Mahindra is getting ready to launch a new Thar – This will come with 5 doors, and will be larger than current Thar
Mahindra hit a home run when they launched Thar in India. This marked the revival of the lifestyle off-roader genre that was on the verge of doom. One can say that Thar single-handedly saved this genre. With Jeep-inspired design, Mahindra Thar has a massive fan following.
5-Door Thar – New fascia for new markets?
Mahindra has been working on a 5-door Thar for some time now. Launch is slated to take place in early 2024. This might be a good opportunity for Mahindra to work on having a slightly different fascia for Thar. Recent spy shots show just that. This is not a massive overhaul in design as opposed to the 3-door model.
In these spy shots, we can see a new grill that features five parallel pairs of vertical slats as opposed to six single slats on current Thar. There is a horizontal divide in the middle, for each slat pair. Headlight unit now has a projector setup. These headlights might feature LEDs along with LED fog lights.
Projector headlight setup is a step up from current Thar. LED DRLs are in a similar position to the current 3 door model, as are its fog lights. Bumper, bonnet clamps, fenders and other body panels still resemble the current Thar. However, there could be changes, further down the testing phases.
Wheels look similar to the 3-door Thar, but have camouflage. Previous test mules show the presence of a single-pane sunroof as well. There aren’t any Thar.e inspired attributes as of yet.
Same powertrains as current Thar?
There is slight upmarket appeal with 5-door Thar. Rear door handles are in the C-pillar and the frame around the front windshield is ever so slightly narrow, especially where IRVM is. 5-door Thar gets an armrest for the front seats. This armrest unit might very well house rear AC vents too. Infotainment system might see an overhaul with a larger unit as well.
Previous spy shots showed 5-door Thar test mules with a 4X2 setup and automatic transmission combination. This means RWD petrol MT and petrol AT variants are likely. We hope Mahindra introduced the 1.5L diesel as well, considering how popular it is with 3-door Thar. Mahindra offers the same 1.5L diesel on a similarly sized Marazzo. So, why not?
State of tune for both the 2.0L turbo petrol and 2.2L turbo diesel could be different as opposed to the outgoing 3-door model. The 6-speed MT and TC transmission options will probably remain as they are. Launch will happen in early 2024 and will go against its primary rival, Force Gurkha 5-door. Prices could be about Rs 1-2 lakh more than 3 door Thar.
