Force showcased its Gurkha in the Auto Expo 2020 and it garnered a lot of attention from industry experts and customers alike. Considering that it is India’s version of the Mercedes G-Wagon, it does attract a lot of people. Apart from its looks, it is a more than capable off-roader as well. Its body styling, off-roading abilities and ladder-on-frame chassis lend itself to Gurkha to be a hardcore machine that can tackle any challenge it faces. The new Force Gurkha is due for launch in early 2021. Let us look at what to expect in terms of features, prices and engine options.
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Force Gurkha – Exterior
The front end is very bold and chunky with LED Headlamps with round LED DRLs. The centre of the grille bears the Force logo. Large and meaty side skirts, factory-fitted skid plate, tow hook and body cladding give it a tough off-roading feel. The prominent wheel arches are accentuated by large blacked-out body panels surrounding them. The trademark indicators are placed atop the bonnet. There are high-profile 16-inch alloys to make sure that the passengers remain comfortable when the surface beneath them is nothing but a dirt road. Overall, the tall and boxy design does make the Gurkha look like a traditional off-roading machine ready to take on a lot of abuse.
Force Gurkha – Interior
When it comes to the interior, Force Gurkha is a pure off-roader with not many tech and convenience features to pamper you. There is a dual-tone theme inside the cabin which gives Gurkha some character and excitement. This updated model will see a number of features including a digital touchscreen in the centre console, a redesigned dashboard, a new instrument cluster and a 4-seat and 3-door setup. It will be interesting to see if Force comes up with a 5-door arrangement for the Gurkha, following the success of the Mahindra Thar, which was launched recently.
Also read: Mahindra Scorpio launch in 2021 – Prices, features and competition!
Force Gurkha – Engine and Gearbox
The new Gurkha will likely be offered with a BS6 compliant 2.6-litre diesel engine making 90 hp. This engine will most likely be mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. Of course, there will 4×4 equipment like to diff-lock and drive modes to make sure you never lose traction.
Force Gurkha – Prices and Rivals
The Force Gurkha will be priced around Rs 10 lakh – Rs 12 lakh range. Once launched, it will compete directly with the Mahindra’s lifestyle off-roading offering, Thar. The Mahindra Scorpio will also be a competitor for the Gurkha. The widely anticipated upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny could well be a tough competitor in this segment as well.
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Who will dominate this unique segment in the Indian automobile market remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, the customers will have a wide variety of options to choose their favourite off-roading machines from.
Image Source: Drive Spark
