Mahindra Thar
The Mahindra Thar traces its lineage back to the late 1940s when Mahindra started assembling the Civilian Jeeps under license from Willys of the United States.
Willys CJ-3A
Mahindra initially started with Willys’ CJ-3A platform with CJ standing for Civilian Jeep. The CJ-3A was nothing but a bare-bones, strong and rugged vehicle with a reliable yet efficient engine.
Mahindra MM540
Many say that the Thar that we know today started its life as the MM540 back in the 1990s but the Thar brand name only came into picture in 2010. It initially came with 2 diesel engine options. The base model had a 2.5L M2DiCR engine with 63hp and 180Nm of torque while the higher trim came with a 2.5L CRDe engine with 105hp and a respectable 250Nm of torque. The Thar initially came with a 4WD system with a low range mode but it wasn’t until 2015 the Thar got rear self-locking mechanical differentials.
2015 Thar
While the 1st generation looked like just another iteration of the original MM540, things now have changed. Mahindra have finally unveiled the much-awaited 2nd generation on 15th august 2020. The new gen Thar is built on a completely new platform and has a new, more appealing design. There are a host of new features and drivetrain options the we get to see in the new Thar.
2020 Thar
The Thar now gets a hardtop from the factory which makes it more practical for daily use while a convertible is available as an option. It also gets a 7-inch touch screen infotainment system with Apple car-play and Android Auto. This system also hosts a dedicated Adventure mode which shows information like position of the front tyres, angle at which the vehicle is inclined, direction and instantaneous power and torque figure.
2020 Thar also comes with all new engine and transmission options. It now gets a 2.2L turbocharged diesel engine with 130hp and 300Nm of torque while for the first time ever the Thar also comes with a petrol engine. It is 2.0L turbocharged unit which produces 150hp and 320Nm of torque. Mahindra initially unveiled their new series of turbo petrol engines at the 2020 Delhi AutoExpo. Both these engines come mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Mahindra’s new line up of petrol engines
Apart from the locking rear differential, the Thar also gets front differential locks. The way this front differential lock mechanism works is that if the computer senses one of the front wheels slipping, it automatically applies brakes to that wheel hence all the power gets transferred to the wheels with traction. It also boasts of a higher ground clearance of 226mm compared to 200mm of the previous generation. While this new Thar gets a 41.8 degrees approach angle which is less compared to last generation’s 44 degrees, the new one gets a departure angle of 36.8 degrees which is 9.8 degrees more than last generation’s 27 degrees. Apart form this, the Thar finally bids farewell to the old school leaf-spring suspension. It now gets coil springs on all the 4 corners.
The Thar also gets desirable features like a tyre pressure monitoring system, cruise control, dual airbags, steering mounted audio controls, hill hold & descent control, Electronic stability program and electric windows & ORVMs for the first time.
Interior of 2020 Mahindra Thar
Apart from the stock hardware the Thar gets, off road enthusiast would love to see modification kits straight from Mahindra’s factory. While these new additions to the Thar are quite promising, it’ll be interesting to see how Mahindra decides to price it.
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