There is good news for Mahindra Thar lovers; those who want to buy Thar SUV but whose budget is a bit low can wait a bit. Mahindra & Mahindra may launch the 2WD version of Thar in India this month. The affordable version of the popular off-road SUV will be cheaper than the current 4WD variant.
Through this affordable Thar, Mahindra is trying to target those buyers who want to buy Thar for its looks and road presence, and their budget is low. This version offers the Mahindra Thar a stylish lifestyle SUV without the off-road capabilities it is known for.
The Thar 2WD SUV will weigh less than the Thar 4WD as it gets a smaller engine and misses out on the all-wheel drive system. The SUV will come with 2.0-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel. The same engines are offered in other trims of the SUV. The same 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox will be available for transmission.
In the new version of Thar, nothing new will be seen compared to the current model. However, Mahindra will not use any 4X4 badging on the outside to differentiate between the two variants. The interiors, too, remain the same, barring the addition of an additional transmission unit for off-roading. However, Mahindra will add an auto start/stop button and a lock/unlock button inside the Thar 2WD in the central console.
Talking about the engine of the new Thar, a 1.5-litre diesel engine can be seen in it like the XU300. This engine can produce 116 bhp power at 3,500 rpm and a peak torque output of 300 Nm at 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. The power output will be around 15 Bhp, less powerful than the Thar 4WD variant. However, the torque output will remain the same.