Istanbul: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), one of India's leading auto manufacturer, has joined hands with Turkish firm, ILCE Otomotiv Servis ve Ticaret AS, to introduce the Mahindra Pik Up and the Mahindra Scorpio in Turkey.

The Mahindra Pik Up and the Mahindra Scorpio have been designed to cater to the global customer's demand for a stylish yet rugged vehicle at a value for money price. With the successful launch of the models  in various parts of the world including South Africa, Europe and several South and Central American markets, the Indian automaker is confident of gaining a strong foothold in the growing auto industry in Turkey.

The Mahindra Pik Up combines style and comfort with the powerful performance of a pick up and is designed to run on tough terrains. The vehicle is available in 4x2 and 4x4 options and is ideal for farm, commercial and recreational use.

The Scorpio is designed with  state-of-the-art external and internal features, which is constantly upgraded on the template of changing customer needs.Since its launch, the Mahindra Scorpio has been the leader in its segment in India and has also won widespread industry acclaim and several prestigious awards from the automotive media, including the CNBC Autocar Car of the Year Award and Best Car of the Year award and the BS Motoring Car of the Year Award.

Incidentally, the Mahindra Scorpio will soon be seen in Mission Istanbul, a major Bollywood movie, part of which was shot in Turkey,'' stated Pravin Shah, executive vice president, international operations.

''We are delighted to launch our international range of vehicles in Turkey which is of strategic importance to us with its vibrant and rapidly growing automobile market. With their unique combination of ruggedness, utility and style, Mahindra vehicles have carved a distinct niche for themselves in markets across the world including Italy, Spain, South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, other South and Central American and Australian markets," said Dr Pawan Goenka, president, automotive sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

I am sure that Turkey will be no exception. The ILCE Group, with its extensive dealer network and in-depth knowledge of the Turkish auto industry, will also contribute in large measure to our success,'' he added.
 
Established in 1982 by Ilhan Cetinkaya, one of the most respected figures in the Turkish auto industry, the ILCE Group is active in the finished motor vehicle logistics and transportation fields as well as the automotive industry. Currently, ILCE Automotive has tied up with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd as its distributor of light commercial vehicles and farm tractors. The company also manufactures Mahindra tractors within Turkey. As of May 2008, ILCE is operating at 10 sales points in 8 cities and has 22 service centers in 19 cities.

Mahindra & Mahindra, part of the $6.7 billion Mahindra Group, has been growing in stature as an international automotive major. Today, M&M has a global presence in major markets including South Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africa and South America, where it is present in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world. Mahindra's Farm Equipment Sector has recently won the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize.

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