Mahindra intends to make the new Thar a much more mainstream car with better everyday usability and to that effect, they have put in some serious efforts. Find out what makes the new Thar much more than a rugged off-roader.
The Mahindra Thar has already built a great reputation for itself for being a hard-core off-roader and has an enthusiast fan following. With its hardy nature and go-anywhere capability, the Thar has even exceeded Mahindra’s own expectation. There’s a new generation of the Thar just around the corner but this time, Mahindra wants it to be much more than a rugged off-roader. Mahindra intends to reach out to a wider audience with the new-gen Thar and to that effect, they have put great efforts on the new Thar to make a much more appealing package.
Until now, the Thar solely appealed to off-road enthusiasts and to those who wanted to make a statement with the Thar. It was also usually the second or third vehicle of the family, one that was not the most suitable for everyday use and one that kept you wanting in terms of features and comfort of an everyday vehicle. And that’s exactly what Mahindra intends to change with the new-gen Thar. The new Thar will be much more oriented towards everyday comfort and usability and still stay true to its DNA of being a rugged off-roader.
In an interview with Autocar India, Pawan Goenka, MD and CEO, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, said, “The current (outgoing) Thar didn’t have many creature comforts, and with the new one, we wanted to make it a mainstream vehicle. Not the third or the fourth vehicle in a family. We had to bring in all the creature comforts, all the modern-day amenities and yet maintain the DNA of the Thar”.
So what exactly has Mahindra done to make it more mainstream? Well, for starters, Mahindra has thrown in all the the creature comforts you have come to expect with modern day SUVs. A touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a a colour multi-info display in the instrument cluster, rear parking camera with parking sensors, power folding wing mirrors and power windows, automatic climate control – you will have all of these convenience features and then some more with the new Thar. This was something that really put of buyers before. It was like buying into a really old-school vehicle.
But features are not all that makes the new Thar an everyday vehicle. The new Mahindra Thar is also based on a new ladder frame chassis with a new suspension setup that will have a great bias towards on-road comfort. Although, this comes at a slight cost to off-road articulation. Mahindra will also be offering the new Thar with both soft-top and hard-top roof options for a wider appeal and practicality.
Also Read : Here’s The Variant-Wise Features List of the 2020 Hyundai Tucson Facelift
There’s a new philosophy for what will be under the hood as well. The previous-gen Thar was only available with a diesel engine and a manual gearbox but the new Thar will also get petrol engine and automatic gearbox options for the first time. The Thar will in fact debut Mahindra’s new 2.0L petrol engine from the mStallion engine family and apart from a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, there will also be an automatic gearbox option. The diesel engine will be Mahindra’s 2.2-litre mHawk unit with nearly 140hp on tap. The power output has also significantly gone up to make it a better highway cruiser.
Also Read : Front-end Design of Nissan Magnite Completely Revealed in New Spy Shot!
There will be a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard with the diesel engine but it will also get an Aisin-sourced 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Also, both the engines will be offered with four-wheel drive system. Mahindra has already started trail production of the new Thar and after driving the one of the new Thar’s recently, Goenka commented, “It drives like a modern car. It remains a two-door vehicle but now it can be a dual-purpose vehicle also for the family.” The new-gen Thar should hit the showroom floor by October and there’s certainly a lot to be excited about.
