Five-Door Mahindra Thar Could Enhance The Off-Roader’s Overall Practicality

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Rendering Source: SRK Designs

The five-door version of the Mahindra Thar could only launch in the near future and expect it to be powered by both petrol and diesel engines

Mahindra & Mahindra removed the entry-level AX variants from its website and it appears to have been due to the low demand. The homegrown UV specialist is said to have paused reservations and halted the production as it concentrates on meeting the demand created elsewhere. Currently, the hardtop and automatic transmission-equipped variants in both fuel options are preferred by buyers largely.

The top-end LX automatic trims have a long waiting period of up to seven months. While the bookings for the AX variants are expected to resume in the near future, Mahindra has already made it official that it is ramping up the production from 2,000 to 3,000 units per month in January 2021. In just a month of its debut, the second-gen Thar garnered well over 20,000 bookings.

With the base AX no more, the 2020 Mahindra Thar is only offered as a four-seater with convertible top and hardtop variants. The new off-roader has created tremendous buzz no other passenger vehicle has done so in recent memory and the speculations surround the five-door variant have been there since its market launch in early October.

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The five-door variant could arrive in the near future and it is expected to help in enhancing the practicality factor of the off-road focussed SUV. Offering more space for occupants may aid in attracting more family-based customers and with possible increase in luggage space, it could become as big a hit as the existing three-door version.

The new generation Mahindra Thar has grown bigger in size compared to the previous model as it is based on a new architecture. Additionally, Mahindra has done a handy job in transforming the Thar from a no-frills off-roader to a lifestyle based SUV with the addition of a range of features and a more upmarket interior. The mooted five-door variant could compete directly against the India-spec five-door version of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny.

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We do not expect the five-door Mahindra Thar to launch anytime before 2022. Currently, the off-roader uses a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo, mStallion petrol engine producing 152 hp and 300 Nm (320Nm in AT). The 2.2-litre diesel kicks out 132 hp and 300 Nm. Both are paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission with 4×4 and a manual shift-on-fly transfer case as standard.

Featured Image – SRK