[batish]

Originally Posted by GTO

This is really short-term thinking & will bring short-term gains at best. It's like Taj Hotels launching an el-cheapo lunch buffet. Might fill in some more chairs at the restaurant, but will dilute the brand & lessen the overall profitability.

True. What they don’t realise is even after reducing its price and features it will still remain an impractical vehicle.

It has inherent flaws which cannot be ignored even so for a consumer who has an alternative of something like Baleno which seats five comfortably and still has tons of boot space.

<10 Lakh space is price sensitive. People buy those vehicles for fuel economy, space and comfort which this 3 door Thar lacks. Space is absolute no. Heck, even for 2 people with luggage sometimes space is a constraint leave alone 4.

We all know the fuel economy here. Whichever engine, gearbox they choose, it won’t matter much because the design itself is boxy which itself is opposite of aerodynamics.

Honestly, it still is barebones considering features other vehicles have in this price range it doesn’t even come close. In stock form it is crude. Suspension, speakers, lighting, needs some sort of aftermarket replacement. Even in 4x4 one, this customisation costs around 2-3 Lakhs easily. Considering the same for 2wd one, it’s rival would be variants of creta, seltos etc.

Not a lot of people know about this, voice inside the cabin echos a bit as there is little/no damping inside. Except for seats there are zero fabrics inside to absorb noise. So there is excessive road noise creeping in at speeds of 90 and above. Not to forget wind noise too even in hard top.

Plus, it still can’t be the only vehicle in garage.

So, Good luck Mahindra with your project but from 4wd owners this is a little disappointing.

[Turbojc]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Will this be in Manual Transmission or in Auto too? Any breakup of their current mix? Though removing 4x4 mayn't pinch so-called urban customers, missing an Auto gearbox may be a deal breaker for many.

Originally Posted by ramv

Can we also expect 4 x 2 with automatic gear in the upcoming 5 door version?

If this is the same 1.5L diesel that does duty in the XUV 300, there is a good chance that Mahindra will offer it with their 6-speed AMT at some point, if not at launch. I don't think it would be a good idea for a car like the Thar though, as the juddery AMT would only deteriorate the urban driving experience.

On the other hand, I sincerely hope Mahindra also offers the 1.5L 4x2 Thar as a convertible. India's most-affordable drop-top anyone ?

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Will this be in Manual Transmission or in Auto too? Any breakup of their current mix? Though removing 4x4 mayn't pinch so-called urban customers, missing an Auto gearbox may be a deal breaker for many.

Lookin at the owners manual in the scoop video, there should be automatic option in both the petrol and diesel. Though it isn't explicitly stated in the case of diesel as it was in the petrol.

[volkman10]

Mahindra Thar 1.5 L diesel 4×2 – First drive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJSK...channel=Yash9w

[diwa]

So introduction of the 4x2 to at a lesser rate, wouldn’t it bring down the resale value of the existing 4x4’s?.

[84.monsoon]

I feel this 4X2 is being positioned too close to the existing 4X4 models. The horsepower numbers are only slightly lower and the torque numbers are actually equal to the 4X4. No other features except for the 4X4 transmission seem to have been left out when it comes to the 4X2. This will surely cannibalise the sales of the 4X4 variants of the car. However, Mahindra may not quite mind this, because the 2.2 mhawk engines are in great demand in the XUV 700 and ScorpioN vehicles.

I doubt that the 4X4 mHawk will be offered with an automatic transmission. The AMT is really not well received by the market even in the XUV 300 and it will be even more clunky in the heavier Thar. They have not had the 1.5 diesel in the stable mated with the 6 speed torque converter from Aisin in any other cars. To do all the R&D and testing of that combination just for this one model seems to be illogical. However, for the petrol models offering the 2.0 Mstallion with the 6 speed AT would be reasonable option, since the combination already exist in most of M&M's new SUVs. That said, the GST bracket would then shoot up to 43%, as compared to around 30% for the 1.5 mHawk Diesel Thar.

The GST rate advantage is the one reason that I think Mahindra could price this car very competitively. A 13% difference in GST translates to almost a lakh of savings for the company and if the pricing advantage is passed back to the customer, this new Thar could be offered at a very competitive price in the market. If Mahindra keep up their reputation on shock price announcements as they did with the XUV 700 and the entry price point of the ScorpioN, I would even hazard a guess that they could be looking at the launch of a 4X2 AX trim, at as starting price of 9.99 lacs ex showroom.

[sagsaw]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Mahindra Thar 1.5 L diesel 4×2 – First drive


https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=RJSK...channel=Yash9w

So its clear from video that 1.5 diesel will not be barebones but fully loaded.

Good move by Mahindra. Hopefully it also has optional/standard MTT borrowed from Bolero Neo.

[motorworks]

Mahindra’s move here is squarely aimed at the Jimny, no doubt! They want to have a wide range of variants of the Thar so that the Jimny does not have a free hand. And who are we kidding, many urban dwellers who buy the Thar do so for its looks and not really for its 4wd capabilities. And this will ensure that the Thar caters to a wider audience.

