5-door Mahindra Thar is expected to go on sale next year in India and it will likely have its overall length and wheelbase stretched to accommodate rear doors
Following good reception for the latest launches, the XUV700 and the second generation Thar, Mahindra & Mahindra is working on a host of products while investing heavily in electrification. In the coming months, Mahindra will introduce the new-gen Scorpio based on a new platform with a number of revisions inside and out and it will be offered in six- and seven-seater layouts.
In July 2022, Mahindra will host the world premiere of three Born Electric Vision based concepts and they will give rise to production models in the coming years. Reports suggest that the homegrown SUV specialist is also developing the electrified versions of XUV300 and KUV while the five-door variant of the Thar enhancing its practicality further could be bound for 2023.
The Thar in its latest avatar has transitioned into a lifestyle off-roader and the arrival of a five-door version will help in stretching the portfolio further to appeal to a wider audience. Reports indicate that the five-door Thar has been given the nod and it will target family-based customers wanting to have additional space at the rear and the trunk.
However, the rugged off-roading capability will be kept intact. Mahindra will add two more doors at the rear to the existing three-door version and its overall length and wheelbase are expected to increase to accommodate more passengers. By stretching the wheelbase length, the rear wheel arches can be moved back to allow for a wider rear seat.
But, the off-roading capability could be compromised as the breakover angle would be reduced generally. In addition, the track between the wheels should be increased for optimal wheelbase to track ratio to ensure stability. It will have to be waited and seen the solution Mahindra would come up with though with the five-door Thar without hindering its go-anywhere nature.
The features list is expected to replicate that of the three-door Thar but with a slew of enhancements. As for the performance, the same 2.0-litre mStallion petrol and 2.2-litre mHawk diesel will be utilised, paired with a six-speed manual and a six-speed torque converter AT. The power and torque figures could grow slightly as well.