NEW DELHI: Mahindra on Saturday revealed the 2020 Thar. The launch and bookings for off-road capable SUV will being on October 2.
“Thar is an icon. There were many aspects that were intrinsic to its character. We retained them and at the same time, we also addressed some of the customer requirements. We built it with modern conveniences and make it really safe,” said Ramkripa Ananthan, chief designer of automotive business, M&M.
The classic proportions of the Thar had to be changed. Mahindra increased the track to 1,820 mm to liberate more space inside the cabin. The company has unsized the tyres, and now Thar sits on R18 (255/65) tyres. Thar’s wheelbase was increased for easier ingress and egress.
The horizontal hood was raised to meet pedestrian safety. Thar features unique wheel arches – trapezoidal at the front and circular at the rear. Faux skid plates are added to both ends to break the design monotony.
The new Mahindra Thar comes with two engine options- 2.0-litre mStallion petrol engine and the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine. The petrol engine can churn out 152 PS of power and offers a peak torque of 320 Nm. The diesel engine can churn out 131 PS of power and offer a peak torque of 300 Nm.
The 2020 Thar comes with a 6-speed manual transmission as well as a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The 4×4 powertrain comes as standard.
The 2020 Thar boasts 3rd-gen chassis with greater rigidity for superior off-roading capability. In addition to that, the 6-seater off-roader has a water wading ability of 650 mm.
Mahindra Thar comes with washable interiors to make the off-roading experiences more carefree. Inside the cabin, the all-new Thar flaunts a retro-modern look with an all-new dashboard, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, multi-colored TFT MID in the instrument cluster, all-new roof-mounted speakers and steering mounted controls.
The new Mahindra Thar’s infotainment system comes with a very unique feature. The 7-inch touchscreen displays the real-time stats of the vehicle for both on-road and off-road drive.
The Mahindra Thar will be available in two variants- AX (adventure variant) and LX- (lifestyle variant). The standard features include fixed soft top, dual airbags, ABS and rear parking assist.
