Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) marks its entry on Monday into the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) segment with its unveiling of 25 and 31 tonne trucks with its US-based Navistar Inc in the market. The products will be going out on sale by end of this financial year. In addition to the two products, the company will also showcase a 40 and 49 tonne trucks from the JV at the Auto Expo. Tata Motors, the country?s largest commercial vehicle maker, will also be launching its new range of trucks ? World Truck ? in the market that ranges from 10- to75-tonne.

The company said the full range of products from the Mahindra Navistar Automotive Limited (MNAL), a joint venture company between M&M and Navistar, will be in the Indian market in the next two and half years. During this calendar year, the JV will launch seven variants (different payloads). While it plans to launch an intercity bus early 2011. The pricing is still not known.

?It will be an intercity bus with higher tonnage and with rear and front engine options,? said Pawan Goenka, president, automotive sector, M&M and president, SIAM. He added that the JV products are developed group-up and will have a localisation of close to 85%. The JV trucks are powered by MaxxForce 7.2 litre diesel engine and the full range. However, the company is also mulling getting other lower horsepower range engines to power the JV products. The JV will be look into products ranging from 3.5 tonne to 49 tonne (BS III and IV complaint) with variants of passenger transport, cargo and specialized load applications.

Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director, Mahindra Group, said, ?It is a very big move for M&M. It adds a very special block in the edifice. We today are present in every segment with our products. We bring to table a network spanning from finance to distribution to spare parts, present at every step of a customer interface.?

The JV products will be rolled out from the Chakan plant near Pune. In the first year, the company is looking at 8,000 to 10,000 units of truck production.

During the FY?09, CV market de-grew by 22% and exports declined by 28%. Although all segments took the beating, the higher tonnage vehicles were worst hit. The medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) segment de-grew by 33% as compared to LCVs that saw a mere 7% decline in domestic market. The MHCV market has been wanting for some excitement in terms of launches. The LCV segment, specifically the sub-3.5 tonne, has been outperforming with accelerated interest by the CV makers, who are lining up products in the market.

Also on the cards are exports of JV products from India to neighbouring and SAARC nations followed by left-hand driven markets excluding North America.