Mahindra finally secures a SA dealer

MAHINDRA Automotive Australia’s efforts to complete a national dealer network took a step forward this week with the appointment of its first South Australian franchise.

The announcement of the stand-alone dealership at Morphett Vale in Adelaide also marks progress in the company’s attempt to get more of a foothold in metropolitan areas, having put down roots mainly in regional centres.

The importer of the rugged Indian-made Mahindra Pik-Up utility range is set to go one better, with another stand-alone dealership to come on board soon in Sydney’s Parramatta.

Blanks on the Mahindra network still include the Northern Territory and Tasmania, while three of Australia’s biggest cities – Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth – are still without Mahindra representation.

In Western Australia, the marque appointed four dealerships – including one in Perth – in November 2009, but that has slipped to just one remaining regional dealership, in Bunbury.

(Left) Mahindra Pik-Up.

MAA is a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra – India’s number one ute and tractor manufacturer – and TMI Pacific – a division of the Tynan Motor Group owned by major Sydney car dealer Michael Tynan and his family.

TMI Pacific took on the Mahindra franchise in 2007, before forming the MAA joint-venture in November 2008, with the company 80 per cent controlled by Mahindra.

The brand is now represented in Australia by 25 outlets, with more than half of them in NSW. Queensland has six outlets, Victoria four, and SA and WA one each.

Apart from the Adelaide dealership, other recent appointees have been in Warwick and Atherton in Queensland, Portland in Victoria and Dubbo in NSW.

MAA chief operating officer Dinesh Choudhari told GoAuto the company had focussed its most recent dealership expansion efforts on Queensland and South Australia, but intended to fill open points in other states over time.