-101 I once owned. Or an early Ford Bronco. Or a Sidekick. Or…
Conceptually, this diesel trucklet could be a tremendous success.
Overly contrieved, however.
Just too many off-road wiz-bang ding-bats stuck to this. It’s as if a middle schooler took three model kits (say of a Wrangler, Defender, and an FJ), and cobbled his dream off-roader together.
That’s not to say I don’t get the usefulness of having jerry cans, snorkel, pick/axe/shovel, auxilliary lighting, rescue hooks, roll bars and a winch (which I’m not sure if this thing has). It’s just that this concept — all bedecked — is a visual hot mess. By advertising its business so obviously, it’s slid down the slippery slope (despite its claimed capabilities) coming to rest in Poser Creek.
Perhaps some mud covering the copper-orange paint du jour would help me reframe my opinion of the Bolero, because I’ve wanted (like so many Wrangler owners like me) a diesel powered, efficient, low grunt Wrangler powerplant for, I dunno, ever. And have drooled over websites outlining Wrangler diesel swaps. This little Mahindra has so much potential…
Just de-douche it.
I do need, and would buy a small, inexpensive, and fuel efficient truck. Ideally it would look like the Jeep Gladiator, or Jeep Brute pick-up conversion. A lot of people say they would buy this or that if only someone would offer it, but I am completely serious. No problem whatsoever paying 20-25k for it.
Yep, if the finished product looks closer to the Gladiator, it may do quite well.
And as I’ve stated before, I think the cure for Mahindra’s distro issues is to sell their trucks (initially) through their existing farm tractor network. It would be a pretty easy transition.
If the sales justify it, only THEN should they consider 3rd party deals or dedicated dealerships.
Don’t worry. For the US at least, this isn’t probably going to happen anytime soon.
A 30K’ish Jeep Gladiator sans-diesel will probably show up sooner.
Wow! I thought the Hummer looked like a cartoon car, this takes the cake.
GAh! Kill it! Send it to hell!
No one asked the real question: how many cup holder? Seriously, living in the north with real winter, a thing like that could have a use…always dreamed of going to work in a snowstorm in a Hummer H1…bring it white bitch!
So Mahindra’s new distribution channel is Tonka then?
get all the tacked-on off road shit off of it and I love it!
This is the way the rest of the world sees the American car industry. What does that say?
The rest of the world still knows where to buy LSD?
It’s a lot better looking than the Nissan Juke.
I agree but that dosent take much
This thing is f–king ridiculous, almost a parody of what an Indian car designer thinks of American offroaders.
That said, I f–king LOVE IT. WANT.
But with skidplates and a decent lift, that dangly shit underneath does not compute.
Pretty badass. This is what Jeep should be doing.
Takes the cobbled-together look to new heights.
With all the gingerbread tacked on, it looks like a teenager’s wet dream..but it doesn’t look
like it would take much to knock the exhaust system off this thing.
I’m guessing they realized the bottom of the vehicle was the only surface without any non-functional decorative junk.
I LOVE it. But then the Jeep I’d most like to own is a Scrambler pickup.
Is that an Oldsmobile logo (Aurora?) masquerading as the snorkel?
Jeep owns a trademark on its grille design. How does this one evade the trademark?
That thing is grotesque. Way uglier than their pickup truck, which is ugly enough.
All you naysayers are effin crazy. This thing would sell like hotcakes, especially at the prices Mahindra is targeting. If it had even close to Wrangler-esq off-road capabilities, combined with a efficient diesel powertrain and wanna-be H2 looks, it would kill. Make it a 4-door and it would kill even more. All the Wrangler buyers desperately waiting for a diesel would be happy, the people who wanted an H2 but couldnt stomach the price and/or the crappy gas mileage would be happy. And no big name manufacturer would be competing, since no one else sells a small diesel truck. Sure its a bit over the top, but its a concept car, its supposed to be. Tone it down a bit for production, lose the Rubicon trail accessories and its really a very good design. This is the kind of design that would work for a small company like Mahindra, it would put them on the map, and possibly jumpstart the big guys into offering something different for a change.