Mahindra updates Thar CRDe with much-needed features

After five years of launching its rugged off-roader, the Thar, India’s leading SUV manufacturer, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has now updated the more-powerful, CRDe (common rail diesel engine) variant with much-needed features, especially the mechanical locking rear differential technology, which enables power transfer from the wheel without traction to the other wheel with the ground grip.

Aimed at serious off-road enthusiasts, the 4x4 Thar CRDe variant is powered by the 105bhp, 2498cc diesel powertrain, which is mated to a manual five-speed, BorgWarner-made transfer case.

The new updated Thar now comes with more premium features in the interiors such as new premium seats, new AC vents, new dual-tone dashboard, new three-pod instrument cluster, new lockable glovebox, new steering wheel and gear knob, 12V charging point and others.

On the exterior front, the new off-roader now comes with new clear lens headlamps, new front and rear bumpers, new muscular wheel arches, redesigned canopy, and side footsteps.

The new Thar CRDe bears a price-tag of Rs 803,000 (ex-showroom Nashik), and the sales of this new vehicle will begin from today across company’s dealerships in select markets.

Speaking at the launch of the new Thar, Pravin Shah, president and chief executive (automotive), M&M, said: “We introduced the famous Willys Jeep in India in 1947 and we continue with our tough and rugged DNA in the form of the new updated Thar CRDe. The popular off-roader, which has become a cult now in India, is targeted at consumers who are looking at serious off-roading adventures and a unique lifestyle. The Thar was launched in December 2010 and since then it has grown at a CAGR of 13 percent since then. Mahindra is at the centre of the off-road adventure scene in India. As a leader, we have this responsibility to offer our customers the best technology at the best prices.”

According to the company official, M&M sells close to 10,000 units of the Thar variants (CRDe and DI – direct injection) in a year, within which the DI variant contributes close to 70 percent of sales. “The DI variants (four-wheel and two-wheel drives) are not given any upgrade at this point as it caters to the requirements of a very price sensitive market. It is meant for those who ply on rough terrains where there are no roads (such as the interiors of Rajasthan) for transporting people,” Shah clarified later.

M&M, which introduced its off-road event – the Great Escape in 1996 – uses the Thar at the centre of its off-road events.

Later speaking to Autocar Professional, Shah revealed that the company has spent close to Rs 30 crore on the Thar project. “However, it is very difficult to calculate the investment made on this project because it runs in our DNA and we are at the forefront of all off-road activities in India. We want to be the enablers of this lifestyle as more and more enthusiasts are opting for it. The Thar is our 100 percent indigenous project as our engineers in the Mahindra Research Valley (in Chennai) have tirelessly worked on the various innovations that have gone into the new upgrade,” he said.