Mahindra to expand in PH with Alvarez auto group

Another Indian brand is about to expand its presence in the Philippines. Mahindra & Mahindra, a leading manufacturer in its home country, has signed an agreement with the Alvarez automotive group. This paves the way for expansion of the brand into the local market. The Alvarez group also distributes BMW, Kia, and Peugeot. This year has seen the official entry of another Indian brand, Tata, which sells diesel-powered passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

One of the first vehicles that Mahindra may sell is the Xylo utility vehicle. The Xylo is an MPV designed to compete with the likes of the Toyota Innova. The seven-seat vehicle is powered by a diesel engine in 2.2 or 2.5-liter displacement. Oddly, the 2.2 liter is more powerful, with 120ps and 280Nm of torque, compared to the 95ps and 218Nm of the 2.5-liter. Will this Indian car be the one to finally break into the dominance of the Innova?

Here’s the full release from the Alvarez group:

Mahindra & Mahindra Limited (M&M), an Indian multinational automobile manufacturing corporation with headquarters in Mumbai, has reportedly signed an official agreement with one of the Philippines’ largest automotive groups. The said agreement is set to pave the way for the aggressive expansion of Mahindra’s presence in the Philippines. Sources say that the Indian vehicle manufacturing giant is extremely bullish about their continued expansion of operations in the Philippine market due to confidence in the steady and sustained growth of the Philippine economy.

M&M is the largest vehicle manufacturer in India and is the largest seller of tractors in the world. It is also a major supplier of military vehicles in India, having had extensive experience in producing military jeeps thanks to its early association with Willys Jeep. It is a part of Mahindra Group, one of the most successful Indian conglomerates to date.

Originally set up as a steel trading company in 1945 by brothers K.C. Mahindra and J.C. Mahindra and Malik Ghulam Mohammed, M&M has grown to become one of India’s most trusted names. M&M eventually saw business opportunity in expanding into manufacturing and selling larger multi-purpose utility vehicles (MUVs), with assembly under license of the Willys Jeep in India. Soon established as the Jeep manufacturers of India, the company later commenced manufacturing light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and agricultural tractors. Today, Mahindra & Mahindra is a key player in the utility vehicle manufacturing sector in the Indian automobile industry. The company has effectively used India’s growing global market presence in both the automotive and farming industries to push its products in more than 20 countries worldwide.