New Mahindra Thar caught testing on video

Mahindra is working on the all-new generation of the Thar and it is expected to be launched in the Indian market next year. The all-new Thar has been caught testing several times on the Indian roads and this time the vehicle has been caught on the video.

The all-new Mahindra Thar has been posted by Himanshu Shandliya in 4X4 Group and was caught testing in Zirakpur, Punjab. it seems like the vehicle is heading to the mountains for cold weather testing. The vehicle was seen cruising on the highway at a good speed. The all-new Thar will be based on a new platform. It is the Gen3 platform that underpins the Mahindra Scorpio and the Mahindra TUV 300 in the Indian market. The all-new Thar is being tested under heavy camouflage but there is actually no lines or deep creases on the body that will make the vehicle look different without the camouflage.

The all-new Thar’s body is extremely wide but the overall length seems to be shorter than the current generation Thar. It is quite possible that Mahindra is currently the testing the new chassis of the Thar with a modified body and the final product will be quite different from the vehicle caught on the test. The all-new Mahindra Thar is expected to become much more premium and comfortable than the current version. It will likely to carry the same iconic design forward but Mahindra may change a few things to keep the model fresh in the market.

The upcoming SUV will be compliant with the upcoming Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assesment Program (BNVSAP). The new rules will be in place from next year and the all-new Thar is expected to be launched just before that. Mahindra engineers are spending a lot of time on the all-new Thar as the new platform does not allow much articulation, which may hamper the off-roading capabilities of the all-new Thar.

The all-new Thar is also expected to get more comfortable seats and it will be more stable on the open highways too. Inside, the Thar will get a complete revamp and we can expect modern-age gadgets including a touchscreen infotainment system. However, we expect the brand to offer a stripped-down, bare-bones version of the Thar for the hard-core off-roaders too.

Mahindra Thar competes with the Force Gurkha in the Indian market and in current states of tune, the Thar offers a lower power output than the Gurkha. Mahindra is also working on an all-new 2.0-litre diesel engine, which will replace the current 2.5-litre engine from the Thar. The all-new engine is expected to produce around 140 Bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. It will continue to offer the 4X4 set-up and the low-ratio transfer case, which increases the off-roading capability of the vehicle. The same engine is also expected to power the new Scorpio and the upcoming Mahindra XUV 500 in the future.