With new norms for safety set to kick in, Mahindra has gotten to work on a brand new Thar that will launch in 2020. The new Thar which is still in pre-production testing was caught on camera during a test-cycle in South India. This is in-line with Mahindra’s revamp policy that will see a full revamp of their entire range of SUVs, starting with the Thar and the Bolero which don’t meet norms in their present avatar. The new purpose-built utes will be safer, with upgrades to the chassis as well as the newer modern day safety features. They are likely to be followed by a new generation of the Mahindra Scorpio as well as a new generation of the XUV500.
Interestingly, in the new generation, both, the Mahindra Bolero and the Thar will be based on the same platform according to reports on cardekho.com. Which explains the larger footprint of the Thar that was spotted testing recently. Expect the new Thar to be stronger, lighter (in terms of platform) and come loaded with a whole new list of present generation safety features. The likes of ABS, EBD and dual airbags can be expected. However, what caught our eye in the latest report is the fact that the new platform will be compliant with both petrol and electric motors.
Once again, expect Mahindra to flex its Pininfarina muscle when it comes to the design of these two utility vehicles. Other things one can expect in terms of creature comforts and modern amenities like touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity; and steering mounted controls. Naturally, the Thar will get an updated version of the 2.2-litre mHawk engine which will be BS6 complaint. Although, expect a hefty price hike on the new generation Thar which currently retails for a floor price of about Rs 8 lakh. Being one of India’s oldest sweethearts, the Mahindra Thar will have all eyes on it through the testing cycle so expect a lot more as time goes by!
