Mahindra adds new features to Thar CRDe; Price Rs 8.25 lakh

It’s the interiors that now have a premium touch and feel to it. There is a new dual tone dashboard, new steering wheel and door trims with arm rests, redesigned AC vents, new floor console with cup holders, new windshield demister, new gear knob, 12V charging point, provision for 2DIN music system and lockable glove box.

Technically, the much needed enhancement comes in the form of a mechanical locking rear differential that engages automatically without driver intervention and provides enhanced off-road capability. .

The features that continue to remain in the new Thar are the 44 degree approach angle and 27 degree departure angle, 4WD with high and low ratios, a 2500 cc CRDe engine and a ground clearance of 200mm.

The Thar which was introduced in December 2010 has seen a CAGR of 13 pc in sales for the last four years despite a lacklustre performance in the passenger vehicle segment in the country, noted Shah. The Thar has been selling roughly around 10,000 units a year of which 70 pc are of the DI engine variant and the remaining of the CRDe variant. “The Thar is a true blue-cult offroader,” said Shah, adding that “we own the space” referring to the off-road vehicle space in the country. 

As to why only the Thar CRDe went through a feature upgrade, Shah commented that the CRDe version was sold more in the personal space and these customers demanded changes and were ready to pay more for these enhancements. The DI version, he noted was largely in the utilitarian space which was very price sensitive, hence no upgrades were done here. It was the demand from the off-roading community in the personal space that led to the several enhancements in the Thar CRDe, he added.