February 10, 2010, Bhopal: Mahindra FirstChoice Wheels Ltd., India’s largest multi-brand pre-owned car company, today inaugurated its first SuperStore in the city. S.M Motors, located at Govindpura is spread across an area of 8,000 sq. ft. with a parking space of 15,000 sq. ft.. The store was inaugurated by Mr. Rajeev Dubey, President (HR, After-Market & Corporate Services) and Member of the Group Management Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Mr. S.K Raut, Director-General of Police, Madhya Pradesh.

"With the huge requirement of personal transport in Madhya Pradesh, the largest state of the country, setting up base in Bhopal is a step at an ideal time. S.M Motor’s expertise and local know-how of the region, coupled with our value proposition of trust, transparency and wide choice will ensure that Mahindra FirstChoice is well poised to tap the vast potential of the pre-owned car market in Madhya Pradesh. We are confident that our winning customer proposition and an aggressive national expansion plan will help us reach our sales target of one lakh cars by 2015,” said Mr. Rajeev Dubey, President (HR, After-Market & Corporate Services) and Member of the Group Management Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

"We are delighted to extend our relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra. Bhopal has a huge potential for the pre-owned car market and SM Motors, the Mahindra FirstChoice outlet in Bhopal, will cater to this demand. This SuperStore will allow customers to avail an array of services under one roof with a choice of several brands of pre-owned cars These services include purchase & sale of pre-owned cars, car finance & insurance, fitment of car accessories & assistance with paperwork and documentation,” said Mrs. Kavita Khanna, Managing Director, S.M Motors.

S. M. Motors, Bhopal has been a Service Dealer for Mahindra & Mahindra (Automotive Sector) since 2003. Apart from this, they have been Dealers of Hindustan Motors, since the last five years.

Mahindra FirstChoice is the country’s preferred pre-owned car mart and is India’s only organized multi-brand player, with 114 outlets in 74 towns across India. The company plans to expand this number to 300 outlets in the next three years. This implies that customers will soon be able to choose from a range of certified pre-owned cars throughout India, including the metros and tier-2 towns and cities.

Tremendous attention to detail is required to ensure that each pre-owned car meets a high level of quality. Before purchasing the car, a trained engineer thoroughly inspects the vehicle and also sees to it that all papers are in order. After purchase, every car is refurbished and undergoes an extensive 118 point quality check by a trained engineer, as part of the company’s robust certification process. The objective behind the care and diligence exercised is to present the customer with a car in mint condition.

In short, buying a pre-owned car from Mahindra FirstChoice offers several advantages, including quality assurance, safety and a hassle-free driving experience.

Innovation has always been the hallmark of FirstChoice which was the first to introduce ‘Bumper to Bumper’ Warranty and 24/7 road side assistance, setting high benchmarks in the pre-owned car market.

Mahindra FirstChoice also has retail finance relationships with major banks and NBFCs in the country. As an industry first, Mahindra FirstChoice has recently partnered with Syndicate Bank to offer consumers finance rates comparable to those for new cars.

In order to facilitate business growth, existing and potential franchisees will also be able to avail of inventory funding options from Syndicate Bank and IDBI Bank.

The Mahindra FirstChoice website www.mahindrafirstchoice.com offers consumers the luxury of buying and selling pre-owned cars from the comfort of their own homes.

Mahindra embarked on its journey in 1945 by assembling the Willys Jeep in India and is now a US $6.3 billion Indian multinational. It employs over 1,00,000 people across the globe and enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, tractors and information technology, with a significant and growing presence in financial services, tourism, infrastructure development, trade and logistics. The Mahindra Group today is an embodiment of global excellence and enjoys a strong corporate brand image.

Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world and has made an entry in the two-wheeler segment, which will see the company emerge as a full-range player with a presence in almost every segment of the automobile industry.

The Mahindra Group expanded its IT portfolio when Tech Mahindra acquired the leading global business and information technology services company, Satyam Computer Services. The company is now known as Mahindra Satyam.

Mahindra's Farm Equipment Sector is the proud recipient of the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. The US based Reputation Institute ranked Mahindra among the top 10 Indian companies in its Global 200: The World's Best Corporate Reputations list.

Mahindra is also one of the few Indian companies to receive an A+ GRI checked rating for its first Sustainability Report for the year 2007-08 and has also received the A+ GRI rating for the year 2008 - 09.