Mahindra XUV700 will be delivered without sequential turn indicators and a second key fob for a little while, but both will be provided at a later date
Mahindra & Mahindra has sent a notification to dealerships and customers awaiting delivery of their XUV700, stating that sequential turn indicators (integrated into the taillamps) and the second smart key won’t be available at the time of delivery for every XUV700 for a little while. These features have not been removed, they are only temporarily unavailable.
The official communication states that the sequential turn indicators – which were offered on AX5, AX7, and AX7L trims – would be installed at a later date by the dealerships, whenever it becomes available. As for the second smart key, it will be provided to customers within the next four to six months.
Mahindra XUV700 customers will have to sign an acknowledgement for the same. This change is undeniably due to the global semiconductor chip shortage. M&M is prioritising delivering the SUVs to customers, and once the chip supply is streamlined, the manufacturer will add the missing equipment back. The move is quite ingenious, but it is also quite risky, as not all customers would be appreciative of this.
Mahindra & Mahindra isn’t the only automaker to do this. Back in January, Skoda and VW had dropped auto-folding ORVMs from the Kushaq and Taigun ranges, for the same reason. The two manufacturers have confirmed that the feature will later be available as an accessory at their respective dealerships, once the parts are available.
As per industry experts, the semiconductor chip shortage could last longer than previously anticipated. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is expected to further worsen chip shortage. If the situation persists, automobile manufacturers all over the globe will continue to suffer from production deficits.
Due to the semiconductor chip shortage, the production of many vehicles in the Indian market has been capped. The demand for new vehicles, however, continues to be strong. This has caused the waiting periods for many popular vehicles to stretch into months! This, in turn, has boosted the demand for used cars and two-wheelers, as there’s no waiting period in the used vehicle market.