The first unit of the second-gen Mahindra Thar was sold via online auction, and the vehicle has now been delivered to its owner
The all-new Mahindra Thar has managed to create quite a buzz in the Indian market. The vehicle was launched in India last month, and has managed to garner a huge positive response. Bookings for the SUV have gone through the roof, and Mahindra is planning to increase production capacity to meet demand.
The demand for the new-generation Thar is so overwhelming, that the waiting period for the SUV is currently estimated at six months! Customers, who’ve booked their Thar in October, will receive the vehicle in late March or April. Even with such a long waiting period, the demand for the vehicle is only expected to grow in the near future.
Regular readers would remember that the first unit was sold via online auction, the proceedings of which were donated to a charity of the winner’s choosing (Swades Foundation in this case). Mahindra & Mahindra also donated an equal amount to the charity. The second-gen Thar ‘#1’ was bought by Aakash Minda, CEO of Minda Corporation. In an interview with Mr. Anand Mahindra, Minda had stated that his family, mainly his grandfather and father, were also fans of the Thar and its predecessors.
For the winning bid of the exclusive ‘#1’ model, Minda splurged a massive Rs. 1.11 crore! Minda has opted for the LX petrol automatic variant, with the convertible soft-top roof. He has chosen the ‘Mystic Copper’ exterior paint scheme, which is one of the most unique colour options in the Indian market. Other paint options on the Thar include Rocky Beige, Red Rage, Galaxy Grey, Napoli Black, and Aqua Marine.
As for the regular Thar, it’s much more affordable than the above bid! Its price ranges from Rs. 9.8 lakh to Rs. 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi), and it is available in three trim levels – AX, AX (O), and LX. As for the powertrain options, you can choose between a 2.0-litre ‘mStallion’ petrol engine and a 2.2-litre ‘mHawk’ diesel motor.
The gasoline engine belts out 150 PS and 320 Nm (300 Nm on MT), while the oil-burner develops 130 PS and 300 Nm. Both the engines can be had with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. A transfer case is available as standard, with three modes – 4L, 4H, and 2H.