The second generation Mahindra Thar will go on sale next year with a possible debut at the 2020 Auto Expo
The Thar has been a textbook definition of what a typical Mahindra & Mahindra vehicle should be and it has been around for a decade. With stringent safety norms and to grab the attention of modern-day customers, it is high time for Thar to receive a substantial upgrade and Mahindra is certainly working on it. From the spy shots, we are glad that Mahindra won’t mess around with the proven and authentic off-roader design barring some minor tweaks.
For the first time, the removable hardtop variant of the Thar has come under the spotlight as the test mules have been spied near Chennai ahead of a possible debut at the 2020 Auto Expo in Greater Noida. Based on an updated platform, the second generation Thar is underpinned by the Gen3 chassis shared with TUV300 and Scorpio.
Resultantly, the chassis will enable the next-gen Thar to be kinder to drive on the road as well due to the reduced front suspension travel. As for the exterior, Mahindra has followed an evolutionary approach but the body panels, bumpers and soft top are developed as brand new.
The multi-slated vertical front grille is more matured than that on the current model while the wheel arches are flared complementing the wider track. The circular shaped headlamps and the positioning of the front and rear turn signals remain the same.
On the inside, the updated dashboard will likely comprise of a large touchscreen infotainment system in the top-end variants while the steering wheel will be a brand new unit from TUV300. It will come equipped with a low range selector and manually operable four wheel drive configuration.
The second generation Mahindra Thar will go on sale next year and it will more likely get improved standard safety feature kit offering driver side airbags, Anti-lock brakes, reversing camera and high-speed warning alert among others. The brand new 2.0-litre diesel engine will have BSVI compliance and is expected to produce as much as 140 horsepower.