Updated BS-VI compliant Force Trax spotted in Leh

The Indian automobile industry is gearing up to meet the upcoming BS-VI emission norms that will come into force from April 2020. These norms might well be imposed on commercial vehicles and the reason why Force Motors is busy testing their MPV, the Trax, in parts of Ladakh. Our reader Yayaati sent us these images earlier today.

As seen, the BS-VI ready Trax will also get revised styling which is a welcome move given that the design has been carried forward for over a decade now. Only the front end will get a major change as the rest of the body was not camouflaged at all. Clear lens headlamps with indicators stalked above, a new grille and revised cladding is expected to be offered. Likewise, the rear tail lamp assembly will also be altered.

The biggest change will be under the hood. It is not clear at this stage if Force Motors will retain the current 2.0-litre diesel motor that puts out 67 bhp of power and 175 Nm of torque. Bosch has been a partner with Force for years now and they will end up providing a lot of inputs (like the heating plugs) to ensure the diesel engine meets a very particular parameter which is included in BS-VI validation. This is the cold start test wherein diesel engines are expected to start in temperatures as low as -15 degrees! This is the reason why the Force Trax is being subjected to such extremes in Ladakh right now.

No other changes are expected in the vehicle. This is a popular mode of transport in rural areas and comes in various versions like Cruiser, Toofan, Gama etc. Though a 12+D seating configuration is offered, it a common sight to see over 20 people inside this large MPV. The Trax gets power steering and ABS as optional. The independent front suspension is a boon in terms of ride quality and Force claims it has the most spacious interiors for the segment. The Gama model also offers optional air-con along with 4×4 and this is geared towards private buyers. For adventure seekers, Force offers the Gurkha model that is largely based on this but was updated recently with a new 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine made under license from Mercedes-Benz. Available in the Xtreme 4×4, this updated Gurkha is the thing to own if adventure is in your blood!