[Manuuj]

Prologue

We had all heard about it back then. There was a new kid on the block!

The year was 2007 or 2008 and the Gurkha a 4x4 vehicle had been launched by Force Motors known as Bajaj Tempo at that time.
It supposedly looked like a Mercedes Gwagen and even had a Mercedes engine. It also had Front and Rear locking Differentials! Now back then my knowledge of these things was quite limited but i knew i just wanted one.

Back in 1994 I owned a Mahindra MM540 DP (soft top) when i was in college and ever since then my love for SUV'S had begun.
The harsh North Indian summer necessitated getting a Hardtop and a Sanden Air Conditioner retrofitted. Members here of the appropriate vintage may recollect these exertions we carried out in those much simpler times.


Thus when I heard about the Gurkha around 2008 i was suitability intrigued and wanted to get my palms around its steering wheel as soon as I could.
The problem was that the Gurkha was akin to some fabled beast, almost like the Tigers of Corbett Park; widely talked about but rarely ever spotted.. "It was just here Saar..you missed it by a fraction Saar..look at these fresh pug marks Saar!!.."

Many visits to near abandoned showrooms resulted in my interest fading and by then news of the Fortuner had also started doing the rounds. I remember once walking into the showroom and having to actually explain to the ill informed salesperson about the Gurkha as he wasn't even aware of it existence!

For a while I only had heard about it but never saw one and i started losing interest.

Eventually with the advent of Obelix, my Fortuner, I forgot all about the Gurkha and Force Motors.

The fabled beast made a comeback on a few occasions. In 2013 and then again in 2017.

Every time i crossed a Force Showroom i would crane my neck and look in as i drove past, hoping to catch a glimpse. There was something about the Gurkha that just drew me to it.

On 26th November 2014 I posted my first ever review about the Gurkha. I had decided to walk into a Force Motors showroom and take a test drive on a whim. I was looking for a car and while crossing the Force showroom just parked up outside and walked in.

What was that old saying?: "Its better not to meet your heroes in person"?




The link is pasted below. It will reveal how disappointed i truly was with the Gurkha /Force Motors back then.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-v...ml#post3589248 (Review: The Force Gurkha 4x4)

My first test drive had been a complete disaster. Gears would not engage, the interiors looked agricultural and the cabin was noisy and uncomfortable. I remember clearly that the gear boot was torn on a new car and i was quite disgusted. If there was anything that could have gone wrong on that first test drive, it did! I was so disappointed and angry.

This vehicle deserved better. It had the looks, it had the mechanicals and the engine. Where it lacked was quality and attention to detail. It looked like a lazy attempt by Force and i couldn't bring myself to buy one.

I walked away. Literally. I stopped the car and got off and walked to the showroom about 200 meters away to collect Obelix and leave.

That was the end. Or so i thought..Little did i know that 7 years to the day (26th November 2021) I would be boarding a bus to go take Delivery of my Gurkha Asterix !!

Then came 2019 and the Gurkha Extreme was launched.

My Fortuner Obelix and I had just parted ways due to the NGT order in NCR and I was looking for a new 4x4.


I considered the Ford Endeavour, Isuzu V Cross and Mahindra Alturas. Multiple test drives later I had pretty much decided on the Endeavour 3.2 4x4 (facelift)

On the way to pay my deposit for the Endeavour at the Harpreet Ford showroom I crossed the Force Motors showroom on Rama Road in Delhi and as usual I craned my neck again to catch a glimpse of the fabled beast.

Stop! Stop! Stop!!..from the corner of my eyes I had caught a glimpse of a snorkel. Before i knew it i had parked up and almost was jogging into the courtyard as though I'd caught sight of a long lost friend.

I walked in and stared at it. It looked so handsome!





The excitement welled up inside me again. A smiling gentleman came , stood next to me and asked if I'd like to drive it? My past experience made me apprehensive. Would i be let down again?

Why even drive one if i want to get the Endeavour? But then i thought why not. He told me this one had a new 2.2 liter engine producing 140 bhp! That was that. I handed over my license and we piled in.

First impression was that it wasnt much different from the earlier ones. Atleast in the interiors. There were some minor barely noticeable improvements but it was still really really basic. I was able to engage gears smoothly though and that was a good start. The engine was amazing. Lots of grunt and power!

He sat back relaxed..i was grinning from ear to ear as i drove around parting traffic like Moses. It was much higher too i felt.

"Yes" he said trying to sound nonchalant "3 inch body lift from factory you see". I drove back parked up and quietly left. What a quandary i was in!

This was perfect. Less than half the price of my Endeavour and with a couple of lacs i could make it perfectly comfortable inside and an absolute stunner from outisde.

I did not go to the Ford showroom that day to make my deposit. Instead i came home and discussed the Gurkha with my parents but they were far from convinced.

Not that we needed a car for them. There were many at home that ferried them about with ease and comfort. They just felt that the Endeavour was more suited to me at the time. In some ways i felt the same.
The Endeavour thus arrived in June 2019 to cut a long story short.


Thus the Gurkha dream had once gain remained a dream.

From 2008 it was now 2019 and multiple attempts later i had failed to own a Gurkha once more..

Then came the photos of the all new 2020 Gurkha at the Auto Expo. My eyes lit up and i decided to go see it even though i wouldn't actually buy one. As I reached the stall i was amazed to see a huge Green behemoth and next to it a tasty metallic Orange example. I peered in and saw the fully revamped interiors. Now this was something! It looked modern and I was told it had been completely newly developed from ground up.

I just stood and stared.


The one grouse I had with the Gurkha had been addressed. The interiors looked modern (By Gurkha standards) the seats looked comfortable and the Gurkha looked stunning from every angle.

I walked away wistfully thinking it was again a dream which would be left unfulfilled since i had just bought the Endeavour recently.

The Pandemic hit by the end of 2020 and life's priorities changed. For everyone.

The world changed for me too on a deeply personal level and a new 4x4 was the last thing on my mind.

