Indian SUV giant, Mahindra & Mahindra, has just announced that the second generation of its popular off-road SUV has hit the 1-lakh production mark. The new Mahindra Thar’s attractive package and class leading safety has helped the automaker achieve the milestone within 2.5 years of its launch.
Mahindra Thar: What is it?
The second-generation Thar is a lifestyle SUV, that is popular for its rugged looks and best-in-class performance. The SUV was unveiled on August 15, 2020, and was launched in October of the same year. Compared to its bare-bones and rugged predecessor, the new Thar is aimed at both off-road enthusiasts and daily drivers alike.
It proved to be an immediate hit for the brand with over 75,000 bookings within the first 12 months of launch. In fact, Mahindra had to ramp up production of the new Thar by 50% just to meet the overwhelming demand as waiting periods had stretched to over a year.
The 3-door Thar is offered in both soft-top and hard-top variants. Mahindra also recently expanded the lineup with the introduction of the rear-wheel drive model. The new model is priced considerably lower than the AWD variants and is aimed at buyers who don’t use the 4x4 system very often but love the imposing size of the Thar.
Mahindra Thar: Powertrain Details
Mahindra offers both petrol and diesel powertrain options on the Thar. The former is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor that pumps out 150 bhp with 300 Nm of peak torque. Diesel options includes either a 2.2-litre turbocharged unit making 130 bhp or the recently introduced 1.5-litre turbodiesel that churns out 118 bhp of max power. Both motors make an identical 300 Nm of peak torque.
Transmission options include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
Mahindra Thar: Pricing and Rivals
Prices for the Mahindra Thar start from Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom) for the AX Opt RWD Hard Top Diesel variant, going up to Rs 16.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the LX Hard Top Diesel AT model.
Currently, the only direct rival of the Thar is the Force Gurkha which is priced at Rs 14.75 lakh (ex-showroom).
Read Also: Mahindra Thar 4x4 Entry Level Variant Launching Soon
