Ready for Adventure: Mahindra’s Dusk, Dawn and Storm Pik Ups

Mahindra expands their Pik Up Karoo range with the Dusk, Dawn and Storm Special Edition Authentic bakkies.

July has been an excellent month for Mahindra’s local arm as they enjoyed the launch of the Scorpio-N and XUV700, and celebrated their 10,000th Pik Up rolling off the production line at their KZN assembly plant.

With those achievements still fresh, you would think that they would be slowing down to enjoy it but this is Mahindra we are talking about, and not being the type to rest on their laurels, the company has gone ahead and launched their exciting and adventure-ready special edition Pik Ups, the Karoo Dusk, Dawn and Storm.

All three variants are based on Mahindra’s newly upgraded Pik Up Karoo platform which serves as the range-topper in their model line-up. What this means is that under the skin you get to enjoy Mahindra’s mHawk 2.2 turbodiesel engine which produces 103kW and 320Nm. Those 103kW and 320Nm are then fed to a brand-new Aisin 6-speed 4x4 automatic transmission that Mahindra tested extensively in South Africa before launching it globally in the Pik Up.

On the inside of the Karoo Dusk, Dawn and Storm, Mahindra has upgraded the infotainment system with a 9” (up from 7”) HD display unit equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and in-built maps. Apart from the new infotainment system, Mahindra has also upgraded the seats, opting for leather over the standard cloth upholstery and they’ve thrown in Karoo branded interior carpets.

The most notable changes, however, are on the outside where Mahindra held nothing back when it came to creating their interpretation of the ultimate lifestyle and adventure bakkie. For starters, there are the colours, each one inspired by the Karoo, with the Dusk paying homage to the desert’s pitch black nights, the Dawn’s sand beige, an ode to the beauty of the area’s sunrises, and the Storm, which takes inspiration for grey skies experienced before thundershowers quench the Karoo’s harsh landscape.

Complementing those exciting colours are the range’s most notable additions, the full Bundu Gear front and rear off-road bumpers with functional recovery points. Apart from those brutish-looking bumpers, Mahindra has also fitted side-steps, a sports bar and a lockable roll-up load bed cover. The wheels have also been upgraded to 4x4 rims with off-road tyres, and under those extended wheel arches, you’ll find that the suspension has also been beefed up.

With these additions, Mahindra has made their Karoo special editions adventure-ready straight off the dealership floor all for R614,999! Yes, that may seem steep for a Mahindra but let’s put this into perspective, the 1.9 Ddi turbodiesel double-cab 4x4 automatic 6th Gen Isuzu starts at R629,900, and that’s without any accessories which could add a good R100,000 after you’ve visited your local 4x4 supply store.

Now I know that the Karoo Dusk, Dawn and Storm may not be as refined as the equivalent models from Isuzu, Nissan, Ford or Toyota but considering the amount of Bakkie that you get for your money, this Mahindra is hard to beat.

Get your hands on your own Mahindra by visiting the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom today.