Until September 2021..

[Manuuj]

September 2021- Present Day.

News trickled in about the impending launch of the new Gurkha. I was happy to hear about it. But the Gurkha had intrigued me and frustrated me in equal measure in the past few years. I pushed any thoughts of owning one away.

Until one night around 12:30 AM when the algorithm of YouTube decided that a newly released video about the 2021 Gurkha is something I must watch and it came up in my recommendations.

That video was from Autocar India and the first reveal of the 2021 Gurkha online. I watched that video three times over.
As I finished watching it for the third time I realised I was hooked again.

This was soon followed by another great video review by fellow Bhpian Trojan around 20th September which I watched over and over again. It even featured a Green Gurkha and trust me I was equally green with envy!

Gurkha Fever was back and with a vengeance!

In a few days after that the Gurkha debuted on Team Bhp also and I read every word and relished every photograph. The next few days were spent hunting down every video, every reel and every snippet of information i could gather. I can firmly state that there is no video of the Gurkha on YouTube that i haven't watched by now.

Even videos in languages i did not understand were watched over and over again. I may not have understood the language but what i could easily gather was that they all were quite impressed with the 2021 Gurkha.

I had always liked the exterior design of the Gurkha. An old school offroad vehicle with design elements from the Mercedes G Wagen and the Land Rover Defender. Both great looking legends.
My main grouse with Force Motors had always been the level of refinement and interiors they had given in earlier iterations of the Gurkha.
Even the 2019 Extreme model that i had test driven had very very poor interiors. I knew I would have to invest a lot of time and money modifying its interiors to get it to an acceptable level of comfort and refinement.

In 2021 Force Motors had addressed that grouse comprehensively. The interiors looked nothing like the Gurkhas of the past!

The seats looked large and comfortable. The dashboard extended all the way to the floor. The tachometer was in the instrument cluster, there was a touchscreen music system, twin airbags, LED headlights with daytime running lights, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and many, many more touches that told me in no uncertain terms that Force Motors meant business and wasn't treating the Gurkha as an experimental/hobby project any longer but was giving it the respect and attention it truly deserved.

They had done their job and now I had to keep up my end of the bargain.

I decided it was time. The Gurkha is coming home.

I started calling up dealerships around 16th 17th September in my area and was told that vehicles would soon be available for viewings at the dealership and even test drives very soon.

The price of 13.59 lacs was revealed around 27th September around 7 pm and it received a very mixed response. Many people thought it was overpriced and I could not fathom why.

The 2019 Gurkha Extreme had an ex showroom price of 12.99 lacs in Delhi. Compared to the 2021 model it was archaic. It may have had the goodies like a 140 bhp 2.2 crdi engine and solid front axles which are a dream for any offroad enthusiast but essentially it was still the same body and interiors as the 2007 model with some minor cosmetic upgrades.

Here for 60 thousand extra you are getting an all new vehicle that has been developed ground up and shared nothing but its legendary name, silhouette & engine with the outgoing model.

It has 2 Airbags, and specially developed LED headlights which alone could cover the Rupees 60,000 difference in cost! All new chassis, all new seats and interior design every single body panel in new, NVH levels are far improved, suspension is much better, touchscreen music system, the list of improvements is endless..

But still people would compare it to the Thar and say why is it priced so close to the Thar?

In my opinion these are two similar but yet completely different products. Both born out of a mix of passion and necessity.

The Gurkha in my opinion trumps the Thar in some areas like like having a full metal hardtop, front and rear locking differentials, huge cabin space, lots of head and shoulder room for all passengers, very comfortable and wide seats, more luggage space and importantly a very capable suspension designed to soak up bumps and keep all passengers comfortable.

The Thar does the same too with the Gurkha in some areas..like engine performance, interior design and quality of plastics used.

Ride isn't very good in the Thar, rear passengers will feel cramped, and if there are 4 people loaded up the only space left will be enough to hold a plastic folder or maybe even a happy meal from McDonald's (I am exaggerating ofcourse).

It can take two Happy Meals atleast.

On road the Gurkha trumps the Thar in ride comfort.
In offroad ability I'd say they are about equal for most offroad situations unless things get truly hairy. Then the extra tricks up the sleeve of the Gurkha will have it come out the clear winner here as well.

It is wrong to compare the two anyway. They should only be compared to their respective predecessors. Both the All New Thar and All New Gurkha are tremendously improved over their aging ancestors.

In light of all this i felt that a price of 13.59 lacs is absolutely justified and fair.
One must also consider that 13.59 lacs includes GST.
The actual billed value is 8.9 lacs only!

I had made up my mind about getting one and hounded the dealerships for information about seeing one in the flesh and test driving it.

There was no way i was going to put a deposit down without a test drive.

Finally after what seemed like ages, on 23rd October I received a call telling me that a vehicle was available at the dealership and I could go and take a look..but no test drives yet.

My initial impression after I first sat in the All New Gurkha are there for all to see in the Official Review of Force Gurkha here:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5179673 (Force Gurkha Review)

[Manuuj]

I was very happy with the way the Gurkha looked and felt but I was yet to drive one and therefore had not booked.

This was just a formality ofcourse. I had already managed to source the Alloy Wheels and Tyres.
There was urgency in sourcing these since due to an Order passed by the Director General of Foreign Trade all tyre imports had severe restrictions and supplies of the kind of tyres I wanted was desperately low.

I tried very hard to source BFG in the size 245/75R16 but failed. I wanted 245/75R16 because I wanted only and increase in ground clearance and no disadvantages created by a wider tyre.
I found Radar Renegade Rugged Terrain Tyres on Instagram of a Jeep Tyre Dealer based in Bombay,. which to me were a perfect fit and type of tyre I wanted for Asterix. I asked Jitesh at BK tyres to source them for me which he immediately did.

