New Mahindra Thar Going Mainstream With Over 18,000 Bookings Already!

In just 18 days since the order books were opened, Mahindra has received over 18,000 bookings for the new Thar. About 57% of the bookings are from first-time car buyers with the higher-spec convertible soft-top and automatic gearbox variants in most demand.

Mahindra was banking hard on the new Thar to be mainstream and mainstream, it will be. In just 18 days since the order books were opened on October 2, Mahindra has already received over 15,000 bookings for the second-gen Thar. In fact, bookings had already crossed the 9,000 mark in just five days of launch of the new SUV. Mahindra has so far received over 65,000 enquiries for the new Thar.

Who’s booking the new Thar?

Right from the onset, Mahindra has positioned the new Thar as a lifestyle vehicle, one that can also be used by the entire family. The big question was whether the new Thar can be the only car in your garage? Or will it still play second fiddle to other mainstream cars? Surprise or not-surprise, Mahindra claims that 57% of the over 15,000 bookings for the new Thar has come from first-time car buyers.

With a sub-Rs 10 lakh starting price and the top-end model sitting well below most top-end mid-size SUVs, Mahindra has absolutely nailed the pricing. In fact, no other vehicle at this price point is near as versatile or capable as the Mahindra Thar. In fact, the popularity of the new Thar could well be estimated by the fact that the first unit of the new Mahindra Thar was auctioned for an astonishing Rs 1.11 crore. The proceeds from the auction went for COVID-19 relief and recovery programme.

What’s the most in-demand variant of the new Thar?

It is the higher-spec LX variant of the new Thar that is in most demand. Although the Thar remains a true blue off-roader and despite of the tempting price point for the AX variants, you will see a lot of the new Thar within city limits. And that exactly was what Mahindra was intending, to make it an everyday vehicle. Buyers are mostly interested in the convertible soft-top and automatic gearbox variants. It has previously been confirmed that deliveries of the new Mahindra Thar will commence on November 1, 2020.

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Here’s a quick recap about the new Mahindra Thar

The Thar is available in two series of variants- AX and LX. The AX series is the off-road focused variant whereas the LX series is the lifestyle focused variant. The AX off-road oriented series will be offered with the option of either a petrol or diesel engine, paired to a manual gearbox only. There’s no option of automatic gearbox on the AX series. The LX series will be offered with a diesel engine only, but with both the option of a manual and an automatic transmission. 

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The new Thar debuts two new engines from Mahindra’s stable. Featuring a petrol engine for the first time, its a new 2.0-litre mStallion TGDI petrol engine that makes 150 bhp and 320 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the diesel engine is a 2.2 litre mHawk unit that makes 130 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. Transmission choices include either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic gearbox for both the engines. Four-wheel-drive and a manual-shift transfer case are standard on all versions. Here’s a quick look at the prices as well.