Between 1953 and 2010, the license production of the military Jeep CJ took place in India under the name Mahindra MM540 . Although it may seem unbelievable, a part of this now prized oldtimer still survives in the Asian country. This is an original frame found in the bowels of the off-road Thar, the appearance of which suggests that the legacy of the MM540 model will benefit a lot here.
The Mahindra Thar was first introduced in 2010, with seven-seat DI and six-seat CRDe trims available since sales began. The first one is significantly simpler, it contains practically no comfort equipment and a 2.5-liter diesel engine beats under its hood. Its maximum power of 64 at 3,200 rpm and torque of 182.5 Nm between 1,500 and 1,800 rpm is transmitted by a five-speed manual gearbox to the rear or all wheels , while in the latter case there is also a reduction gearbox. The ground clearance of 187 mm , or the front approach angle of 41 degrees and the rear approach angle of 23 degrees, directly encourage off-road games, for which this car is built.
However, the facelift that Mahindra is introducing these days is not about the DI version at all. On the contrary, the slightly more luxurious version of the CRDe enjoys it to the brim. It received more robust bumpers (thanks to them, the car is 3920 mm long), extended fenders, side steps , new front lights and a revised removable canvas roof. The radiator grille with seven vertical slats is a remnant of Jeep license production. Inside, the biggest innovation is a two-tone dashboard with a chunky grab handle in front of the passenger and 'Thar' lettering on the center console. The dashboard now consists of alarm clocks in three separate tubes. The driver will certainly come in handy with a better-shaped steering wheel and shifter knob, and the passenger will also get wider seats and modified door panels. The standard equipment lacks airbags, air conditioning, preparation for a music system, a lockable box in front of the passenger, and two cup holders.
It was already mentioned in the introduction that the Thar uses a frame structure, while the off-road capabilities of the CRDe version are further emphasized by the ground clearance of 200 mm, the front approach angle of 44 degrees, the rear approach angle of 27 degrees and the mechanically locking rear differential . Under the hood is a 2.5-liter turbodiesel with an output of 107 hp at 3800 rpm with a torque of 247 Nm between 1800 – 2000 rpm. All power is transmitted to all four wheels by a five-speed manual transmission in combination with a reduction gearbox.
The modernized Thar CRDe is already available at selected dealers, the price starts at 825,000 rupees (approx. 318,000 crowns). The simpler Thar DI starts at 521,995 rupees (approx. 201,000 crowns) for a rear-wheel drive, or 596,360 rupees (approx. 230,000 crowns) for a four-wheeler.
Source: Mahindra
