NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. plans to assemble and sell thousands of light pickup trucks annually in the United States by 2010, a top company executive said Tuesday.
The company hopes to export whole vehicles to the U.S., said Pawan Goenka, president of the company's auto services.
''We are looking at the possibility of assembling pickup trucks in the United States through a contract manufacturer by 2010,'' Goenka said.
Goenka declined to identify the U.S. contract manufacturer as the company was still involved in negotiations. He would not discuss total sales targets.
Mahindra has a partnership with Atlanta, Georgia-based Global Vehicles USA, which would distribute the vehicles and manage a network of American dealers, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Global Vehicles Chief Executive John Perez was cited by the Journal as saying the assembler isn't a major U.S. auto maker but has a history of assembling vehicles there. The vehicles are expected to be sold for around $25,000.
Mahindra is one of the top 10 industrial operations in India, making trucks, sport utility vehicles, cars and tractors. Its tractor operation is among the top three in the world, according to the company's Web site.
Last year, the company unveiled a line of sport utility vehicles and trucks which it plans to sell in the United States.
The company and partner Renault SA sell the low-cost Logan car in India. Mahindra also has a partnership with International Truck and Engine Corp., its Web site said.
The Mahindra Group also has businesses in the financial services, trade and logistics, steel and information technology sectors.
