Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/)

-   -   Asterix, my 2021 Force Gurkha | The adventure begins (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/244904-asterix-my-2021-force-gurkha-adventure-begins-8.html)

Dear Manuuj,
I've read the whole thread word for word, non stop for past few hours, needless to say, floored by your passion for the gaul. I'm not planning to buy a Gurkha any time soon but definitely going to follow this thread frequently to enjoy your prose and adventures. The mods so far, especially the shoes and the grill are excellent upgrades to the character of the vehicle. Kindly continue writing as you have a wonderful style of translating what you feel at heart, to the paper/screen/logos.
If an individual's car were to be voted, yours will be my TBHP Car of the Year!

Looking forward to future updates and best wishes,
Regards
Ram

PS: 'Protactoring the ORVM logos bit' made me smile with boundless appreciation

Well, I have actually voted for the Gurkha in the ongoing poll! Manuuj is describing each and every details of his car wonderfully. And day by day my feelings for this car is getting stronger.

When the new Gurkha was introduced, frankly speaking I didn't like the look. The headlamp with tiny distributed DRL LEDs. However, as the time passed by and I was going through the specifications and mechanicals, structural details etc. I gradually started appreciating the Gurkha. Then came the wonderfully written buying experience and modifications done by Manuuj-ji. Everyday I am following this thread for updates and watching YouTube videos reviews, test drives, buying experience etc.

Not sure whether my knee condition will allow me to drive manual transmission cars any more, and when can I manage the extra budget to buy a second car in this uncertainty. But definitely I shall be following this thread, try to get my hands-on sometimes, at least for a test drive!

This is a great walkthrough and review and description of the Gurkha. I almost feel like the Gurkha can be my next car. You've managed to plant the Gurkha in our minds. Thank you so much for this write-up. Your car looks smokin hot.

The 4x4 competition between the Thar & Gurkha is now definitely heating up. The new Gurkha though a slow starter to the race seems to be catching up (though still not there).
Enthusiasts like me sitting on the fence not able to decide which one to go for, will surely be finding it hard to decide based on such wonderfully written blogs (Manuuj, kudos for such a detailed one).
Happy Riding !
Cheers!
Krish

I've never been into 4x4s, and unlikely to posess one in the future, but your passionate and very well expressed review/experience ignites immense interest in me. A bit like getting a tiny flavour of owning one. :) Thank you.

Your review was also a major influence in me voting for the Gurkha in the COTY.

I think the stock design GURKHA visually connects the two prominent headlamps, and that works well. Now, the lamps feel disconnected.

Manuuj, pardon the critique above; it comes with Asterisk's best interest at heart :) I loved the mod in the steering, and agree with Dry Ice's idea here.

Maybe a very thin ring with only moderate shine, to contrast just enough to show out.

Could also consider visually replicating the dotted ring idea one sees on the headlamps; with dots of chrome/aluminum doing the needful.

I never liked the bold chrome Gurkha lettering and the unpainted grill. Thus the changes. The Defenderish lettering is on purpose and i am glad that the influence is coming through. :)

Thank you for the video link and your lovely wishes! This is the 4th video I've seen of Asterix on YouTube. 3 were without my knowledge and one was made with my permission outside Retro Rraps when the Grill modification was being carried out.

Thank you so much. Your kind words and heartfelt wishes have made me smile!

I hope you do take a test drive soon. An Automatic Gurkha will tick the right box for a lot of people. Unfortunately I do not see i happening anytime in the near future. Thank you for your kind words.

Thank you so much i really appreciate it!

Two excellent vehicles with their own pros and cons. I obviously have my favorite and am thankful that a long cherished wish has been fulfilled finally. Force Motors has really made tremendous improvements and worked hard on making the Gurkha a worthwhile purchase. As they say in Urdu "Derr Aaye Durust Aaye."

Thank you for your kind words and also your critique. Looks are such a subjective matter. As they say "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"

The steering logo ring will surely be made up but maybe the design you suggested will be difficult to implement with the basic tools at my disposal.

I had voted for Gurkha to be TBHP car of the year and after reading your blog reaffirms my belief. Gurkha for me is superb in every aspect except for not having AT.

Completely with you on this, Manuuj. Pardon my further indulgence - your passion encourages it and warm manner allows it. It might be worth considering:

a) The "G U R K H A" and the khukri logo being interchanged, or perhaps
b) If the "G U R K H A" is brought to the lower strip (where the khukri is now), the khukri could also be made into a pair (a mirror image) placed on the black strip around the number plate. That way it would also match the shape and direction on the ORVMs, and make the number plate a bit a part of the design. (personally I prefer b to a)

Do you see the interest that you've developed here, Manuuj?!! It makes people want/say things like it was their own Gurkha :D Kudos!

