[TusharK]

Mod Note: BHPian MohammedEza's Force Gurkha Ownership Review has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

Thanks to Shubham Ghute for sending these images in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!



A test mule of the 3-door Force Gurkha Xplorer has been spotted. This could mean that the carmaker might be planning to launch a facelifted version of the vehicle in the near future. The test mule is painted in matte black and is equipped with a snorkel. The front end is covered in heavy camouflage, which indicates that it might receive a reworked front fascia. Apart from that, it appears to be similar to the updated Gurkha, which was launched in March 2017.

Last year, Force Motors introduced a few cosmetic and mechanical updates in the Gurkha. At present, the SUV is offered in two body styles - 3-door (Xplorer) with either a soft-top or hard-top and 5, 6, and 8-seat configurations and 5-door (Xpedition) version with 7 or 9 seats. As part of the update, the Gurkha got a new steel bumper with fog lamps, new grille and tail lights. The interiors were also updated with a new steering wheel and gear lever.

The 2017 Gurkha is equipped with independent front suspension and a multi-link setup at the rear with gas-charged shock absorbers and anti-roll bars at both ends. It is powered by a 2.6-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine that makes 84 BHP @ 3,200 rpm and 230 Nm of torque @ 1,400-2,400 rpm, which is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a four-wheel drive system with low range and locking differentials in the front and rear.

Link to Team-BHP News

[4x4addict]

Oh God !!.

They had finally got the exterior looks spot on. I hope they are not going to go back to the push up bra version that used to be on sale earlier.

[starter]

As Tini has rightly said, the previous one looked really good.
But you've got to give it to Force. They just don't give up on Gurkha.
Close to nil sales and yet, they are revamping the Gurkha year after year.
I wonder what the deal is.

Cheers,
Deepak

PS: Just saw this pic without any camouflage https://motoroctane.com/wp-content/u...a-2018-spy.jpg
GOD! I would pick those g-wagen indicator lamps any day over these new contraptions they have replaced it with.

[Steeroid]

We should start a Gurkha Love-Hate Club here with Tini (4x4addict) as President. Force never gives up, nor does Tini.

I have to admit, nor do I. This vehicle has so much potential, it deserves a better manufacturer. I mean - WHICH IDIOT "designed" those fender-mounted indicators? On the other hand, they finally managed to get rid of that shiny chrome snorkel with its sewage pipe joints.

Any bets that it will still be offered with the 2.6 liter 85bhp motor, and not the 2.2 140 thats been alleged for about 10 years now? Surely, they can't get everything right - proof of which are those godawful indicators...

[007 Bond]

This is half fresh where dash board, complete front show would be changed also expect a 2.2 ltr engine with this.
This would be followed by a complete body revamp in next update.

On basis of response to this change, Trax models would be changed.

Should be out at the time of RFC

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by starter

They just don't give up on Gurkha.
Close to nil sales and yet, they are revamping the Gurkha year after year.

It's like I ask my kids every evening if they have finished the homework for the day and they tell me they have. Then next day, just before school bus time, I find unfinished homework. Same happens, with Force Motors. They finish the exteriors looks, and then every auto journo and potential buyer reminds them of the under-powered engine and totally crappy interiors. So they sell like 5 vehicles for the year and then send it back to the drawing board. Then then make one change and sell another 5 vehicles. Then back to drawing board. This cycle continues. All they need to do is to study the existing feedback from the press and the potential buyers (including your's truly) and bring out a kick-ass version and start to see some decent sales. But, we are talking about Force Right????

Originally Posted by Steeroid

We should start a Gurkha Love-Hate Club here with Tini (4x4addict) as President. Force never gives up, nor does Tini.

It is like scolding a child, because you scold them dosen't mean you don't love them

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I have to admit, nor do I. This vehicle has so much potential, it deserves a better manufacturer.

Actually it has huge potential. It is a much more comfortable and practial option to the Thar CRDe as an overall family vehicle for a young couple with say two kids. However, not the way it is made now. Just three simple changes will take it leagues above the Thar CRDe 1) Better engine, 2) Better dashboard/center console, etc, 3) Ideally Air Bags & ABS or atleast ABS to start with. With these changes and proper hard top, I would pick it any day over the Thar CRDe, even if it cost 1.5 to 2 lakhs more on the road than the Thar CRDe.

