Mahindra announces new tractors for 2018

Mahindra’s plan for the year 2018 and beyond is simple but bold – and that is to snag a bigger slice of the Aussie tractor pie.

How the Indian brand plans to rise to the challenge is by increasing its competitiveness in the market, and the only way to do that is to offer customers more choices and increase its brand awareness in the farming space.

At a recent dealer conference on the Gold Coast, which hosted over 120 attendees including its Australian ambassador and cricket legend Matthew Hayden, Mahindra lifted the lid on seven brand new tractor models, ranging from a compact 24hp to a hearty 92hp.

The new arrivals boost Mahindra’s total tractor offering to 17 models.

According to Mahindra’s Chief of International Operations, Arvind Mathew, the compact segment is where the company plans to play in for now.

“We’ve been building great tractors up to 110hp so we will stick to that portfolio and grow our business in Australia,” he said.

Having enjoyed a fair amount of success in other parts of the world including North America, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Mahindra now has its eyes firmly focused on the Australian market.

“Australia is an important market for us. We’ve been here for 12 years and in terms of technology and customer requirements, the Australian market keeps challenging us and it’s really important that we compete.

“South Africa is our most powerful market and the similarities between South Africa and Australia are so great, I don’t see any reason why we cannot match (in Australia) the volume and share that we have there.”

Small but packs a punch

The smallest in the range of new releases is the Mahindra JIVO, which sits at just 1m wide and offers 24hp of power. With a lift capacity of 750kg and high ground clearance, the JIVO is ideally suited for specialist applications like viticulture and landscape applications.

It also comes with draft sensing and a 1500-hour per annum duty cycle.

Also revealed at the conference were two Mahindra Max sub compacts – the Max 28 HST and Max 36 HST with 28hp and 36hp respectively.

Standard on both is a three-speed transmission, along with simple hydrostatic foot controls and sturdy builds.

Built in Mahindra-Mitsubishi’s new plant in Japan, the two models offer an impressive lift capacity of 780kg and come ready with a 4-in-1 bucket.

Pricing for the Max 28 HST starts from $26,990 with loader and 4-in-1 bucket.

In the middle

The new Mahindra 3650 PST offers 50hp and presents with a stylish new hood. The new eco-friendly Tier IV direct-injection engine under the bonnet provides cleaner emissions, uses no DPF and it’s designed to help reduce overall operating costs.

It also features Power Shuttle shifting, a hydraulic flow of 41.6l/min and 1402kg of linkage lift. Pricing for the Mahindra 3650 PST starts from $35,990 with loader and 4-in-1 bucket.

Moving up the power ranks, the Mahindra 6075 offers 75hp and is ideally suited for vegetable applications or farm tasks requiring lower speeds. This is due to the availability of either a 15/15 Synchro Shuttle or 20/20 creeper transmission, with the latter able to limit ground speed to as low as 0.47km/h.

There’s also a new easy-access hood, new front axle, flat operator platform and an increase in overall weight to 2650kg for maximum traction.

Top of the range

Rounding up the new releases was the Mahindra 7580 and 7590, delivering 80hp and 92hp respectively.

At the heart of both machines is a turbocharged intercooled 4-cylinder in-line diesel designed to deliver reliability, fuel efficiency and a big, flat torque curve.

Both models feature twin remotes, twin-speed PTOs and heavier builds for greater traction and longevity.

Simple to operate and sturdy, the 7580 and 7590 are ideal for primary and secondary tillage applications; livestock operations; crop protection; haulage and loader applications as well as a range of other basic field tasks.

The seven new tractor models will be rolled out progressively throughout 2018.

UTV rebranding

Mahindra unveiled its mPact side-by-side range in Australia about 18 months ago.

However, reception to the UTV range has been lukewarm at best, which led to the company’s decision to give it a brand new name.

“What we realised, after doing some market research, is that the name mPact wasn’t having an impact,” said Mahindra Australia Marketing Manager, James Halliwell.

“So there is a change of name this year - we are changing it to Retriever.”

In addition to the rebranding exercise, Mahindra has introduced a new 1000cc, 83hp petrol model, which the company claims can reach a top speed of close to 80km/h.

The new units feature a new dash with a 4.3-inch digital gauge, automotive style headlights, new wheels and new colour schemes.

The Mahindra Retriever range should arrive in the country by June this year.

Happy customers

Mahindra’s optimism is shared by its network of Australian dealers, who are pleased with the wider range they are now able to offer their customers.

“What we see in the new range are some very exciting new compacts, and some new models in the 60-90 horsepower, and they seem to be still built on those principles that got Mahindra off to a good start in Australia,” said Anthony Mangold from Thompson’s Farm Gear in Wauchope.

“I can see that people looking for those same benefits and features are still finding them in a modern Mahindra tractor now.”

Trent Martin from Lismore Tractor and Machinery Centre has been selling Mahindra tractors for the past 10 years and said the brand is by far the dealership’s best-seller.

“Most people who come through our doors have done their research. They would come in and talk about the quality of Mahindra and the simplicity of the models,” he said.

“I think the brand awareness in Australia is definitely growing, so from here with the new models, it’s all forward for Mahindra.”