Mahindra will soon be launching a lower price Thar to cater to a larger clientele. To reduce price, Mahindra will offer a new engine option and remove the four-wheel-drive system.
What’s new in the Mahindra Thar 4X2?
The first major change in the 4X2 Thar is the lack of 4×4 hardware. This will result in a lower weight as well as the fact that many users will not be taking their cars off-the-road. Hence the decision to remove 4X4 and lower the price point of the car.
Thankfully, Mahindra has not skimped on the feature front and the Thar 4X2 will get the same set of equipment like the Thar 4×4. On the inside, the only change is the missing low-range shifter and instead of that Mahindra has given a small cubby to store things.
Also note, the Thar 1.5 diesel will get a smaller 60 Ah battery, while the petrol 4×2 will get the 72 Ah unit.
Powertrain of the Mahindra Thar 4X2
In terms of engines, Mahindra will equip the Thar 4X2 with a 1.5-litre diesel engine and the same existing 2.0-litre turbo petrol.
The 1.5-litre unit currently does duty on the XUV300 and the Marazzo. While both these cars are front wheel drive, the Thar will be rear wheel drive. This engine will be paired with a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed automatic transmission. Despite the smaller size, the torque output of the engine is comparable to the larger 2.2L diesel engine. The 1.5-litre engine develops 121 BHP @ 3,500 rpm and a peak torque of 300 Nm @ 1,750-2,500 rpm.
The 2.0-litre petrol unit is the same as the current offering. It makes 150 BHP @ 5,000 rpm and 300 Nm @ 1,250-3,000 rpm for the MT and 320 Nm @ 1,500-3,000 rpm for the AT. The petrol unit too is offered with a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.
Pricing of the Mahindra Thar 4X2
Back in 2020, when the Thar was launched, the SUV started at a sub-10 lakh ex-showroom price point. Now, just after 2 years, the price has gone up by over INR 3 lakhs and the entry model retails at close to INR 13.5 lakh. Hence, the 4X2 Thar will definitely be priced lower than the current models. We can expect a reduction of INR 2-2.5 lakh for the petrol version and INR 3-3.5 lakh for the diesel (thanks to the smaller engine as well).
Also Read – What is an SUV in India? GST council defines it.
