The Mahindra vehicle importer reckons that quad bikes are losing favour with New Zealand farmers and it can provide a better and safer alternative.
Mahindra New Zealand director Robert Young says the Farm Mate series is a practical and affordable alternative to ATVs, quad bikes, and side-by-sides and have been well received by farmers and rural landowners since the first shipment arrived a month ago.
Young says that quads are loosing favour in the farming community and Mahindra sees the diesel powered Bolero and THAR 4×4 models as being an appropriate alternative to bikes and ATVs for the way New Zealand farmers work their stock, climb up hills and also tow heavy loads
The three new Mahindra models are purely for off-highway and on-farm use as they are not able to be registered for the road.
The Bolero is a single cab one-tonne 4×4 utility, while the jeep-like THAR Di 4×4 off-roader and THAR CRDe 4×4 off-roader are offered in two different levels of specification.
All three are powered by a 2.5-litre diesel-engine allied to a Borg Warner four-wheel-drive system.
“The key benefit is that the Mahindra Farm Mates models are proper off-road vehicles with greater longevity than a quad or a side by side, and the servicing costs are also much less,” says Young.
“There are no electronics in these vehicles, and with mechanical diesel injection and the need for mineral oil they are easily serviced in a farm work shop. The only thing you can stick a plug into is the cigarette lighter,” he jokes.
“They can tow more weight than a quad or a side by side, and they present a gutsy go-anywhere vehicle for a very reasonable price.”
All of the Mahindra Farm Mate series have a solid ladder-on-frame chassis design with solid front and rear axles, as well as long travel suspension designed for off road work.
The Bolero and THAR Di have a 2.46 crawl ratio in low range and the THAR CRDe has a 2.48 crawl ratio in low range.
Mahindra says the THAR CRDe 4×4 offers creature comforts such as air conditioning and a heater, power steering, multi-adjustable seats and independent front suspensions for added comfort.
