New-Gen Mahindra Thar To Launch In October, Dealers Accepting Bookings

Mahindra dealers have started accepting the booking for the new-gen Mahindra Thar unofficially, as the car is nearing its launch date. Mahindra had initially planned to introduce the new SUV to the market as soon as the lockdown was to be lifted. However, the recent developments suggest that Mahindra is planning to launch the new-gen Thar in India in early October 2020. This decision comes as an effect of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the globe. All the sectors including the automobile industry have been impacted by the nationwide lockdown that was imposed to curb the outburst of the contagious pathogen that evolved from wuhan. On the same note, Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, Dr. Pawan Goenka, stated,

“In my 41 years I have not seen a challenge what we have seen in the last 3 months. Supply change disruptions started in mid-Feb. This, lockdown and BS6 norms have had a big impact on business.”

Mahindra Thar is one of the most popular off-roaders in the country and the next-gen model is expected to be even more capable on the road, off the road, and on the sales charts. The new-gen model will be underpinned by a new platform, which makes it longer and wider than the last-gen Thar. The new-gen Thar will bear no resemblance to the previous model except for the quintessential ‘Jeep’ shape.

The new Mahindra Thar is expected to have a more premium cabin with many new features in comparison to the last-gen model.

As regards the exterior, the new Mahindra Thar will come with the typical vertical slats with round headlights at the front. The new car will also be equipped with a restyled bumper which will accommodate the foglights. Redesigned side cladding and sporty alloy wheels are some of the other outstanding features of the new Thar. The next-gen Mahindra Thar is expected to be offered with a hardtop on the high-spec variants and a soft-top on the low-spec ones.

In terms of the interior, the new-gen Mahindra Thar is expected to come with a more upmarket cabin with new features such as steering wheel mounted cruise control and audio control buttons, touchscreen infotainment system, a new instrument cluster with coloured TFT screen. The front-facing seats for the rear passengers are also likely to be offered in the new-gen Thar.  

The upcoming Mahindra Thar will receive its power from a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine, capable enough to deliver 140 BHP of peak power and max torque of 300 Nm. The transmission duties will be performed by a 6-speed MT, which will send the power to all four wheels of the car. A 2.0-litre turbocharged gasoline motor with an AT unit is also expected to be a part of the package.