The model has been re-engineered for US regulations and consumer tastes. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, as are antilock brakes, stability control, air conditioning, and power door locks.

The pickup will be offered with one engine: a 140-hp, 2.2-litre, common-rail, turbocharged, diesel four-cylinder that produces 236 pound-feet of torque.

The diesel system is designed by Bosch; the engine was developed by Mahindra. The base pickup has two doors, two-wheel drive, and a sticker price between $22,000 and $25,000.

The top-of-the-line four-door model with four-wheel drive and leather seats will be priced between $24,000 and $27,000. The pickup is a little larger than the Ford Ranger.

SUV: The SUV will be a US version of the Mahindra Scorpio. Timing for US sales is fluid; it will arrive either in late 2010 or sometime in 2011. A seven-passenger model with a third-row seat for children is under consideration.

The SUV is based on the pickup platform and will share the diesel engine.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)