5-door Mahindra Thar is expected to go on sale sometime next year and the global debut will more likely happen at the 2023 Auto Expo
Mahindra & Mahindra introduced the second generation Thar in late 2020 and it has been well received by customers. It is currently the best-selling lifestyle off-roading SUV in the country. The Thar has transformed from a bare basic off-roader to a lifestyle and more premium offering in its latest avatar with decent road manoeuvres.
It is expected to switch up the proceedings as a five-door variant is certainly under development. It will more likely go on sale sometime next year and it will face competition from the upcoming five-door Maruti Suzuki Jimny and the five-door Force Gurkha. In a recent interview, R Velusamy, Senior Vice President, Head – Automotive Product Development, Mahindra shed some light on the matter.
He said: “We will tweak it a little bit depending on the length, but we will build it on this (Scorpio N’s platform)”. The Scorpio N is based on a new ladder frame construction and is a heavily revised version of the architecture than underpins the existing three-door Thar. In the Scorpio N, Mahindra worked on improving the handling characteristics and overall ride quality at high speeds.
Besides the wider track and increased length, the key difference compared to the Thar’s platform is the increased stiffness. He further noted that 81 per cent of the Scorpio N’s chassis is made of high-strength steel and changes were made to make it “very very stiff.” With the stiffer platform used in the Scorpio N being used for the five-door Thar, it will more likely have enhanced practicality and interior space.
The chances of the upcoming Thar getting a five-link rear suspension at the back are also high and in comparison to the Scorpio N, the overall length could be shorter. Thus, the five-door Mahindra Thar will likely be stiffer with added stability and a roomier cabin compared to the three-door model. The trunk space may also increase compared to the three-door Thar.
As for the performance, the same 2.0-litre mStallion turbo petrol and the 2.2-litre mHawk turbo diesel engines will likely be utilised. Expect the five-door Mahindra Thar to make its local debut in January 2023 at the Auto Expo.