Force Motors is getting ready to launch the new 5 door version of Gurkha SUV in India
The new gen Mahindra Thar has been dominating the lifestyle off-roader segment in India since its launch. The segment has extremely limited competition, which comes from Force Gurkha alone. However, despite a launch of a new gen version, Gurkha hasn’t been able to draw a considerable number of customers to Force Motors’ showrooms as of yet. The current never-ending waiting period for Thar is a clear testimony to the same.
However, folks at Force Motors clearly want Gurkha to do better. Hence, the team has been testing a new iteration of the Gurkha, along with 5 doors and with a seating capacity of up to 7. While, we don’t think that a 5-door version alone could be a game changer for Gurkha, it clearly should aid in some additional sales for the SUV.
Force Gurkha 5 Door At Dealer Showroom
Currently, Gurkha is sold in a single, 3-door variant. It gets a single diesel engine option and a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. The model is 4×4 capable but misses out on some of the fancier features like a convertible roof-top, sunroof etc. Now, the 5 door version of Gurkha has arrived at the dealer showroom for staff training ahead of official launch.
Looking at spyshots, it is safe to presume that the 5-door variant will be larger in dimensions than its 3-door counterpart. Current model measures 4,116 mm in length, 1,812 mm in width and has a height of 2,075 mm. 5-door model should be considerably longer to accommodate the additional row of seats.
Different set of spyshots have captured the Gurkha in multiple seating configurations. Force could offer Gurkha 5-door in 3 different seating configurations. These would include a 6-seater, 7-seater and a 9-seater layout. 6-seater version is expected to have 2 captain seats on both, second and third rows. 7-seater variant should have a bench seat in the second row and captain seats in the third row. 9-seater variant is expected to have a front-facing bench for second row and two side-facing bench seats for third row. In the past, we have seen similar configurations in other models like Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus.
Like its 3-door counterpart, the 5-door variant will get a 2.6 litre common rail turbo diesel engine, which is technically a Mercedes model. The unit dishes out 91 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. It powers a long range of vehicles from Force Motors’ stable. 4×4 system is expected to be carried over, along with mechanically lockable front and rear differentials.
Force might offer 2 different wheel sizes as per spyshots. The top of the line trims could get 18-inch alloys while entry level trims could get smaller steel rims. On the features front, we expect 5-door Gurkha to get features like a rear camera, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital MID screen and power windows.
Launch and Competition
The current 3-door Gurkha is priced at INR 14.75 lakhs (ex-showroom). We expect the 5-door model to cost around a lakh more than its 3-door variant. Competition of Gurkha currently will be limited to just the Mahindra Thar. Later, Gurkha should face additional competition from Suzuki Jimny, as and when Maruti finally decides to bring the product to the country. Talking about launch, as the test mules in recent spy-shots look production-ready, it is fair to presume that Force should launch the 5-door variant in upcoming months.
