Sri Lanka unveils its first-ever locally assembled single cab with more than 30% local value additions

Mahindra & Mahindra with Ideal Motors introduces new Bolero City Pik-Up

by Sanath Nanayakkare

Marking a most important tech milestone in the Sri Lankan automotive manufacturing industry, Mahindra & Mahindra of India and Ideal Motors of Sri Lanka yesterday unveiled the new Bolero City Pik-Up, the first-ever single cab pickup assembled in Sri Lanka, with more than 30% local value additions.

The vehicle has been in production at Mahindra Ideal Lanka’s automotive assembly plant at Welipenna and the first batch of vehicles was delivered to a group of customers at an event held at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla yesterday.

Solidifying the ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ stance through the locally assembled vehicle range, the all-new Bolero City Pik-Up is the only 1.4 ton pick up currently available in the country, sources of the two companies told the media.

“With the gradual opening of the market amidst the pandemic, the commercial vehicle category is witnessing an increase in demand and we are boosting our production capacity at the Sri Lankan plant to meet the market demand for single cab pick-ups,” Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division”, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Ltd., said.

“Sri Lanka is one of Mahindra’s most important overseas markets. Mahindra has been present in the country for more than 25 years with a robust automotive and farm portfolio. The brand has been holding a leadership position for over 10 years in the pickup category. This success story was possible because we were able to choose the right partner in Ideal Motors Sri Lanka for our thriving collaboration,” he said.

“We have been scaling up our local presence by expanding the product range through the ‘Make in Sri Lanka’ initiative. With the addition of the Bolero City Pik-Up to our portfolio, we will further reinforce our leadership in this category. I am delighted to announce the introduction of the first locally assembled pickup in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Nalin Welgama, Founder and Chairman, Ideal Motors said, “Ideal Motors and Mahindra have been working together for a decade to deliver value to our customers. Our small commercial vehicle range has played a pivotal role in the economic development of the country over the last many years. This new Bolero City Pik-up will open many opportunities for small and medium entrepreneurs in the country. We believe in giving the best customer experience through our islandwide network.”

“With easy maneuverability, big cargo box and reliable high-power engine, the new Bolero City Pik-Up has been designed for urban and rural applications. This pick-up will offer class- leading cargo capacity and payload in the category, thus enhancing the earning potential for its owners. This will also be supported by a class-leading extended warranty of 36 months/ 100,000 km. Customers are assured to earn more profit and have complete peace of mind,” he said.

The Bolero City Pik-Up comes with a launch price of Rs. 3.075 million onwards.

Responding to a question on the price, Nalin Welgama said that the price of the new pickup was determined after carefully considering the country’s exchange rate scenario, in order to ensure the vehicle’s price stability over a substantial period of time.