Mahindra last year increased its new-vehicle sales by 78% compared with 2021 – this in a total domestic market that expanded by a much more moderate 13.9%.

The Indian group – an importer and local semi-knockdown bakkie assembler – grew its total sales in the passenger vehicle market by 80%, to 4 027 vehicles, and its light commercial sales by 77%, to 8 885 vehicles.

Thanks to this healthy growth rate, Mahindra hit an average monthly sales figure in excess of 1 000 units a month, while also breaking through the coveted 10 000-unit-a-year mark for the first time, reaching close to 13 000 total sales for the year.

Mahinda says it has crunched the numbers and believes that it is South Africa’s fastest-growing vehicle brand.

“Our sales success in 2022 and our title as South Africa’s fastest-growing vehicle brand can be attributed to our entire network, including our assembly plant in Durban that had to make do with component shortages, and our dealers who supported customers on our waiting list,” says Mahindra South Africa CEO Rajesh Gupta.

“In the new year, we hope to repeat our performance with the recently launched XUV700, which achieved a record number of preorder bookings for the brand, the much-anticipated Scorpio-N SUV, as well as other new models that we’ll reveal in due course.

“Mahindra first entered the market in 2004 and made every effort to build a solid foundation to support our future growth,” adds Gupta.

“In the last few years, we have accelerated our investment with a local assembly facility, a new technical training centre, a local fitment centre for special edition models, a new, larger, and more advanced distribution warehouse and a new head office.

“We believe that we are now seeing the fruit of these long-term investments, and of making South Africa our second home outside of India. We are proud to be a part of the South African landscape and of contributing to the local economy.”