Alloy wheels had a similar story, 160x5 PCD were difficult to come by in designs that I liked. At one point these were a common PCD with vehicles like the Tata Sumo, Tata Safari, Mahindra Scorpio and a few more using Alloys wheels in 16 inch size with 160X5 PCD but now most of these vehicles had been discontinued and everyone was now using 17 and 18 inch wheels.

Jitesh at BK Tyres did show me one 160X5 PCD, Zero offset, 8 Inches wide Plati design that I liked and I placed the order for them too with him.

Eventually i did manage to source 5 Alloy wheels and 5 tyres through BK Tyres in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi all before even turning a key on the test drive vehicle.

Thus in some ways i had already booked the Gurkha in my mind. By buying up all kind of small accessories I started letting my excitement build too and it helped me cope with the wait.

The first thing was a badge with Indian Flag like I had in My Fortuner Obelix, then a net for keeping things in the area between the front seats, followed by two black 4X4 metal badges, rubber beading for doors edges, front dash anti slip mat, then another " Trail Rated 4x4 round red badge *(which I have now decided against using), and ofcourse the wheels and tyres among many other things.













Finally the day dawned when a test drive was made possible and I rushed to the dealer to take one.

Happily there was abundant interest in the Gurkha and the erstwhile abandoned Bajaj Tempo/ Force Motors showrooms wore a busy look.

The link to my initial impression of the First test drive in the Force Gurkha are given below:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5185176 (Force Gurkha Review)

[Manuuj]

Once the test drive was taken I was extremely sure that the Gurkha was finally at a stage as a product where I was going to be very happy with it.

Thus i moved ahead with making my booking deposit with Ram Hari Motors in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh for a BSVI Gurkha 4x4 in Green.

I booked with the Mandi Dealership as i was going to be registering my Gurkha in Himachal. If I would have bought the vehicle from anywhere outside Himachal and then proceeded for Registration in Himachal it would have attracted an extra 2% charge.

It was decided that when the vehicle was at the dealership they would have it registered in my name and post that i would go and collect it from them.

Things moved quickly from here. I had made my deposit on 3rd of November and the my Gurkha was going to be leaving for Mandi by the 15th or 16th approximately.

A quick chat with my banker and the loan was approved within a couple of days.

I decided I must have the Tyres and Alloy wheels test fitted before i would send them off to the dealer in Mandi.

Thanks to Nitesh ji who is the Sales Head for Force Motors North India I managed to test fit my Alloy wheel and 245/75/16 Radar RT+ tyres on a Gurkha parked at their dealership.

When i had bought my alloys I had made sure to get a 160x5 PCD and 16 inch stock size so that there should be no unforseen issues with fitment and safety.

What I realised later was that there are a lot many more things to consider when selecting an Alloy wheel for a particular vehicle.

An often neglected and extremely important one being Center Hub Diameter and Center Bore of the Alloy matching.Another thing was that my alloy was a Zero Offset compared to the 12 offset OE Alloy.
A third difference was that my alloy was 8 inches wide compared to an OE 6.5 inch alloy.

Considering the problems that may occour caused by the various differences between a stock alloy wheel and an aftermarket one i would strongly recommend that everyone stick to the stock alloy wheel. If one really wants to change then it would be prudent to match up all the dimensions first between the aftermarket alloy wheel and the stock one that comes with a vehicle.

All these minute differences thus led to a lot of doubt creeping into my head and I contacted Nitesh ji to allow a "test fit" before my vehicle even arrives so I can be at peace and have my Alloy Wheels painted and made ready in time for my vehicle delivery.

I also wanted to see how the beefy Rugged Terrain 245/75/16 tyres will fit versus the stock All Terrain 245/70/16 tyres.

He was most accommodating and arranged for me to take the tyre and alloy to their workshop so we may test fit them and erase all doubts/ bring out any fitment or safety issues beforehand.

Now lets be clear. He could have just said:

"No..Please get rid of your fancy alloy wheel and stick to the ones we are giving you with the Gurkha"

But instead he went out of his way to accommodate me and was also present in person at the workshop to make sure everything went of smoothly.

I was truly floored!

Now thats what I call service (with a smile)!
I am certain no such request would have been entertained by the makers of any of the vehicles I have previously or currently own.

Did someone say Force Motors Service is something to worry about? I think not!!

So to set the record straight the Center Hub Diameter of the 2021 Gurkha is 108.5 mm and the Center Bore of the OE Steel Wheel as well as the OE Alloy is 110 mm. This perfectly suited my 160x5 PCD, 16 inch Alloy with a CB of 110 mm. This was a huge relief.

The Zero Offset and 8 inch width of my Alloy made the tyre stick out just a wee bit and almost the same amount as the Stock Alloy Wheel and tyre setup of the Gurkha does.

The 245/75/16 tyres filled up the wheel well perfectly and their mean aggressive sidewall really gave the Gurkha an amazing stance and look.There was absolutely no fouling with any suspension components which was great news.

I expected a 1 inch gain in ground clearance as well but since only one tyre and alloy was fitted I could not get an accurate measurement.

[Manuuj]

Once we had finished the test fit I felt that black alloys will look too bland on the Gurkha and specially on a Forest Green Gurkha black alloys may actually end up looking quite bad.

I spoke to a few people and we discussed about the advantages of Paint over Powder Coating and vice versa. I preferred paint since it would be easy to touch up in case I damaged it during the offroad excursions that Asterix was bound to make.

I went to a well known establishment called Retro Rraps near Chatterpur in Delhi and explained to the owner Ricky what i wanted done.

He is a very knowledgeable fellow and has a proper sealed paint booth using imported spray guns. He regularly paints imported and classic cars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis and the likes apart from various other services like PPF, Coatings etc.

Infact there was a Jaguar there they had done a full repaint on and a Red Chevy Nova that they had done a Frame up restoration on. They both looked flawless and it gave me a lot of confidence.

I had decided upon a Matte Satin Bronze with a outer lip in black. My reasoning was that the outer lip would be most susceptible to damage and easy to touch up in black as opposed to any other color.
We did some test sprays for the final color and then finally decided upon a shade.

