[nishkamm]

He is expecting BS6 versions sometime soon in next 3-4 months, and these variants will have a lesser output power than current BS4 variants due to emissions controls.

Are they saying the output power would be less in the BS6 variant, just to try sell off the BS4 variants?

Will the new BS6 emission norms will have a affect on the output powers of vehicles?

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Pardon my ignorance but does the new Gurkha Extreme come equipped with airbags?

No it doesn't cause air-bags are not compulsory until April 2020 when the new safety and emission norms kick in. Only ABS as of now.

Besides the current dashboard is so pathetic, that I don't think there is any place for the passenger air-bag. What I heard from someone in the company is that the current version with a revised dashboard that will have provision for integrating air-bag is due some time later this year. But no one knows. I would love to pick one up, but just cannot deal with this dashboard !!

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Also, does the Extreme come in a soft top avatar as well?

No, it doesn't. Only with hard top.

Originally Posted by nishkamm

Hand these variants will have a lesser output power than current BS4 variants due to emissions controls.
Are they saying the output power would be less in the BS6 variant, just to try sell off the BS4 variants?

Personally, I think this is bull-crap. Given the 2020 Thar will be the main competition, I doubt they will willingly lower the power. However, given that the OM611 engine is much older common rail platform, there maybe technical/cost limitations on Force to make it BS-VI compliant without lowering the power.

Originally Posted by nishkamm

Will the new BS6 emission norms will have a affect on the output powers of vehicles?

I guess this is the cheaper way to meet more stringent emission norms. None of the major manufactures will reduce engine output to meet emission norms.

[sad:)]

I too doubt that they will reduce the power, but after gas treatments may restrict free power in certain operating conditions like cold start and so on. I did not feel that, the representative told this to sell the current BS4 model. He said he has only one past piece of BS4 model left, which has been reserved by someone with a token advance. When I told him that I may need some time to decide, he advised me to go for BS6.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Waspune

Yesterday we had gone for a movie in Pavillion Mall, Pune and there I saw the Gurkha Explorer on display. It looked sweet!
Attachment 1789381Attachment 1789382Attachment 1789383

Looks purposeful indeed.
I wonder why the Armed forces dont trial one or two of these and see how they perform in extreme
conditions.

[DirtyDan]

Does anybody have a reliable update on when the new dashboard will be available? How about the time-table on the other changes? Any believable news?

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I wonder why the Armed forces dont trial one or two of these and see how they perform in extreme conditions.

Ah just stumbled upon this post. Actually - the Army already acquired Gurkha based vehicles for light strike purpose with even weapon mounts.

Link - Rushlane News Article
Link - CarIndia news article
Link - TeamBHP thread (Force Motors to build Light Strike Vehicles for Indian Army)

I think it can only be put to use for such specific purpose roles. Its body shell is very rudimentary (remember the Trax from 20 years ago? It has hardly changed!). I don't think the body is robust enough for the abusive use 24x7. It is best used with care as a personal lifestyle & explorer vehicle (and specific limited number application with the security forces.) I don't think it is versatile enough to be the mainstream 4x4 vehicle for the armed forces like the Gypsy or Safari Storme.

Also - huge armed forces like India's need a large scale supplier like Maruti/Tata/AshokLeyland who can sustain the volumes of supply as well as remote location maintenance. Force Motors is a much smaller business in comparison & will have limitations in logistics. That might also play against it in decision making by the services I suspect.

I just love the current gen Gurkha. With the latest engine & drive-train - it is a mean capable machine. Disastrously let down by pathetic sales & marketing by Force Motors who are just content with selling their bread-n-butter Travellers to BPOs and IT Companies. It could brutally injure the Thar if finished properly & sold well. But no. Just one more in the heap of such good vehicles let down by the bean counters.

[007 Bond]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

Does anybody have a reliable update on when the new dashboard will be available? How about the time-table on the other changes? Any believable news?

Hi dear,

Gurkha range with new dash board, air bags, complying to new crash norms with BS 6 engine shall be launched somewhere around April 2020.

This vehicle would be completely new with a new chassis, new interiors, changed exteriors & new engines.


At present they are undergoing final testings.

Have a great day ahead
007 Bond

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by 007 Bond

Gurkha range with new dash board, air bags, complying to new crash norms with BS 6 engine shall be launched somewhere around April 2020.

