Mahindra Marshal: demoted to corporal

In 2005-2006, dealers sold 21 units of brand new Indian Mahindra Marshall SUVs in Russia. It’s surprising, but the “buy” request today does not go unanswered: for a car they ask from 200 thousand rubles.


Those few who managed to own a jeep were very impressed. They praise the maneuverability, reliable and strong design. However, the car did not go to the people. Why?

How did the “Indian” end up with us?

Since the 90s, there has been a huge hole in the off-road vehicle segment on the Russian market. UAZ and its “Patriot” did not save the situation. At the GAZ plant in Nizhny Novgorod, designers worked hard on the projects “Ataman”, “Ermak”, “Kombat”.


The company approached the Japanese, Germans, and French with a proposal for large-scale assembly of all-terrain vehicles. Received a refusal. At that time, the Chinese were still sitting in their Celestial Empire and were only hatching plans for worldwide expansion. The Indians responded to the call of the Nizhny Novgorod residents.

Winemaking

100 sets of “Marshals” were delivered. But there were hard times at GAZ: the enterprise was under the protectorate of the industrial group “Basic Element” of Oleg Deripaska.


As a result of the “skillful” leadership of the glorious businessman, the very promising “Combat” and his comrades in misfortune were put under the knife. The billions spent on development were lost.

Mahindra, however, was put on the assembly line. They sold through dealers, but they didn’t care about service centers or the supply of spare parts. The owners were left alone with jeeps from which they did not yet know what to expect. And they didn’t hesitate to put $20 thousand on the price tag...


Who would risk buying a car from frivolous Indians when, say, Volkswagen, Nissan and other proven brands are available? 90 pieces were collected in Nizhny. "Marshals". The fourth part was sold, the fate of the rest is not our business.

Design features, exterior

The all-terrain vehicle, meanwhile, is not bad. Assembly, of course... Well, excuse me: for Russians, quality depends on mood, weather, mother-in-law, etc. Therefore, yes, in some places it’s with bolts, in other places it’s with screws and nuts. The fashion for neat, precise articulation and filigree welding had not yet arrived.

The design itself was wonderful. The machine was built on a durable frame equipped with transverse beams with reinforcing gussets. Body kits made of durable plastic. Our engineers guessed that this material would crack in the cold, so they removed unnecessary decorative elements from the body.


But even without the frills, the exterior, developed jointly with the British, looked great. Take a look at the powerful bumper cladding and low, easy-to-enter sills.

Check out the compact dimensions of the 5-door:

✅ Length - 4475 mm
✅ Width - 1774 mm
✅ Height - 1916 mm
✅ Clearance - 180 mm

The weight of the “Marshal” is 1810 kg. Number of seats: 7, including the driver. The trunk volume is 460 liters, and with the rear seats folded down, the compartment turns into a spacious room with a flat floor.

Interior, equipment

The interior is simple and ergonomic. The instruments are large, easy to read, and the controls are at hand. American car seats are adjustable in two planes: height and tilt. The steering wheel, equipped with power steering, is mounted rigidly.


The rear window is heated, the windows are electric. The car has central locking, and the climate is controlled by a German air conditioner.

Engine, chassis

The 2-liter gasoline engine was located longitudinally above the front axle. All-wheel drive with a rigidly connected front axle. Torque is supplied through a 2-speed transfer case with an electromechanical drive. Transmission 5-speed manual.

Power plant 116 hp. Mahindra Marshal was supplied by Renault. The jeep reached a speed of 150 km/h. But due to the weak noise, it is comfortable to drive 110 km/h.


Fuel consumption is not shocking - 12-15 l/100 km. But the designers did not link the gas tank volume of 45 liters to fuel consumption. The capacity is small, but a spare canister will help you.

The front suspension is independent torsion bar. Rear with leaf springs. The anti-roll bar contributes to the smooth ride.

In terms of maintainability, users do not see any particular problems. The rich "Ali Baba's cave" will provide any consumables and equipment. There is no point in chasing after original parts, and analogues are a dime a dozen.

Still, we won’t undertake to advocate for the purchase of a 20-year-old model. But you are unlikely to regret it. It’s somehow uneasy that an excellent SUV is in oblivion: the marshal has been demoted to the lower ranks...