Like all other makers, Mahindra too is busy updating its model line-up in the Indian market. While some models will be updated to meet the upcoming BS-VI emission rules, others will be completely refreshed and will receive a generation update. Among the models that the maker is under the processes to update are Scorpio, Thar, TUV300 Plus and XUV500. Talking of Mahindra Thar, Mahindra is readying an all new version of Thar lifestyle SUV that will be launched in the Indian market sometime next year. This will be a generation update and will bring a host of changes to the Thar SUV. The Thar has not been updated in this major a manner ever since it was first launched in the Indian market. The updated model of the SUV has been spotted several times already and now recent spyshots of the updated model are doing rounds on the internet. These spyshots show the popular lifestyle off-roader from the brand in its hard top form. Alongside the Thar, one can also spot the upcoming facelift model of TUV300 Plus facelift being tested on Indian roads.
As we have already stated, the upcoming new generation of Mahindra Thar will be wider and longer than before, and the spy pictures also confirm the same. This will be a departure from the traditional styling of the SUV. The hardtop version of the vehicle is also expected to be launched and the spyshots only solidify the speculations. This will add to its practicality in difficult weather conditions like extreme heat or rain. Further, this will also make many potential customers buy the Thar who until now liked the way it looked but were worried about its practical usage.
The upcoming Thar will share its platform with the new generation Scorpio that will be launched in the Indian market. This new platform is a body on ladder platform reportedly borrowed from Ssangyong. However, it will also affect the off-road capabilities of the Thar a little bit. The wheel articulation among other things will be negatively affected due to the new platform. Nonetheless, the usage of this new platform will significantly boost the ride quality of the upcoming Thar.
The Mahindra Thar, like the current generation model, will only come with a diesel powertrain initially. The company is reportedly developing an all-new 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that will comply with the upcoming BSVI emission norms. On the Thar, this engine is likely to churn out power in the range of 120 Bhp to 140 Bhp. The same engine will also be found under the hoods of the next generation Mahindra Scorpio as well as the new generation XUV500.
The upcoming new generation of Mahindra Thar will also comply with all the safety features that will come into force by the time it is launched in India. Not just the safety department, the features will also see a major upgrade as the new Thar may come with new steering wheel, new instrument cluster, a possible infotainment unit and climate control system, new work on the interiors, and retouched cabin parts all around.
The TUV300 Plus facelift model spied alongside Thar will come with aesthetic changes mainly and these will be focused at keeping the vehicle fresh in the market. There are hopes that the Indian UV maker will draw inspiration from the much expensive Alturas G4 for the upcoming facelift model of the TUV300 Plus. There will be no mechanical changes on the upcoming facelift model of TUV300, rather the engine of the SUV will be updated to meet the upcoming BS-VI emission norms in 2020.