I dropped off the Alloys and his painters got on the job of prepping the Alloys for paint the next day. Then whole process from start to finish took 3 days as was he was quite careful about following the proper procedure and taking his time for each step of the process.

























The final result:

[Manuuj]

Asterix's New Shoes

All this business of procuring the tyres and Alloys, doing the test fit, having the Alloys custom painted took up a lot of time and actually helped me cope with the excruciating wait for the Asterix.

The person who suffered the most along with me is the most patient soul i ever met..Mr. Manoj Palta, the Manager Sales at Ram Hari Motors, Mandi. I called him everyday for updates and in turn updated him with progress at my end with the Loan, the Tyres, the Alloys, the Paint and so on..

Not once did he complain or make me feel he was tired of my daily intrusions.

Infact he suggested a brilliant way we could send the tyres and alloys to him quickly and without a scratch on them.

There are various Volvo's plying between Manali and Delhi on a daily basis and Mandi is conveniently located on the way. What is even more convenient is that the showroom is located on the same highway that these buses cross everyday.

Manoj ji got in touch with a bus driver who agreed for a small fee to take these precious items from me in Delhi and deposit them safe and sound, at the main gate of the Dealership in Mandi within 12 hours!

This was brilliant! I packed up the Alloys carefully and even wrapped the tyres in bubble plastic for some odd reason. (My excitement may have got the better of me there.)


These were then stuffed into my Endeavour and handed over to the bus conductor at a pre decided spot. I had them loaded up into the cavernous belly of the Scania Multiaxle Bus in front of me.

It was so satisfying to see them safely stored on the bus on their way to finally meet up with Asterix!

By the time I awoke the next day i got a call from Manoj Ji telling me they had been unloaded and the best news was yet to come!!

Asterix had begun his slow trundle up from the Indore plant to Mandi and would arrive at the dealership too, covering a distance of 1400 kms over the next 3 days. He was expected to reach by the 19th of November.

It was all coming together like clockwork!

Three days later I was informed that Asterix had reached safe and sound. The Odometer read 1414 kms.
I implored him for pics and he happily obliged, knowing fully well that this would shut me up for a few hours atleast, affording him some well deserved respite in the bargain.

[Manuuj]

Now we had arrived at the business end of our saga.. after years and years of waiting I was finally applying for Registration of my very own Gurkha at the Solan RTO.

The Bank transferred the loan amount to the Dealership and i made all the balance payments that i had to. Insurance was taken through the dealership itself.

I wanted no complications. All i wanted was to walk into that dealership, take the keys of a newly registered Green Gurkha and drive off into the sunset!

But when there is a possibility of a twist then why not have a twist..

The officer at the Solan RTO incharge of approving all new Registrations thought it an opportune time to take a few days off to smell the roses and take in some fresh air!

I meanwhile was all but gasping at this last unforseen and wholly unpleasant delay.

There was nothing to do but wait. Holding one's breath for a Government official to spring into action is surely a recipe for disaster. Thus in the meantime I applied for a number 0747 that holds a special place in my heart for personal reasons.

The wait had begun. I was set on taking delivery of Asterix once the Registration was done and the Number plate and RC printed up. I thought that was the only legal way to take delivery and not face the wrath of the cops for driving around with a temporary number plate.

One day turned into three. The wait was excruciating and unpleasant. All i could think about was going and getting Asterix home and it preoccupied my mind completely.

I decided that i would occupy my time by having the wheel hub caps of the Alloy Wheels undergo a small yet meaningful modification. I went to Karol Bagh in Central Delhi and found a person who makes stickers and other interesting things using acrylic and a laser cutter. We made a Khukri design on his computer and he made up a sticker for the same.

This was then applied over the Plati Logo to give the Alloys more of a stock factory look.






In the meantime i called Manoj ji for daily updates and even asked my cousin in Solan to make a visit to the RTO and inquire about my file. Things were not moving.

Since we had time I asked Manoj ji to have the 2 fuel filters, Engine oil and Oil filter changed. Basically a mini service after the 1400 kilometer drive up from the plant.

By this time it was Thursday, 25th of November 2021. Asterix had been at the dealership for 6 days already.

Manoj ji upon noticing my discomfiture suggested I take delivery with a Temporary Registration and insisted it was perfectly legal to do so. He said that as soon as the file was approved by the RTO and the High Security Registration Plates and Registration Card printed up he would send me the same through Courier or Registered Post.

I was a bit skeptical but a quick query on Team Bhp cleared my doubts.

Whoa! I could leave tomorrow night and take delivery the very next day!! Suddenly what seemed like an eternal wait melted away..

My fiancée and I decided to leave the very next night on an overnight Volvo and a close friend decided to accompany us as well for this most delightful of missions.

The next morning of Friday, 26th November was full of excitement and we packed up and booked our rooms for Saturday, 27th November at Hotel Valley View which was just 900 meters away from the Force Motors Dealership in Mandi. We were about to book bus tickets when a thought struck me and i called up the same bus conductor who had transported the Alloys and tyres.

He was indeed in Delhi and the bus was scheduled to leave at 9:30 PM the same day and would drop us outside our Hotel at 7:30-8:00 AM on Saturday 27th November!
I asked him to block the front seats and promised to pay him when we would all reach the bus.

He kindly obliged. Like a jigsaw puzzle everything started to fall into place very smoothly at this final juncture.

Before long it was time to get to the bus and we packed ourselves into an Uber and headed out. The bus arrived and we were comfortably seated right behind the driver with an expansive view of the road.
That is my fiancée on the left with our friend Aman in the center and me taking the obligatory selfie to mark the happy occasion!

Our fancy bus! Aman seems quite happy..


By 9:40 PM we were off and by 1 AM the chatter in the bus had died down. The air outside was cold and people wrapped themselves up in their shawls and blankets. The North Indian winter had truly set in. A slight fog obscured the views to our sides. All one could hear was the hum of the tyres on the smooth tarmac and the Air Suspension of the Scania Multiaxle lulled everyone to a restful sleep.

