Next-gen Mahindra Thar unveiled

Mahindra has unveiled the next generation Thar on the occasion of India's 74th Independence Day. The SUV will be launched on October 2, 2020.

The new Thar is based on the Gen3 chassis that is claimed to have better torsional rigidity. It appears to be wider than its predecessor and features a completely redesigned exterior. While the design is new, it's a modern take of the previous Thar's retro looks. The SUV has a ground clearance of 226 mm and can wade through 650 mm. It has a 42 degree approach angle and a 37 degree departure angle.

Mahindra Thar Chassis highlights:

• Body-on-Frame Construction
• Independent Front Suspension & Multi-Link Rear Suspension set-up
• Shift-on-the-Fly 4x4 Manual Shift Transfer Case with Low Ratio
• Mechanical Locking Differential on the Rear Axle
• Brake Locking Differential
• Approach angle -41.8 deg, Departure angle -36.8 deg, Ramp over angle -27 deg.
• Ground clearance of 226 mm in unladen condition
• Water wading depth of 650 mm
• All-Terrain Tyres 255/65 R18
• Electromechanical Driveline Disconnect

The new Thar gets a revised grille but retains the circular headlamps and wide fenders. Customers can choose between a soft top and a hard top. The SUV rides on 5-spoke alloy wheels shod with wider tires. It also gets a tail gate mounted spare wheel.

Just like the exterior, Mahindra has also reworked the interior of Thar. The interior is washable and now features a front facing rear seat and has roof mounted speakers. The new dashboard houses a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit with weather resistant switches. It also displays the pitch and roll angles, G meter among other parameters. The new instrument cluster houses a colour TFT display.

Mahindra Thar convenience features:

• Front-Facing Rear Seats with 50:50 split
• Roof mounted speakers
• Height Adjustable Driver Seat with Adjustable Lumbar Support
• 7-inch Touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Smart Watch & Phone Connectivity with Blue Sense App
• Drizzle resistant (IP54 Standard) dashboard switches
• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
• Tyre Direction Monitoring System
• Cruise Control

The new Thar is available with two engine options. These include a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder mStallion petrol that produces 150 BHP and 320 Nm and a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel that makes 130 BHP and 320 Nm. Both engines are available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive with a manual shift transfer case is standard across all variants.

The new Thar comes in two trim levels AX (Adventure Series) and LX (Lifestyle Series). The AX series comes with a fixed soft top, side facing seats, steel wheels, mechanical lockable differentials and a manual transmission. The LX Series gets a soft top or hard top and automatic transmission option for the diesel, while the petrol engine comes with an automatic transmission only.

The Thar is equipped with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, cruise control, hill hold assist, hill descent control, optional roll cage and ISOFIX child safety seat anchors.

Mahindra Thar Safety features:

• Crash-safety compliant bodyshell
• ESP with Rollover Mitigation
• Built-in Roll-cage with 3-Point Seat belts for all passengers
• Dual Airbags & ABS
• Hill Hold & Hill Descent Control
• ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts
• Intellipark: Rear Parking Sensors

The new Thar is available in six colour options - Red Rage, Mystic Copper, Galaxy Grey, Napoli Black, Rocky Beige and Aquamarine.

Click here to watch the detailed exterior and interior videos of the new Thar.