The second-generation Mahindra Thar has been one of the most awaited vehicle launches in India in recent memory. The automaker has received over 50,000 bookings to date, with 45% of buyers opting for the automatic variants while 25% of the bookings were for the petrol powertrain. The 2020 Mahindra Thar is an all-new model, and it plans to be just as good at going off-road as its beloved predecessor, but also bring in new and modern features and much better on-road manners.
The Mahindra Thar had reached 15,000 bookings within the first 17 days of launch, reaching the 20,000 marks by the end of October 2020. The current waiting period for the Thar is around 9 months, even after Mahindra has increased production by 50%. Total sales of the Thar till the end of March 2021 was just above 12,700 units, or 2,550 units every month. This means that Mahindra has only been able to deliver only 25% of the total units reserved. The SUV registered its highest sales in Jan 2021 while last month the lowest number of units sold.
The reason for this massive gap between bookings and deliveries is that Mahindra, like the rest of the auto industry, is facing a shortage of steel and semiconductors. As these are critical components, their shortage is affecting production, leading to the supply-demand mismatch. Mahindra reported an acute supply shortage of microprocessors required in the ECUs used in its vehicles which has led to a significant dip in production and sales in the last quarter of FY 2020-21. The processors are supplied by Bosch, which is the largest component supplier in India. Along with an increased demand for the Thar, Mahindra also noted a surge in overall demand for utility vehicles, jumping by 11% for Q3 FY 2020.
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The microprocessor and steel shortage is adversely affecting production while new launches for Mahindra like the upcoming XUV700 may be affected as well. The automaker also stated that this shortage of semi-conductors could extend to Q2 CY 2021. This shortage along with increasing prices of raw material has raised concerns for the whole auto industry.
Prices for the new Mahindra Thar range between Rs 12.10 lakh – Rs 14.15 lakh, ex-showroom. The new Thar comes with 2 engine options, a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, and a 2-litre turbo-petrol. The oil-burner makes 130 PS/320 Nm of peak figures while the petrol makes 150 PS/320 Nm of max figures. Transmission options for both the powertrains are a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic with a low range box. You also get a transfer case and a mechanically locking centre differential for serious off-roading.
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Mahindra updates and other four-wheeler news.
Words by - Chandrutpal Kashyap