Everyone except for the Driver and a certain Bhpian on his way to the fruition of a long cherished idea of owning a Gurkha.

[Manuuj]

7:30 AM Saturday the 27th of September

The bus slowed to walking pace and the conductor pointed at the Force Showroom to our left. Through the fog i could just about make out the unmistakable silhouette of a Green Gurkha parked inside the glass facade of the brand new showroom of Ram Hari Motors.

Asterix!!

We got off at our hotel close by and headed to our rooms and then immediately to the restaurant for a hearty breakfast. I could barely wait for the showroom to open.

Though the heavy breakfast and the lack of sleep soon caught up and i passed out for a few hours. Then the phone rang and it was Manoj ji asking if i had arrived safely and what time would be suitable for him to come pick us up?

I dressed hurriedly and before he could leave to pick us up Aman and I were fast walking to the showroom 900 meters away. Here is our first look of it while walking towards it from our hotel.


We were greeted by a jovial gentleman Vishal ji who owns the establishment and a visibly surprised Manoj ji who was expecting to come and pick us up.. before long I was standing in front of Asterix!

Asterix was a looker! He looked a bit taller and beefier than the stock one parked next to it thanks to the Alloys and Radar Renegade RT+ tyres.

Soon a car was sent to pick up my fiancée from the Hotel and she too arrived soon after. Now she had never seen the 2021 Gurkha in person and was truly impressed by the way it looked and the presence it exuded.





















She and Aman took in every detail of the Gurkha that was much larger in the flesh than they had imagined.

"How can one even compare a Thar to this?" She quipped.. i just smiled and shrugged.

I was introduced to the staff who were all so welcoming and warm. The Head of Service at the showroom came and explained to me the various features, especially about the DPF system. We went over Asterix with a fine comb and also applied the Badge of Honor like the one which also adorned Obelix.

On the spur of the moment i decided that I would also like to have the Roof Carrier added and asked them to have it installed before delivery on Sunday 28th of November.

As we were talking Manoj ji excitedly came up and told us that our Registration file approval had just come through and 0747 had indeed been alloted to Asterix.

We would not need to drive down with temporary plates after all.

This was the perfect ending to a perfect day and we asked to he dropped to our Hotel for some much needed rest.

[Manuuj]

Sunday, 28th November 2021. D-Day.

There was nothing usual about the delivery experience.

I have been present for the delivery of about 12 brand new vehicles in my life. From a Maruti 800 to a Bentley GT.

While in every delivery experience the people have endeavoured to make it a happy and memorable experience it has always seemed artificial at some level.

They seem to go through well rehearsed motions with smiles, that while may not be insincere, do seem forced. The mandatory exchange of flowers, the photo, cutting the cake etc etc. Almost every dealership has the same SOP in place.

They did all the same things at Ram Hari Motors too but the difference was that neither their smiles nor the ceremony seemed forced.

I wasn't embarrassed for a moment, nor once did i have the thought to have it done and over with quickly. They did not seem rushed at all. I felt nothing but genuine warmth and happiness for me from each of them. They were delighted by my own excitement on finally owning a legendary Gurkha.

I will leave you with these pics from that memorable day when a quest that began sometime in 2008 finally ended on 28th November 2021.

That is the very patient, saint of a man- Manoj Ji and I.

















The next part of the review will cover the drive back from Mandi to Delhi, how the Asterix felt on the highway, my likes and dislikes so far and any modifications planned.

In short for now, i will say that Asterix performed very well on the Highway for the 500 km journey home.

*I was cruising at 80 to 90 kmph comfortably and the high seating position really was a great advantage.

* The Seats are large, supportive and comfortable. Better than the ones in my Endeavour without any doubt. The Rear seats are superb for passenger comfort and Aman had lots of knee room, head room and shoulder room. He slept quite peacefully most of the way back infact.

* Steering gave good feedback and was not light but not heavy either. I never felt any severe kickback and it posed no threat to my thumbs as was espoused by a certain enlighted reviewer of Autocar India.

* The headlights worked really well and a few dippers of the piercing LED headlights was all it took to make the vehicle in front give way. (Yes i was overtaking a lot of other vehicles in the Gurkha believe it or not!)

* The Day time running lights are bright and look very very good too.

* Seating fabric looks and feels of good durable quality. Seating position is very good and adds to safety.

* Music system is just about adequate. Can do with a bigger screen to be honest. Had no issues with the Android connection.

* Speakers may need upgrading according to ones likes and dislikes. I found them quite inadequate. This may be due to the very high end systems in our other cars.

* Front Fog lamp bulbs and the Horn will need upgrading for sure and are planned to be carried out by the 1st or 2nd of December.

* The suspension is superb and ate up bumps and undulations giving the Gurkha a very planted feel and no unnecessary bobbing or the infamous body roll were felt on the straight sections even if they had undulations. On heavy broken roads in the hills there was reasonable body roll as expected of a vehicle this tall with a body on frame chassis.

* There is ample space for luggage. We had one big hard case bag , one small cabin bag, one large duffel bag and two backpacks all of which fit in quite well. My father had insisted that we buy a whole lot of vegetables from Mandi (Himachal) on our way to Delhi. These also were easily placed and reached our kitchen unharmed.

* Gears are precise and slotted in effortlessly.. reminded me of my Swift infact. An enlightened reviewer on some channel had talked about how far ahead the gear lever is placed. Utter Nonsense.

Trust me on this- while seated if you are capable of touching your knees with your palms then you will not face any problems with the gear lever position of the 2021 Gurkha either.

*There was engine noise intrusion inside the cabin during acceleration and at high RPM. I will need to get sound damping done. (The Endeavour has spoilt me)

*Clutch is very light and has a good action.

* Acceleration was linear. I was changing from 4th gear to 5th gear at 80 kmph (when the audible speed alarm would go off), and then cruising happily at 90 kmph.