Just to give an idea of how much higher one feels from inside the Gurkha i am posting the pic below. One is truly head and shoulders above other vehicles.

That is my Instagram post for today as well with the caption:

"In a sea of ordinary, be a Gurkha."

Asterix Looks sorted 😀
If Clothes Maketh a man, wheels maketh the car. Your efforts with the wheels is truly rewarding.

How is the wheel articulation and fender clearance with the higher sidewalls.?

Dear Manuuj, your tasteful mods and equally involving writing style has made me fall in love with your thread and Asterix. clap: Big fan of the way you've been personalizing the beast.

Went through the entire thread in a single sitting and loved every bit of it. Looking forward to more updates. :)

Regards,
Shashi

Found another video on Asterix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Dr8qe6iTg&t=141s
The reviewer says the tyres are Force issued:Frustrati.
@Manuuj- Hope the review of your vehicle was done with your knowledge/permission.

Dear Manuuj, i was a great fan of your Fortuner thread and used to follow it even before joining the forum. Tasteful mods on the Gurkha. Wishing you many happy miles with the new steed.

Yes having an Automatic transmission would have bought more customers into the net for Force Motors. Maybe development costs were prohibitive. I for one am happy that they have launched this all new avatar in whatever way shape or form they could at a reasonable price of 13.59 lacs ex showroom.

I doubt this introductory price will remain for long. When I had bought my Fortuner Obelix in 2009 the price was 18.45 lacs ex-showroom for the Manual 4x4. That was the only variant on sale at the time. Prices soon jumped to above the 21 Lac mark and then continued to steadily rise and now ofcourse are at stratospheric levels.

Getting back to the Gurkha, the manual transmission is really very light to operate and the throws are quite precise and short. It reminds me of a Swift we used to own. One is never hunting for gears. I can use two fingers for upshift and downshift. The clutch is very light as well.

Thank you for your kind words! The Gurkha lettering on the bonnet has been applied with a very strong automotive grade 3M tape. Almost impossible to remove them NOT that i want to. I personally always liked the bonnet lettering on Land Rover vehicles.
To me the Gurkha is no less than any Defender 90 (except for the Solid Front Axles).

(Now the solid front axles are a great thing to have when offroad but on tarmac and uneven surfaced roads it can be quite uncomfortable so in a way I am very happy with the double wishbone IFS suspension that Asterix is equipped with.
It is at par with my Endeavours suspension and at times even more comfortable due to the 16 inch alloys and 75 profile tyres compared to the 18 inch alloys and 60 profile tyres of the Endeavour.)

So i wont be doing any furthur modifications to the front end except for maybe sometime in the future when I change the headlights surrounds and front grill completely to have more of a Mercedes G Wagen/Defender design language with a rectangular grill instead of the sloped design it currently has.

I am glad that the modifications on Asterix have got your creative juices flowing and do keep the ideas coming. Always appreciated! :)

The wheels and tyres have truly transformed the stance and look of Asterix.

There was slight rubbing at full lock with the inner fiber cladding of the driver side fender but not the co driver side. All i had to do was push the thin fiber cladding (of the driver side fender) inwards a bit and then fasten it using a zip tie. No problem after that. In my opinion 245/75/16 is the perfect size to use for the Gurkha. It adds to comfort as well as looks.

Thank you for your kind words! The next update will probably be about sound-damping and for that i will need your expert guidance. I have been informed by reliable sources that you are the man to learn from in this aspect.

Please help this fellow Bhpian and fellow Leo!! :)

Hahahaha i cannot stop laughing at his commentary! Apparently the Khukri logo on the Alloys is also standard!
This was probably made when i was getting the steering wheel cover stitched up. I think I caught a glimpse of myself on the co driver seat. I had no idea someone was filming.

Thank you so much! Personal reasons have made me stay back in Delhi even though its been almost 3 weeks since Asterix came home. Else he would have atleast made it to some snow lined roads on the other side of Atal Tunnel by now.

This thread is a joy to read :) All the mods are good and not overdone at any point. Wheels and alloys has taken the appearance of this beast to next level.
I can imagine the joy of looking at the traffic from Gurkha as I am enjoying the same in my Thar.
If I am getting another vehicle, it would be surely the Gurkha.
Yes, Force should bring in an AT with torque converter for this beast.

I may be nitpicking, but the color of sidesteps (aluminum?) looks bit odd. You may think of rock sliders to compliment the beast look!