Next-gen Force Gurkha will take on Mahindra Thar and upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny
For folks who may have been waiting for all-new Force Gurkha, the wait may soon be over. Latest leaked images reveal the updated off-roader in what appears to be production ready guise. Hat tip to Neelesh Bajaj for sharing the images.
The photos here are from leaked brochure leaflet which will soon be shared online by Force Motors. The SUV’s launch has already been delayed by several months. Force Motors would surely be working hard to make the updated model available at showrooms as soon as possible.
New Force Gurkha design and features
As compared to the outgoing model, all-new Gurkha looks a lot more rugged. The SUV is also expected to get new colour options. Some key visual updates include new front grille, retro-themed round headlamps with LED DRLs, refreshed front and rear bumpers and new fog lamp assembly.
The side profile has prominent wheel arches with thick cladding and new 16-inch alloy wheels. Some of the key accessories that are likely to be offered include heavy duty roof carrier, snorkel and tailgate mounted spare wheel.
On the inside, next-gen Force Gurkha gets a centre console, entirely new dashboard and touchscreen infotainment system. It is expected that the infotainment system will have support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The SUV gets semi-digital instrument console with a centrally placed digital MID, flanked by tachometer and speedometer. It is expected to have manual controls knobs for the air conditioning.
2021 Force Gurkha powertrain
In its BS4 format, Force Gurkha was offered with a 2.2-litre diesel and a 2.6-litre diesel engine. BS6 compliant all-new Gurkha is expected to be initially offered with only a 2.6 litre diesel motor. Power output is expected to be slightly higher at 90 hp, as compared to 85 hp of the BS4 engine. It will be mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The more powerful 2.2 litre diesel unit could be introduced at a later date. It is expected to deliver 140 hp / 321 Nm.
Just like its predecessor, new Gurkha will have both 2×2 and 4WD variants. The latter will have differential lock on both axles, which significantly improves off-roading capabilities. Other changes in 2021 Gurkha include a new chassis and bodyshell. These have been designed to comply with new safety norms related to crash test as well as upcoming pedestrian safety regulations.
As may be recalled, new-gen Gurkha was showcased at 2020 Auto Expo. It was supposed to be launched in 2020, but things got delayed on account of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown. As the second Covid wave is currently active and lockdown has been imposed in various areas, challenges still persist. In these circumstances, Force Motors could probably go for an online launch event. This route has already been utilized by other automakers in the past.
