MAHINDRA Automotive has appointed its 19th dealer in Australia with OzWide4WD in Bundaberg, Queensland, now offering sales and service on the Indian car-maker’s passenger vehicle range comprising the Pik-Up ute and XUV500 SUV.

Independently owned and operated by Alex Woodward, OzWide4WD opened in 2014 and services the Wide Bay Burnett region.

The company sells and repairs vehicles and supplies aftermarket equipment primarily for the 4WD market.

Mahindra Automotive Australia national manager Ankit Taneja said the appointment showed Mahindra’s commitment to the customer.

“New dealers are being added regularly and increasing the national footprint,” he said.

At the opening of the Mahindra dealership, Bundaberg mayor Jack Dempsey said: “Having Mahindra involved in this region is very important for the way forward as 24 per cent of all people involved in agriculture in Queensland are employed in the Bundaberg region.

“Mahindra, and its other subsidiaries in tractors and other types of vehicles, makes Bundaberg a strategic site for the company. We have all the right ingredients such as the agriculture, the urbanisation and the future growth of this area.”

Mahindra, which as an extensive agricultural machinery range, has its factory-backed Australian headquarters in Brisbane.

The parent company in India is a conglomerate that in 2018 had revenue of $A9.9 billion.

It is the world’s biggest tractor manufacturer and also covers utility vehicles, information technology, financial services, agribusiness, aerospace, defence, logistics, real estate, renewable energy, speedboats and steel.

It employs more than 240,000 people across 100 countries.

By Neil Dowling