*It would make more sense to carry a few soft duffel bags inplace of large hardcase suitcases. These duffel bags would be lighter and easier to remove if there is a passenger in the rear seat who wants to exit the Gurkha.

* Brakes were fine but seemed to lack bite.. it took almost no time to rectify this today during a short visit to the workshop for some adjustments (30th Nov)

*Radar RT tyres also gave a pliant ride and gave the Gurkha a very planted feel. They also gave an added 1 inch increase in Ground clearance due to their 245/75 ratio compared to the stock 245/70 size.

34 inch on taller tyres


33 inch on stock tyres


* Fuel Economy was 9.8 kmpl on our mad dash to Delhi. First fuel up at Mandi..


* Jerry can holder was making some noise while going through bumps, rectified today during the short visit for adjustments.

* Rear Ladder needs another ladder to access. Bad design.

* Interior plastic quality is just fine and one can easily live with it. It is not "a Dealbreaker" at all. How much biased reviewers have harped about the plastic quality would make you think its made out of Bisleri Bottles. In reality it is absolutely fine and there wasn't a single creak on the worst hilly sections. It really makes me wonder about what levels auto journalism may have fallen to now.

* Rear Panoramic window is superb..my Beagle Benji loves it! The whole cabin feels very light and airy. It is a very easy place to spend time in and far from the claustrophobic dark interiors of other vehicles.


* Getting used to being stared at on the road. Everyone seems to turn around for a second glance!

I will make a short point wise review of the Gurkha in the next few days with Interior and Exterior photos in detail and also any modifications i may have carried out by then. My Initial Impressions and First Test Drive impressions have already been documented here on the forum whose links I have provided earlier.

For the sake of brevity I have not reproduced them here on this thread.

Hope you enjoyed the journey up to this point.. by the way things have gone so far, i am confident that my story ahead with Asterix and Force Motors will be a happy one.

They have honestly made me feel like family. That is so very reassuring. I know they will have my back if ever there is an issue with Asterix.

Once i got back to Delhi i got calls from Nitesh ji who is North India Sales Head of Force Motors asking if i faced any issues on my drive from the showroom to Delhi. I also got two separate calls from Manoj Palta ji the Manager Sales and from Vishal Verma Ji the Owner of the Force showroom at Mandi asking me the same.

Now, I am no VIP from any angle and if this is the level of service given to me, I believe it would be how they treat each of their customers. That is indeed heartening.

Force Motors has changed- and it is now high time we let go of our preconceived notions about them and change our perception about Force Motors too.

In my humble opinion Force Motors management and staff deserve praise for investing hundreds of crores in developing a product despite difficult market conditions and while doing so listening to their customers as well.

[Manuuj]

From what i have written above you may have gathered what drove me to get Asterix home. Lets now discuss my likes and dislikes about the 2021 Gurkha.

My Likes

- The way it looks. Its street presence. It turns heads everywhere. The design of the Gurkha is timeless and all the good parts of the design, its basic silhouette have been carried over with improvements.





- Its Size. Its a BIG TRUCK..An Alpha Male and it shows! It towers over everything on the road including my Endeavour. On the way back to Delhi i was overtaken by an Innova taxi and due to the percieved visual difference in size i honestly thought it was the Suzuki Ertiga.

-View from driver seat is fantastic


- Its Analog nature Not too many electronics or automation to worry about.

- No unnecessary add ons like electrically adjustable seats, automatic climate control, digital instrument panels etc to drive the price up. Its got all the basics one needs and more.

- The LED headlights Very effective and the DRL's look very very nice.


- The LED indicators on the fenders. Very stylish and very effective. Also give the G wagen feel.



- The Company Fitted Accessories like the Windshield guard, Rear Ladder, Rooftop Carrier are of a very high quality and finish and very reasonably priced. They are also ARAI approved and would not be classified as modifications. That is a huge advantage for safety and also for dealing with the Police incase they want to Fine you for it. At any point if they do decide to enforce the ban on modifications like metal bumpers/crash guards/ external fittings that protrude outside the bodyline then many a modified Thar could be in trouble.

A question to consider is..If no mods are allowed by Law, then which of the two between the Gurkha and the Thar, with only their ARAI approved and company fitted, accessories looks better?

- Company installed High Mounted Air Intake Snorkel
This will aid in getting cleaner air to the air filter in dusty conditions and also help prevent water damage to engine upto 700 mm during water crossings. I was informed by the Dealer in Mandi that this 700 mm figure is not measured from the ground but from the center of the wheel hub.
It also looks really good and compliments the look of Asterix. Also something that the cops cannot Fine you for since its ARAI approved and company fitted.

- The Plastic Quality of both the Bumpers, wheel arches and side cladding is very robust.

The strong Step is wide and easy to use.


- Paint Quality is excellent. The Green shade I have is metallic and looks really good under the Sun. It is a huge improvement from the earlier Gurkhas.

- No uneven panel gaps. Shut lines are tight and the Gurkha feels well put together. Must be a result of the all new tooling and all the new dies for the new body panels that Force Motors has invested in I suppose.

- The way one needs to climb into the Gurkha really makes one feel its a proper truck.

- The Spare Wheel is mounted to the rear door.No 4x4 should be without this feature. Not only does it look really good but its also easy to access if stuck offroad.

Did i mention it looks really good!

- The wide Panoramic Rear Windows They afford a fantastic view and let in a lot of light making the already cavernous cabin feel light and airy. I am glad the cabin roof is of a light color and a moulded oneat that.

- The Seats are large, wide and supportive. The seat base is wide as is the backrest. There is good side support as well as underthigh support. These seats are at par with any SUV many times over the price of the Gurkha.


The stiching in White is even and straight. It looks neat and well put togther.The stitched Gurkha logo is a superb design touch.