Originally Posted by 007 Bond

This is half fresh where dash board, complete front show would be changed also expect a 2.2 ltr engine with this.

This *half* refresh will be the perfect version to get. Totally cool and rugged exterior looks with better dashboard and the 2.2 Merc engine.

Originally Posted by 007 Bond

This would be followed by a complete body revamp in next update.

I will be totally worrried about the complete body revamp from force motors.

BTW the picture of the revised front end has been posted here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post4286498

Notice the following changes:
1) Hood/Bonnet is bigger/wider/taller.
2) Fender is smaller/narrower
The above two changes are done to create more space inside the engine bay.

3) Due the smaller/narrower fenders, the snorkel intake has been pushed to the side as opposed to on top of the fender.
4) Turn Indicators are now like some pods on a space ship possibly to meet some silly CMVR regulation as there is no other Turn indicators anywhere on the front of the vehicle. Hopefully, this can be reversed the classic one. This is primarily because the front grille is wider and the headlamps had to be pushed out to the far ends and hence the space for the Turn Indicators is not gone. I suspect this is to accommodate a bigger radiator for the more powerful engine.
5) The blacked snorkel is much better than the chrome one in my opinion.

[condor]

Originally Posted by starter

But you've got to give it to Force. They just don't give up on Gurkha.

They dont give up on it, and neither do they give it ! Or is this their changed approach, hoping for a bigger market ?

[mallumowgli]

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-rev...t-drive-407160

This Autocar review says this is the 2018 Gurkha. But not clear what has changed from the previous edition

[Sarvodaya]

140hp Force Gurkha Xtreme launch soon

Autocar reports that 140 bhp Force Gurkha Xtreme will be launched this month end.

Source: http://autocarindia.com/car-news/sco...ch-soon-408737

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-rev...t-drive-407160

This Autocar review says this is the 2018 Gurkha. But not clear what has changed from the previous edition

The changes on the outside look like:-
1. New layout for the Indicators on top of the bonnet,
2. Black Snorkel (instead of Chrome in the earlier version) coming out from the side of the Bonnet (earlier it came out from above),
3. Bigger Grill,
4. Bigger 2.2L Engine from Mercedes with 140Hp/131NM specs,
5. 205mm Ground Clearance and 550mm Water Wading Capacity,
6. 40mm wider Front Track,
7. Upgraded suspension to Multi-Links at the front and back,
8. Improvement in Approach, Departure and Ramp Break-Over Angles, etc.

Changes on the inside are still largely unknown. No news still about any added safety equipment also (ABS, Dual Airbags etc.), but with the upcoming BNVSAP guidelines coming into play from next year, we do hope that Dual Airbags, ABS, Rear Parking Sensors etc. should be incorporated into this vehicle with this upgrade or by sometime next year.

The pricing will increase to roughly about 14 Lakhs (on-road) with this new top of the line model in 3 Door Soft Top and Hard Top versions.

[humyum]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

5. 205mm Ground Clearance and 550mm Water Wading Capacity,

The water wading depth does not sound right for the simple reason an Ecosport has a 550 mm water wading depth and this is without a snorkel, a Gurkha with a snorkel should have a much much higher one.

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

The changes on the outside look like:-
4. Bigger 2.2L Engine from Mercedes with 140Hp/131NM specs,

Torque rating should be atleast 320Nm and above.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Torque rating should be atleast 320Nm and above.

Sorry, forgive the typo, it's 321NM

Originally Posted by humyum

The water wading depth does not sound right for the simple reason an Ecosport has a 550 mm water wading depth and this is without a snorkel, a Gurkha with a snorkel should have a much much higher one.

I have just copy pasted what I got from the source website, not my personal finding. I do not live anywhere close to the Force factory to have a better clue about this. But you may be right.

[AdityaDeane]

Seems like the Force Gurkha Xtreme will continue with the side indicators and clear lens indicators on top of the bonnet as per Brochure Scan obtained from MotorBeam (https://www.motorbeam.com/2018-force...ions-revealed/)

Specifications leaked ahead of launch via a brochure scan

[swami69]

Hi, does this Force Xtreme comes with an Air Condtioner like Thar CRDE ? I like the looks of this car in the above brochure photo.

Swami