Next-generation Mahindra Thar, Scorpio & XUV500 to get SMALLER engine

With the upcoming safety and emission rules in India, manufacturers are working round the clock to develop new vehicles and engines that will be compliant with the new rules. While many vehicles are being upgraded to meet the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assesment Program (BNVSAP), a lot of manufacturers are working on all-new engines to meet the upcoming BS-VI emission norms. Mahindra is also working on the all-new Thar and it is expected to be launched in 2020.

According to the new details on ACI, the all-new Thar will be powered by the new 2.0-litre diesel engine that is currently under development. We have already seen the pictures of the all-new upcoming Thar testing on the Indian roads and it is quite possible that the new engine is being tested underneath the heavily camouflaged body of the upcoming Thar.

The all-new BS-VI compliant diesel engine of the Mahindra is expected to churn out more power. Currently, the Mahindra Thar’s 2.5-litre engine produces a maximum power of 105 Bhp and a peak torque of 247 Nm. With the new engine, the power and torque figures are expected to rise to around 140 Bhp and 300 Nm.

Apart from the Mahindra Thar, the all-new diesel engine will also power the new Mahindra Scorpio. Recently, Mahindra launched the facelifted Scorpio with updated power figures but it is not BS-VI compliant. Even the Mahindra XUV500 is expected to get the same engine with the power figures revised to around 180 Bhp. The all-new engine will be launched in the range of Mahindra products before the BS-VI emission norm gets into place in 2020.

The Mahindra Thar will be updated all around with the update. It will get a new platform that will also underpins the Mahindra Scorpio and the TUV 300 in the Indian market. With the new platform, the all-new Thar is expected to become much more smooth and highway-worthy. However, Mahindra engineers are expected to alter the chassis to ensure that the Thar maintains its off-roading capabilities. The Gen3 chassis that will underpin the all-new Thar has limited articulation when compared to the current-generation Mahindra Thar. However, it will be modified to ensure that the platform change does not limit its off-roading capabilities.

The all-new Mahindra Thar is expected to be bigger in size when compared to the current model and the pictures of the spy vehicle show the same. It also gains on the width and looks a total badass. However, it is quite possible that Mahindra is testing out the new chassis under a modified body of the Mahindra Thar and the all-new body of the Thar may look a lot different from what we saw in the spy shots.

The spy pictures of the all-new Thar also reveals the independent coil spring suspension, which replaces the current leaf-spring suspension from the rear. It would mean that the all-new Thar will get a torsion beam in the rear, which will improve the stability of the vehicle by a great deal. The all-new Thar is also expected to get a host of creature comfort features inside the cabin.