With Mahindra & Mahindra’s steady progress in making its passenger vehicles more civilian-friendly in recent years with the likes of the Bolero, Xylo and Scorpio, the Indian firm has gone back to the basics with the fourth model introduced to South Africa, the Thar.
“With its classic cult look, Mahindra Thar epitomizes ‘old school is cool’. Where the core lies in being rugged and tough yet retro and basic, making a bold statement both on off-road trails as well as the tarmac” says Mahindra SA CEO, Ashok Thakur.
On display at the Bologna Motor Show as a concept in 2008, the Thar draws much of its inspiration from the original Willys Jeep, which Mahindra started manufacturing in India in 1945 – especially with the circular headlamps and slotted grille dominant at the front end.
The Thar is powered by a 2,5-litre turbo-diesel engine as a joint result between AVL of Austria and Bosch of Germany. The unit produces 78 kW at 3 800 r/min and 247 N.m of torque at 1 800 r/min, driven to the rear, or all four wheels via a five-speed Borg Warner gearbox with a two-speed transfer case.
In order for the Thar to cope in rough terrain, the torsion bar front and leaf spring rear suspension setup is supplemented by 16-inch wheels wrapped in 235/70 tubeless tyres, 200 mm of ground clearance, approach angle of 46 degrees, departure angle of 30 degrees and ramp-over angle of 15 degrees.
The Mahindra Thar is available at more than 30 dealerships around South Africa for R169 900, with a 50 000 km or 24 month warranty.