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Mahindra Thar aficionados and off-road enthusiasts have a reason to cheer as Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra & Mahindra today confirmed that the utility vehicle major is working on the next-generation Thar.

Although not confirmed, the Thar is likely to be exported and for certain markets would be equipped with a new 1.5-litre petrol engine. The engine, whose development has been confirmed, is a new generation unit developed jointly by Mahindra and Ssangyong for use in their respective vehicles. Further details on the Thar, however, are not yet known.

Source:http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...ar-404308.aspx

Hi Guys,

Just read the following on Autocar.

Mahindra confirms next-gen Thar

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...ar-404308.aspx

Can someone shed more light on this development?

Regards.

Quite unexpected, I must say. The Thar has a 'classic Jeep' look that just works and has been around for decades (including on Mahindra's own 540). While we usually welcome next-generation cars, I'm not so sure about this one. Don't mess with the legendary Jeep styling Mahindra. And if you try to come up with a new 'Jeep' design, the original 'Jeep' is now in India and will sue you.

On the other hand, we can take this news with a pinch of salt. Mahindra's next-generation Scorpio was nothing more than an improved version of the old Scorpio. Yes, new chassis and all that, but it still is the old Scorpio with improved underpinnings.

I sure hope this next-gen Thar is the same as I love the looks of the current Thar. Think it will be as the Thar's small 3-digit volumes don't justify the investments required in an 'all-new' product. Even the current Thar was built from the existing parts bin, and a whole lot of jugaad.

Would be extremely interested in picking one up, if the top end version can offer the below -

1. ABS and airbags
2. Factory hard top.
3. A/c
4. Proper second row seats.

Why? Because it would be the only car in the garage and need these basic features to be versatile enough for the daily grind. :thumbs up

With the inclusion of a petrol, I think they might be eyeing the small market enjoyed by the Suzuki Jimny worldwide, that of a cheap, throwaround, basic, off roader. Markets like South Africa (which they are already familiar with) might take a liking to one.

Completely agreed. The current Thar has a lot of potential for improvement...enhancements which can substantially widen its appeal. I think this is the direction that Mahindra will go in; that is, improving the current Thar and not an 'all-new' generation.

100% agree.

Last week, with a heavy heart I cancelled my booking for a Rocky Beige Thar. Lost some money too.
And that too after seeing the vehicle that was allotted to me (verified VIN to be Feb 2017 mfg).

Why?
That day it suddenly hit me that I am paying 10.8 Lakhs for an excellent engine and a 4x4 system with MLD, nothing else. Neither I have money to throw nor is my and family's life cheap.

cheers
lazy

Lot of rumors flying and birdie talks on this for a while now, some say it will be Wrangler replica and priced at 15-18 lakhs with coil spring suspension et all. If the current Thar is at 10.8 OTR in BLR, won't be surprised to see such a price tag for the "all new Thar" lol. But if they have to make it a success even like the current Thar, the pricing will be the crucial thing.

Remember the current gen Thar when it came out, was almost half the price and the price is what made people buy it. They were ready to compromise on lot of things when they paid 6-7 lakhs.

Now imagine a half baked attempt and 15-18 lakhs....

Impossible, just impossible. FCA will sue the hell out of Mahindra as Jeep is now officially in India. Plus, Mahindra's reputation will take a body blow, as will their share price with such a lawsuit. You can't just copy someone else's design here - we aren't China. It's one thing to build a design that you once had a licence for & have been selling for decades; it's another to come out with a new product that is a replica of another.

There is no way Mahindra will come out with a Wrangler replica.

Wrangler replica as in configuration or specs built using typical M&M tech innovation, looks wise it would be different and named different also. How will FCA have any control on that? :D

Is 1.5L Petrol engine not underpowered for a vehicle that is mostly used for off-roading?

They might cut down the bodyweight to some extent which could increase the power to weight ratio but I don’t think 1.5 L (Petrol) could generate enough ponies of power.

I really hope they come up with some basic safety and convenience features this time around. ABS, AC, hard top and good seats to start with! A lot of people (like me) cant afford two cars - one for lifestyle and the other for daily driving. Moroever I dont do offroading and I dont think all the folks who bought Thar do that either. Many buy it for its looks, presence and go anywhere character. Mahindra needs to make it feasible for people to use it as their only car.

I have noticed a small change around me these days. Suddenly more and more people have started talking excitedly about owning a Isuzu pick up truck or a Thar. I feel this niche segment might see some phenomenal growth in the coming years. More disposable income, less old generation values of saving for that day and a general overall sentiment of "Live life to the fullest" might all be at play here. A slightly improved Thar with some basic creature comforts thrown in might find a lot of buyers. They have to make it comfortable enough to be used as a daily drive for 6 days of the week and as an off-roader for the 7th day.

I think this is nothing but Mahindra being forced to improve the Thar to meet upcoming regulations in the country - Crash safety, Airbags and ABS. I really hope they ask their 'designers' to stay far away from this project, and let the engineers do their work.

A factory hard-top and usable 2nd row, along with improved fit and finish (talking about Overall QC here - not asking for touchscreen ICE or any 'modern' features), at a realistic price will have a lot of takers in the coming years. Let us hope someone at Mahindra feels the same way.

If they are trying to copy the Wrangler, then it would diverge from the existing/classic style of the yesteryear Mahindra's. IMHO, the contemporary looks like the TUV would not gel with the Thar.

Hope the steering vs. pedal offset correction will also be covered in this update along with addition of ABS. Even though it's a niche product, if priced at ~15 lakhs, they would surely loose those niche customers.

A very welcome move, if at all they consider putting in essentials like airbags, etc. AND (most importantly) peg it at a reasonable price. 11 lac on road for a Thar is just daylight robbery!

Moreover, a petrol heart would give it a whole new feel I believe and further open up the market segment for M&M.