Much-Awaited Mahindra Thar Caught Testing in Himachal Pradesh

Mahindra is getting the next-generation Thar ready, and there are numerous spy pictures of the vehicle testing under heavy camouflage. The latest pictures of the upcoming Mahindra Thar comes from the Himalayas, where the same vehicle can be seen testing on the rough roads. These pictures come from Kullu, Himachal Pradesh by Akash Abrol in 4X4 India group.

A few days ago, the all-new Mahindra Thar was caught testing in Zirakpur, Punjab and it was caught doing off-roading on video too. The all-new Thar is expected to be launched by the end of this year. It should be noted that the new Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assesment Program (BNVSAP) will be implemented in India on 1st October 2019 and the current version of the Thar will not pass the minimum safety requirement.

The all-new Thar will use the new Gen3 platform that underpins the vehicles like Mahindra Scorpio and the Mahindra TUV 300 in the Indian market. The new platform is expected to make the vehicle much more stable on the highways and will make it much more comfortable compared to the current version of the vehicle. However, the Gen3 platform does not offer as much articulation as the current version of the Thar, which will affect the vehicle’s off-roading capabilities. However, Mahindra engineers are expected to iron out these problems and make the all-new Thar as capable as possible.

The all-new Mahindra Thar will also come with an all-new engine. After the new BNVSAP rules, India will get the BS-VI emission norms in 2020. Mahindra is working on an all-new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that will power the new-age Mahindra vehicles in the Indian market. The all-new 2.0-litre engine is expected to produce around 140 Bhp and peak torque of around 300 Nm. The features like 4X4 drivetrain set-up with a low-ratio transfer case will be available with the all-new Thar too. Mahindra will also offer the same engine the upcoming all-new Scorpio and the all-new XUV 500 in the Indian market. Even though the all-new engine has a lower displacement, it offers much more power and torque than the current 2.5-litre engine.

The heavily camouflaged all-new Thar seen in the pictures looks much wider and bigger than the current version of the Thar. However, the wheelbase looks similar to the current version. There is a possibility that Mahindra is testing the all-new engine and the chassis of the upcoming Thar under a modified phantom body. However, Mahindra is not expected to drastically change the looks of the upcoming Thar. It will get the same iconic design that attracts a lot of customers to the SUV.

The all-new Mahindra Thar will also get a lot of features. It is expected to get the front facing rear seats and a touch-screen infotainment system too. Mahindra will also add ABS+EBD, parking sensors and airbags to the all-new Thar to meet with the new norms. We do hope that Mahindra brings the barebone version of the Thar known as the Roxor, which is powered by the 2.5-litre DI engine and is available exclusively in the USA market. Even though it would not be road legal, it will be the first choice of many off-roading enthusiasts.