Mahindra has now officially confirmed that an automatic gearbox will be offered on the next-gen Thar. Along with this, a 2.0L turbo-petrol engine will also a first for the Thar.
We had already reported to you Mahindra will be offering a new automatic gearbox with the next-gen Thar. While it was already common news, Mahindra has now officially confirmed that the Thar Automatic is in the works. At the earnings call for financial year 2020, Rajesh Jejurika, executive director, Auto & Farm Sectors at Mahindra Group, said about the new Thar. “This is a flagship initiative. It brings in the core product of Mahindra and comes in a wide variety, aggregates, automatic…the works. It will create a new segment.”
The next-gen Mahindra Thar will be powered by an updated version of Mahindra’s 2.2L mHawk diesel engine which is expected to produce around 140hp. This engine will come mated to a 6-speed manual transmission as standard with four-wheel drive system but the addition of an automatic gearbox option will be a first for the Thar. This new automatic gearbox will be a 6-speed Aisin torque converter unit.
But the automatic gearbox is not the only first for the next-gen Thar. Mahindra will also be plonking a petrol engine under the hood of the Thar this time around. In fact, the new Thar will be the launch vehicle for Mahindra’s new 2.0L turbo-petrol engine. This brand new engine belongs to Mahindra’s new mStallion petrol engine family and it will feature turbo-charging as well as direct-injection. Transmission options with the petrol engine will also likely be the 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes.
Also Read : Honda Reveals All Details About India-Spec 2020 5th-gen City; Launch in July!
This is only the second-generation of the Thar but this time the intent of the vehicle is very different. Pitched solely as an off-roader, the first-gen Mahindra Thar almost had a cult following in the country. However, this second-gen SUV will be pitched as a lifestyle product and while it will be still as capable off the road as the original Thar, it will also be comfort oriented and not as bare-bones as its predecessor. Top-spec variants of the Thar will even include features like touchscreen infotainment (again a first for the Thar) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-info display in the instrument cluster, multiple USB ports and power-folding mirrors.
Also Read : Is Skoda Bringing In Kamiq To Rival Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos?
To further aid versatility of the new Thar, Mahindra will also be offering the option of either a hard-top roof or a soft-top rood. There are talks of there being removable roof panels as well, much like the Jeep Wrangler. The next-gen Mahindra Thar will be a much more sophisticate and well-rounded product than the first-gen model and is one of the most anticipated new launches of 2020. The new Mahindra Thar should hit the showrooms around September-October 2020.
