The Mahindra Thar DI has been discontinued as it failed to meet the latest crash test regulations and did not even come with airbags or ABS with EBD.
The Mahindra Thar is an icon for what it is. If you do not have the money to buy a Jeep Wrangler, then the Thar is the nearest you can get that will offer you that raw, butch experience. It has found its own niche in the market and is particularly a favorite for those who really like to personalize their vehicles. In fact, most Mahindra Thars were brought to be decked up in the after market.
The Mahindra Thar has been around for over nine years now. However, because of some recent developments, Mahindra has now discontinued the Thar DI variant which was the entry level Thar in India.
This decision comes as a result of the latest crash test norms and regulations that has been enforced in the country. The Thar DI was a rather barebones variant and the car did not even come with airbags or ABS with EBD. It was only inevitable that the Thar DI would be ruled out soon.
As per the latest safety regulations, all new cars in the country will have to be equipped with dual-airbags and ABS with EBD as standard. The Thar originally came with two engine options – a 2.5-Liter DI variant which could churn out 63PS and 195Nm of peak torque, and was available in both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants. The other engine on offer is the 2.5-litre CRDe engine which churns out a rather healthy 105PS and 247Nm of peak torque and comes with four-wheel drive as standard.
Also Read : New Mahindra Thar Spotted In Production-Spec For The First Time!
It is only the less powerful engine that is being discontinued and while that’s not much of a loss, it takes the entry point into such category of vehicles a little higher. Also, its a loss for a large number of people would buy the base Thar and then deck it up in the after market space.
On the positive side, Mahindra is readying an all-new generation of the Thar that is expected to be showcased as early as 2018 Auto Expo. The vehicle has been spotted testing under heavy camouflage several times already in the country. Not only will the new Thar comply with the latest crash test regulations but it will also feature a all-new platform and updated BS-VI compliant engines.
Also Read : Mahindra Thar Signature Edition Pictures And Details – Leaked
Mahindra is also working heavily to update all their engines available in all their cars to be BS-VI emission norms compliant soon. But before the all-new Thar debuts in 2020 with new engines, Mahindra will launch a Signature Edition of the Thar that will be restricted to only 700 units as a fitting farewell to the current generation car.
The new limited edition variant features some cosmetic updates over the regular Thar. Currently, the Thar is priced from Rs 6.83 – 9.60 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)
