Mahindra is developing a number of new products including the next-gen Thar and the new TUV300 Plus. Both the future models were spotted together by IAB reader Vikram Raja in Ooty recently.
The Mahindra Thar has slightly grown in size for its second generation, which is evident from the latest spy pictures. It will make use of a stronger body and sit on a more robust ladder-frame chassis, in order to clear the upcoming BNVSAP crash tests norms to be seen in action from 1 October 2019. The same ladder-frame chassis will underpin the 2020 Mahindra Scorpio, which has been spotted on various occasions in the past.
The exterior of the next-gen Mahindra Thar will not be radically different. The design will be evolutionary for the obvious reason. Signature elements such as seven-slot vertical grille, front fender-mounted direction indicators, a broad and flat bonnet, circular halogen headlamps, vertical brick-shaped combination lamps and a side-hinged tailgate with the mounted spare wheel will be carried over from the first-gen model. The taller and wider body will result in a better stance.
The greater changes will be seen on the inside. The all-new model will be a more comfortable and road-oriented vehicle to appeal to a wider band of customers. It will make use of a redesigned, all-black dashboard, a digital-analogue instrument panel with a huge, mid-placed MID, a new, multifunction steering wheel, round AC vents, new AC control dials with silver finishes and a new, repositioned passenger grab-handle. One of the biggest changes will be the use of front-facing seats in the rear.
Under the hood, the 2020 Mahindra Thar will have a newly developed BS-VI compliant 2.0-litre diesel engine tuned to churn out 140 PS of maximum power and 300 Nm of peak torque. This unit will come mated to a standard 6-speed manual gearbox. A manually-operated 4WD system is expected to be offered as an option.
Also Read: Mahindra Bolero gets BS-VI certification and gains new safety features
Coming on to the TUV300 Plus (facelift), it will feature a slightly tweaked front fascia with redesigned front bumper and new headlamps. It will also make use of a new radiator grille inspired by that of the Alturas G4's.
It is likely to employ the BS-VI version of the 2.2-litre mHawk that produces 120 PS at 4,000 rpm and 280 Nm of torque at 1,800-2,800 rpm in the old model. This engine will likely be linked to a 6-speed manual transmission. The new model should go on sale by end-2019.
