Mahindra Thar's debut in Australia marred with design infringement issues
Mahindra & Mahindra has made it official that it has no plans of announcing the 2020 Thar in the Australian market. The statement was released after Stellantis, Jeep's parent company, moved courts alleging that the Mahindra Thar infringes Jeep Wrangler's design. To recall, the 2020 Mahindra Thar was launched in India last year and has seen strong demand since then. Here are more details.
'No immediate plans for the launch of Thar in Australia'
In a statement, Mahindra said that it has "no immediate plans for launch of the current variant of the Thar in markets outside India. As a result, it was pointless to engage in a litigation at this stage." "When we decide to launch any new variant of the Thar in Australia, we will provide 90 days' notice to FCA."
The new Thar comes with a vertical slat grille
The Mahindra Thar is available in hardtop, soft-top, and convertible roof-top options and features a boxy design with a vertical slat grille, a muscular bonnet, and a tailgate-mounted spare wheel. For lighting, it houses rounded halogen headlamps and LED taillights. On the sides, the car is flanked by square-shaped windows, blacked-out B-pillars, 18.0-inch alloy wheels, and heavy wheel arch cladding.
The vehicle is available with two BS6 engine options
The Mahindra Thar is offered with two BS6-compliant engine choices, including a 2.2-liter mHawk diesel motor that generates 130hp/300Nm and a 2.0-liter mStallion petrol mill that delivers 150hp/300Nm. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic torque converter gearbox.
Inside the cabin, there is a 7.0-inch touchscreen console
The Mahindra Thar offers a 4-seater cabin with fabric upholstery, a power steering wheel, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, and a USB charger on the front. It also packs four roof-mounted speakers and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment panel with support for Bluetooth connectivity. For safety, the off-roader has dual airbags, electronic stability control, crash sensors, and a vehicle stability control system.
2020 Mahindra Thar: Pricing
In India, the 2020 version of Mahindra Thar starts at Rs. 12.11 lakh for the AX Optional variant and goes up to Rs. 14.16 lakh for the top-spec LX hardtop model (both prices, ex-showroom).