The Fabric used seems fit for purpose, hard wearing and is easy to clean. Force Motors seems to really have put in a lot of thought and effort into this aspect. Rear passengers are especially lucky to have arm rests as well. Maybe it was a safety issue to have it for the front passengers also- one cannot say. But I do wish the front passengers also had these. They are a boon on long drives.

- Plastic Quality of the dashboard is a huge improvement over the earlier Gurkha. Its feels robust and looks solid. I personally would have preferred it not to be all black.
The dark beige of the current Force Cruiser would have been welcome but that is a personal choice. Many would love the all black interiors. The moulded roof is of a light color thankfully and adds to the feeling of space.


- The Instrument Cluster is again a universe apart from the earlier Gurkha. Analog, easy to read and well lit. The Red needles look really nice. The tachometer seems especially pleased to be at home and not relegated to obscure positon on the dashboard. I personally prefer proper dials for the fuel and temperature meters though.


- The Doors shut with a nice thud Not the Mercedes G Wagen vault yet but not far either. The doors lock automatically once you cross 15-20 kmph.

- The door mounted Wing Mirrors with the tastefully integrated Khukri design are large enough to give a good view but small enough that they do not cause blind spots.

In comparison my Endeavours A pillar and Wing Mirror combination is akin to driving with blinders on.
These ORVM's are also going to be cheap to replace if stolen or damaged. No fancy cameras or motors here. I really appreciate that. A motorized one may have been quite convenient while reversing offroad or in tight spots ofcourse!

- The Door Pads are a mix of plastic and fabric and have a nice feel.

-The Headlight and Wiper stalks feel robust. The headlight levelling mechanism has been neatly integrated into the Headlight Stalk and works very well.

- The all new Gear Lever is stylish and easy to use as is the G28 Gearbox. One does not have to mount an expedition to search for lost gears anymore. No arm wrestling competitions with the gear lever shall be held here. Just a gentle nudge and they fall into their slots. I drove a manual vehicle after a 2.5 year gap when i took delivery of Asterix but never once had to take my eyes of the road to look for the correct gear slot. Huge improvement again! Well done Force Motors.


- The hand operated lever type Parking Brake is the traditional one and has a thick strong handle. Inspires more confidence than a flimsy button on the center console for the parking brake.

- Illuminated Ignition Key Slot Once again i am so glad that its not a stop start button. I don't have to place the keys anywhere in the car and look for it later. Its a great design you know..you slot the key in and twist the ignition. The car starts. The key sits and waits patiently in its place in the ignition slot for your hand to find it once the drive is over. They make no unannounced jamborees under the seats or worse between the seat and center console. No fumbling about in the dark for me anymore,wondering where I placed the damn key fob when I sat in the car. (as you grow older you will understand this point)

- The Foot Pedals are well spaced and placed.


There is no dead pedal but it is not required either. That is more of a feature for automatic vehicles.
There is enough space to rest my left foot. Also ergonomically a dead pedal would not work well since one sits high in the Gurkha and ON the seats rather than a "laid back angle."
The angle of the foot falls naturally flat and rests on the floorboard. With a dead pedal my left ankle would have been forced into an awkward upward angle.

- The 4X4 Transfer Case is also smooth. One does not have to wrestle with the gear..AS YET. It does vibrate sometimes though.
Prolonged disuse can cause it to need some mollycoddling at some point. I am literally ignoring that poor thing since i am sitting here writing this review instead of using that "Magic Lever".



- The two levers for Manual Rear and Front Differential Lock Enough said.





- Lockable Glove Box is a good feature. Too small though.

- Quite a Powerful HVAC system. Will cool or heat the cabin easily. Even on the first setting of the fan the air flow is very good. Air vents are well designed.



- Twin Roof Mounted Cabin lights to illuminate the whole cabin. They have the soft dimming feature when going off and that is nice.



- The Cabin is large and airy. No chance at all of feeling claustrophobic. The rear seats are slightly elevated and offer a great view of the road and out from those huge windows on either side. The armrests ensure that it a very comfortable place to be in. Leg space is also good.




- The Space for Luggage is also quite adequate at 500 liters. The added roof carrier makes it supremely practical for long overland trips. Loading lip is high though.





- Its Easy to Reverse as its not very long and one gets a very fair idea about its extremities from inside the Gurkha owing to its boxy design. I do miss a Rear camera though. High quality ones are easily available for under Rs. 2000.
I wish Force had not left this out. It will be a pain to have it intsalled now as significant amount of interior trim panels will have to be removed.

-The Poweplant is the well known 2.6 liter, 4 cylinder, In Line, Water Cooled, Turbocharged Mercedes derived Common Rail Direct Injection engine with overhead camshaft arrangement and is a tried and tested Motor. Its been around for a while and does the job well. It picks up speed in a linear manner and can cruise at 90 kmph all day. Its built to last a long time. The 90 bhp it produces sounds low on paper but in real life driving conditions it more than does the job. The 250 NM of torque give the engine a meaty feel. It never feels weak. The gearing makes it a breeze to drive in city traffic.

- The Clutch is a 240 mm diaphragm type single plate dry clutch and is quite light. The clutch action is also very smooth.

-The G28/5B Gearbox is easy to use and gears fall into place. It has synchromesh 5 forward and one reverse gear. The robust Transfer Case has 4x2 High, 4x4 High and 4x4 Low options.

- Front and Rear Hub Assemblyon the Gurkha has a unique arrangement of large capacity bearings with a collapsible bush between them. Ths proven design ensures that no adjustment of bearing play is required over long durations of usage.

- Robust C-In-C Chassis frame construction which can easily endure extreme on road and offroad abuse.

- The Front Suspension is Independent with coil springs mounted on struts, and double wishbone on each side.

- The Rear Suspension is MultiInk Coil Spring Suspension with Pan Hard Rod, Antiroll bar and Gas Charged Shock Absorbers. These ensure a comfortable stable ride and rear passengers do not get thrown about.

-In the Front and Rear Propeller Shaft a sound deadener material is added for reducing vibration.

