Mahindra confirms a Jeep-alike off-roader for Australia

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Mahindra Head of International Operations, Sachin Arolkar, has revealed that an off-road SUV inspired by the current model Thar small SUV will be launching in Australia. What is not yet confirmed is the powertrain, styling, or Thar nameplate. 

The outgoing Mahindra Thar is a retro-styled Jeep-esque off-roader that harkens back to Mahindra’s humble beginnings, when the company was granted the rights to build the original Willys Jeep domestically in 1949.

The Thar, like the Jeep Wrangler and to a lesser extent the Suzuki Jimny, is a lifestyle vehicle. It is available in India as either a two-door small SUV with a 2+2 seating configuration and removable roof, or as a four-door mid-size SUV (Thar Roxx) with a more conventional five-seat layout and fixed roof. 

Despite being available in the Indian market for five years, the Thar has two major roadblocks which have prevented it from coming to Oz. The first of which is a consistent local market demand which exceeds production capacity, and the second is an ongoing legal battle with Stellantis over the Thar’s Jeep Wrangler-inspired styling. 

Mahindra’s solution is to ditch plans to bring the Thar to Oz, and instead peddle a new model based on the Thar-e South African concept car. Arolkar stated that “the (Thar-e) name can be different, but what you saw in South Africa, you will get it in Australia…with ICE [rather than electric power]”. 

Arolkar probed local journalists for opinions on an ‘off-road capable monocoque’, drawing inspiration from the Land Rover Defender and leading to speculation surrounding future powertrains. 

Being that the Thar-e concept is electric, and the model we will receive is ICE, it is highly likely that this future vehicle will be built on a modular platform, which can support EV, hybrid, and ICE powerplants. 

Largely, specification for the upcoming Mahindra off-roader is not yet known. Whether Mahindra decides to retain a Thar-based ladder-frame chassis, manual gearbox option, diesel engine or removable roof are four large questions which for now will remain unanswered. 

We anticipate however, that the future vehicle will launch with a choice of petrol-only combustion or hybrid power, with a modular monocoque chassis, four doors, a fixed roof, and a disappointing ‘automatic only’ gearbox offering. Let’s hope Mahindra proves us wrong. 

Read more: Mahindra Thar 2024 review: first off-road drive