Mahindra Thar three-door gets a smaller 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine from Marazzo, transferring power to only the rear wheels
Mahindra & Mahindra will soon launch the entry-level variant of its highly popular Thar off-roader in India. The RWD Thar is expected to be priced around Rs. 10.50 lakh (ex-showroom) and is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine used in the Marazzo MPV as it expands the range already comprising 2.2-litre mHawk diesel and 2.0-litre turbocharged mStallion petrol engines.
The second-gen Thar was introduced in October 2020 in hardtop and convertible configurations and it has been available only with a 4WD layout across AX and LX trims. The new 1.5-litre diesel engine enables tax benefits due to its size and the Thar measuring below four metres in length and thus it has been positioned more aggressively with a rear-wheel drive configuration.
The powertrain is good enough to generate a maximum power output of 117 PS and 300 Nm of peak torque and is linked with a five-speed manual transmission sending power to only the rear wheels and no automatic unit is available in this variant. It will appeal to a wide set of customers. The two-wheel drive configuration will not be retailed with the larger 2.2-litre mHawk diesel mill but it will be available with the 2.0-litre four-pot petrol engine.
The engine will be linked with a six-speed torque converter automatic unit only in the petrol variant. Courtesy of the leaked details, we can reveal that the Mahindra Thar 2WD will be retailed in a total of two new colour schemes namely Blazing Bronze and Everest White.
Some of the key features in the petrol RWD AT and diesel RWD MT trims are ESP (Electronic Stability Program), cruise control, electrically adjustably Outside Rear View Mirrors, and a touchscreen infotainment system. They also get moulded footsteps, fog lights, roof-mounted speakers, black bumpers all around and 18-inch alloy wheels shod on all-terrain tyres.
It must be noted that the upcoming five-door Mahindra Thar will take on the five-door Maruti Suzuki Jimny, which is due to debut at the 2023 Auto Expo in January. The Jimny will go on sale in the second half of 2023 and it will be retailed with a 1.5-litre K15B mild hybrid petrol engine.
