The move is viewed as a significant piece of Mahindra’s global expansion plans, potentially giving the company a design edge across its wide range of group subsidiaries.
“The legendary high-end design credentials of Pininfarina will significantly enhance the design capabilities of the entire Mahindra group,” chairman Anand Mahindra said in a statement published by Bloomberg. “Given the increasing design sensibilities of today’s consumers, product design will greatly influence customer choice and experience, and hence our success.”
Already one of the largest automakers for the Indian market, Mahindra has had its eye on the US market for several years. The project was scrapped in 2012 amid legal disputes with dealers and difficulties certifying a US-compliant pickup. The company recently hinted at a second attempt, and its Korean subsidiary Ssangyong could also be preparing to take the plunge.
Pininfarina’s modern designers may be best known for their work with Ferrari, though the company has worked with a number of other automotive brands from Ford to Bentley.
The acquisition is reported to be worth $185 million USD.
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