- The Steering is Hydraulically Power Assisted Rack & Pinion type system is not light but not too heavy either and gives the Gurkha a small turning radius of 5.6 meters.
The adjustable tilt and telescopic steering allows one to choose the most convenient driving position. This is a great addition for driver comfort.

- Brakes are decent. The vaccuum assisted hydraulic brakes offer Disc in front and the Rear is a Drum type with ABS and EBD for added safety. The also feature auto wear adjusters hence frequent adjustments are not required.
The independent brake system for the front and rear wheels provides higher safety as even if the brakes on one axle fail the brakes in the other axle continue to work.

Lets now talk about what I do not like about the Gurkha:

My Dislikes

- Number 1 and top of the list is the Lack of proper recovery points It is a glaring omission. That screw in type tow hook provided must never be used for recovery. I am baffled as to why this was left out. Maybe the design of the front bumper conforming to the latest pedestrian safety rules had something to do with this.

- The lack of Rear View Camera. I will add this soon.

- The Sound System screen is quite small. A larger screen would have provided better readability. The volume controls are a pain to use while driving. Speakers need upgrading for sure.

- No steering mounted controls make changing Volume/Song/Channels on the Music system a safety issue as invariably one has to momentarily take ones eyes of the road.

- Fog Lamps are too small and weak.
I have already upgraded these to a Bi-LED Projector type Fog Lights and the results are brilliant.


- Horn is the wrong tone for a Gurkha. This is a muscular, hot blooded, alpha male of a car and deserves a better sounding horn. It doesn't have to be louder just a better tone. I have already upgraded this as well.

- Engine and Transmission noise in cabin cannot be ignored. It is noticable more at low speeds. On speeds over 60 kmph it seems to smoothen out. Will be investing in dampmat and sound proofing.

- The Grille will be painted the same Green as the car. I personally don't like the unpainted black finish of the grille.

- No storage in door pockets. Only good for a cloth and maybe a map.

- Lack of Center Storage Console which is a very convenient storage space and doubles as an arm rest too.

- No Arm rests on Front Seats like the Rear seats have.

- Glove box is laughably small.


- Getting back to the Unpainted Grill. Lets talk about design lines. If they had made the grill rectangular with straight lines at 90 degree angles like they had in the 2017-2019 Gurkha then the headlight surrounds would also have mimicked those lines. This would have given it a better face and closer to its G-Wagen, Defender design heritage.

The sloped design where the top of the grill is wider than the bottom have resulted in taking it closer to the Tata Sumo in looks. That one design element has robbed the Gurkha of its looks.

I do not know how long i can live with it looking like this. Will have to change it somehow. Many people have changed the grills of their Thars and i will find a solution for my Gurkha as well.

-Shiny Aluminium Side step. Will need to be Raptor coated black. As the Gurkha is quite high i dont think i will require rock sliders but those can always be added at a later date.

- Underbody Bash Plate is too low and a result of poor design. More like an afterthought. Will need to be redesigned or changed out.

-The high Jerry Can holder will make parking in underground parking lots very difficult/impossible.



-Steering wheel will need a stitched leather cover.

- The Moulded Rubber/PVC mats though look good are very difficult to remove for cleaning. They are held down with velcro and some plastic clips that make them impossible to remove.

- I am not in love with the Rear lights but dont hate them either. A little bit of "G Wagen/Defender rear light design plagiarism" would have not harmed anyone. Haha! Did not like the Stock Alloy Wheel and Ceat tyres so have changed that as well as i did explain earlier.



- The Rear Ladder needed to be two steps longer. It is unusable at the moment. Again only a design issue. It could have been made longer using the same mounting points that are present now. I will fabricate a solution for this too.



The TPMS sensor doesn't seem to work quite well. I would rather have it off.



Apart from these there isn't any thing else in particular that I dislike about the 2021 Gurkha.

[Manuuj]

The Bi LED fog lamps conversion works very well!












Low beam


High beam


High beam with White fog lamps


High beam with Yellow fog lamps


Costs

Gurkha Price: 13.59 Lacs Ex-Showroom.

Insurance - 54,000 Approx.

Registration & Road tax - 66,000/- (HP)

Hypothecation : 1500/-

Fast Tag: 500/-

Accessories: 24,000/- Approx.
(Rear Ladder, Carrier, Windshield guard)

Alloys: 35,000/-
Plati, PCD 160X5, 8.0J, CB-110 mm, ET- 0

Painting of Alloys was: 15,000/-

Tyres - 40,000 (after exchange of Ceats)
Make Radar Renegade RT+
245/75/R16, 10PR Rated, LT tyres.

Horn replacement- 900/-

Bi LED Fog Lamps- 7500/-

(All amounts in Indian Rupees)


- Fuel Efficiency: I filled up a full tank of Diesel at Mandi right after delivery. We them drove to Delhi and I also drove around in Delhi thereafter. When the fuel low warning chime beeped with the light in the the instrument cluster coming on, I filled up a full tank again.
By dividing the kms with fuel used I got an Average Mileage of 9.8 kmpl

It should improve with time.


This concludes my Initial Review of Asterix my "All New 2021 Force Gurkha".

It has certainly made huge leaps forward and has earned my respect. The same goes for "All New Force Motors" as well.

I shall be happy to answer any questions you may have and also shall keep updating this thread as often as possible with pics and any useful information as things go along.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

[Shreyans_Jain]

Perhaps the single most passionate ownership review on the forum! Heartiest congratulations. The car is an absolute looker. An old school hairy chested man’s car, if there ever was one.

Pls post details about the damping you intend to carry out.

[unk9ja]

Congratulations, Manuuj. Wishing you many happy miles and smiles all the way.
Here are few pictures from.a scale model bus with a foldable ladder. This might help you in fabricating the extension.






And please update this thread with your views along the way.

[Nair.V8]

@Manuuj Hearty congratulations on acquiring this beast! Love the tasteful mods you've carried out, looking forward to further updates on the ownership experience. Wish you a safe & joyful motoring journey!