The Mahindra Thar has been in the news for quite some time now. Needless to say, it has a wide fan following among enthusiasts.
A modern version of the most-capable off-roader in India, many have been waiting for this new Mahindra to reach dealerships. Many have been wondering if the new version of the Thar will build upon its strengths or will it lose some of its old school charm in favour of many things modern.
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Details Revealed
We now have at least some confirmed news as to what powertrain and transmission will be on offer. The latest video shot a heavily camouflaged new Thar while testing and confirmed that the latest iteration will offer an automatic gearbox with a new diesel powertrain. The video uploaded on YouTube also gives us a glimpse of the interiors of the upcoming SUV.
Expected Powertrain & Transmission
Powering the 2020 Mahindra diesel automatic will be most likely be the 2.2-litre mHawk turbocharged diesel engine. Its transmission will most likely be a 6-speed torque converter manufactured by Aisin. As one can see clearly in the video, it has a low-range shifter next to the gear knob, suggesting it will also get the 4×4 drivetrain with the automatic gearbox.
Apart from the diesel unit, the next-generation Thar is also said to offer a petrol mill for the first time. The newly developed 2.0-litre mStallion petrol engine is said to crank out a hefty 190 PS of power. While it is not confirmed but the petrol unit is also to be offered with a 6-speed automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual gearbox will be standard on both the powertrains.
Exterior Design
The new Thar is expected to be larger than the outgoing model but is expected to retain its classic styling. Moreover, spy images have revealed that the car is likely to get LED taillights and is expected to be offered with a factory-fitted hard-top in addition to the soft-top variant. The new Thar is also expected to ride on bigger 18-inch alloys with a five-spoke design. The spied test mules also featured a large spare wheel mounted on the rear door.
Interior & Expected Features
As far as the interiors go, the spy video also gives a look at some of the comfort and convenience features of the 2020 Mahindra Thar like automatic climate control, colour MID, multifunction steering wheel and cruise control. It also gets a new touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The new Thar will also get forward-facing rear seats for the first time along with a slew of safety updates like disc brakes on all wheels, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, and rear parking sensors.
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The launch of the fully updated Thar has been hanging in the loop for quite some time now. If not for the imposed lockdown due to Covid-19, the new Thar would have most probably arrived in the markets by now but sources now reveal that the wait has further extended to October when the popular off-roader will make its appearance in the market. The new Thar was supposed to be launched in April this year but the Covid-19 pandemic played spoilsport and the company had to put the launch on hold.