The BS6 Force Gurkha should have arrived at the showroom floors a long time back. Its arch-rival, the Mahindra Thar has already received a generational update and even after a year since it was launched, it is still one of the most sought-after vehicles in the Indian automotive scenario. To make a dent in Thar’s popularity and sales, it was necessary for Force to launch the Gurkha soon. The pandemic might have played a huge spoilsport in ruining the launch timeline but now the company has officially announced that the BS6 Force will break cover on September 15th.
Updated aesthetics
The new Gurkha is expected to carry over most of the exterior aesthetics from the car showcased at the Auto Expo in 2020. The same is visible in what seems to be an official brochure that was leaked earlier. Starting with the front, the Gurkha has the hard to miss tall and boxy stance. The round housing for the headlamps, a large Force logo in the middle, chrome elements running across are all reminders of the mighty G63.
The sides are home to the 16-inch alloys and heavy rubber cladding that give the Gurkha its much-loved rugged look. The rear is expected to house the spare wheel, a narrow ladder and a carrier at the top.
Interior
The spy shot that surfaced on the internet, revealed some important aspects of the interior. Adding to the excitement, the new Gurkha will feature a redesigned dashboard along with circular AC vents and a touchscreen infotainment system.
Expected specs
Mechanically, the Gurkha is expected to be powered by a 2.6L, 4-cylinder Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) engine which puts out 90BHp and 260Nm of peak output figures. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Gurkha could also feature manual-locking diffs. Force could also introduce 2.2L diesel propelled Gurkha with more power at a later stage. The model is expected to get a 4×4 version as well.
The second-gen Gurkha has been spied on multiple occasions and now that it finally gets its reveal date, off-road enthusiasts who were patiently waiting for its launch can now breathe a sigh of relief. However, it remains to be seen that how the new Gurkha impacts the already established Mahindra Thar.