Thanks for the update. You seem to be the only person with any kind of credible information on the Gurkha.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by 007 Bond

This vehicle would be completely new with a new chassis, new interiors, changed exteriors & new engines.

I hope they don't mess with the sheet metal too much. That was one thing Force got right IMHO. Please, no freaking curved, egg-shaped, femmed out suppository on wheels. There is enough of those on the market. Can't tell a Compass from a Brezza from a Creta from a Tiguan.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

Forgot to update here! Sorry about that!

On Thursday, 12 September, around 10:30 pm I saw a complete fleet of force vehicles on test. That includes ( if I am not mistaken) :
Force gurkha - 3 door
Force toofan - the 12 seater one
Force gurkha five door

There were others too, but I don't know their names.

The bonnet height of these cars was lower as compared to their current offerings and the bonnet section was camouflaged.

I could not click picture as I was with family and the street lights were dim.

There was no force travellers on test.

[nishkamm]

Looks like the 2.2 lt Diesel engine will be retired and an in house 2.6 lt engine will be used in the BS6 version.

Rushlane

https://www.rushlane.com/2020-force-...-12324669.html

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by nishkamm

Looks like the 2.2 lt Diesel engine will be retired and an in house 2.6 lt engine will be used in the BS6 version.

Rushlane

https://www.rushlane.com/2020-force-...-12324669.html

One thing for sure, many of these automotive journalist sites are wrong a lot.
Other sites say the 2.2 Mercedes derived engine will be upgraded to BS6.
Dunno.

And, if they really are going to introduce a whole new chassis, I may wait a year or two to buy. I don't
want to be a test bed for a company that has a reputation of not honoring their warranties. Least-ways, that's what's on my mind at the moment.

[007 Bond]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

One thing for sure, many of these automotive journalist sites are wrong a lot.
Other sites say the 2.2 Mercedes derived engine will be upgraded to BS6.
Dunno.

And, if they really are going to introduce a whole new chassis, I may wait a year or two to buy. I don't
want to be a test bed for a company that has a reputation of not honoring their warranties. Least-ways, that's what's on my mind at the moment.

The chassis which is going to be used is derived from Force One. This was developed in association with Lotus & was very much praised.

As per my knowledge i haven't read any complaints of chassis from Force One.

Regarding engine shall surely let you know once I have firm info.

Cheers

[Cuatro]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

And, if they really are going to introduce a whole new chassis, I may wait a year or two to buy. I don't
want to be a test bed for a company that has a reputation of not honoring their warranties. Least-ways, that's what's on my mind at the moment.

Of all the talk I did with enthusiasts about Force's offerings in relation to my excitement for the Gurkha, what I noticed was that people are not complaining about the engines or the chassis, we all know who procures engines/related components from Force and we also know how many rural hinterlands the chassis from Force has been put to test. . What people are worried about is the service and related professionalism by the dealers of this company. There are hardly any in major cities where the Force Gurkha is proposed to be launched and expected to find homes with the urban crowd who are so pampered by the service centres of the likes of Maruti, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai etc. Anyone investing over 10 Lacs on an automobile expects the brass tacks and much more that Auto companies offer in a hyper advancing Auto market in India.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Cuatro

...people are not complaining about the engines or the chassis, we all know who procures engines/related components from Force and we also know how many rural hinterlands the chassis from Force has been put to test.

There is a credible report that Force is going to a different chassis for Gurkha. That is posted right close above by a usually reliable source. Given the other problems reported by Gurkha owners per below, this could strain the reliability of an already questionable vehicle.

Originally Posted by Cuatro

What people are worried about is the service and related professionalism by the dealers of this company.

A lot of us have been very aware of this and other problems with Force for many years now. It serves here to warn those unfamiliar with Force's reputation from the recent past.

Attributed to Force and reported on this site by owners are the following:

1.) Vehicles booked have arrived at the dealer unfinished or with problems existing when brand new, stemming from the production line build.

2.) Dealers/Force have baldly refused to honor Force warrantees.

3.) Very poor parts and service. Few dealers across the nation.

4.) The unwillingness or refusal of Force Traveler dealers to even work on or do maintenance on the Gurkha AT ALL.

5.) Constant bickering with on-again, off-again partner, Mercedes, usually to the detriment of the vehicle.

If others wish to add to this list of complaints, please do so. I am only summarizing what has been reported on this site over recent years.