Why would this dilute Thar’s brand credibility? If someone wants 4WD its there, and if someone doesn’t want it then they now have an option at a lower price. Even in its 2WD guise the Thar is still a capable vehicle that can deal with really bad roads.

Plus, Mahindra does not really have a strong line up against the under 4m compact cross overs like the Nexon, Sonet and the Brezza( we all know the sales performance of the XUV300 ), and they don’t really have a Creta, Seltos rival as well. Not saying that the 2WD Thar is the answer, but it’s just another way of expanding your presence where there aren’t many strong products in your existing portfolio.

[UD17]

A great strategy for sure:

1. City commuters which were keeping a distance from Thar (due to higher price) can own one easily, its still a lifestyle vehicle. Not all customers need it for off-roading. I would be happy to own one if available south of 10-13 Lakhs OTR.

2. Low cost (biggest advantage), High mileage and Sufficient power (knowing 4D15 engine) are welcome move.

3. Mahindra was unsure how Jimny will impact Thar. This move is to compete with the Jimny. Enthusiasts will continue to choose 4x4 Thar. I believe the volumes of 4x4 will take a strong hit for sure with this proposition.

4. 4D15 found one more application, indirectly saves costs due to better management of inventory, manufacturing and volume based negotiation with suppliers. All in all this proposition (4x2 with 4D15) will be more profitable for Mahindra.

5. Brand Dilution: Thar has and would maintain a great brand pull. Dilution does not matter now with the introduction of competitor. Till now Thar was a solo player, but now the brand itself will compete with another competent brand called Jimny. Brand value is only meaningful if it generate a good business, which i think is threatened (by Jimmy's introduction).

[Engine_Roars]

I think I was waiting for exactly this, I am "that" customer. I do not have much of a use of 4*4, neither can I afford a vehicle with 6-7 KMPL of average but I love THAR. Thank you Mahindra for listening to us, "non-enthusiasts" !!

[SoumenD]

Wait a minute, will this come with an AMT? That would be a bummer. I was almost planning to pick this us by replacing my Jazz CVT if it had come with a TC box. I know doesn’t sound practical(we are family of 3, so should be ok) but the pathetic condition of our roads and hooliganism in road users have almost convinced me nothing else would do. With Thar, I don’t have to worry about scratches from left side obsessed 2/3 wheelers and never ending potholes

[AROO7]

IMHO Mahindra is getting greedy here and trying to milk the brand Thar to its limits. As GTO said this will result in some short term gain but in the long run what the brand Thar meant would be forgotten. Videos of 2WD Thars getting stuck will get viral on Youtube and Thar's image as a go-anywhere lifestyle vehicle will take a hit. If this is the reaction to Maruti Suzuki Jimny then I feel Mahindra has reacted too early and too much.

Instead of taking this easy way out what they should have done was-

• Gave a proper AT (read torque convertor) to the XUV300 and updated it inside out (because this is the car that most urban dwellers will prefer provided it became a bit more practical and modern).
• Take feedback from the existing Marazzo MPV customers and work on it. Bring it back in the market with aggressive promotion and marketing campaigns.
• Give the TUV300 (now renamed as Bolero Neo) bigger wheels and a proper automatic at the same time send it to GNCAP for crash test ratings.

The above three would have brought even more footfall to their showroom and also given them a chance to up sell the customers their bigger and more expensive models (read Scorpio N, Thar, and XUV700). At the same time would have really increased competition for pseudo SUV and wannabe SUV maker brands. In the end, I hope Anand Mahindra and his team take note of these feedback comments and opinions on this thread and similar ones too just like they do when Mahindra vehicles get Team-BHP COTY(car of the year) awards.

[fhdowntheline]

What a shame , frankly speaking. Yes, most Thar users would be in 2WD around 95% of their road trips. But do you degrade a fighter plane by removing afterburners and make it carry passengers for joyrides?
If you still feel there is a market, why not use a Bolero Neo? At least it's a more comfortable option.

[Old_Salt]

I am quite liking this move.

After my TD, wasn’t very comfortable to plonk 18 big ones and then had my eyes set on Jimmy.

The revelation that Jimmy will be a 5 door and the engine configuration was a big let down.

Lo and behold comes this one.
I am surely keeping my eyes on it, may even book it on launch. And I don’t see any harm in Mahindra trying to anticipate the effect on Thar sales once Jimny is launched.
I would call this seeing the larger picture. M&M has a solid vision. It just shows some forward thinking and being open to possibilities.

What if Jimny became a runaway success affecting Thar sales? Then the question would be raised that M&M should have launched a smaller engine.

It’s risk assessment and risk mitigation at its best.

[sandeepmdas]

Sincerely hope M&M would continue to put 4x4/AWD as option for ALL their vehicles, and would include EVs too. In that case, the Thar 4x4 owners can take a chill pill wrt brand dilution, for any Mahindra can then be ordered with some offroad capability.

Imagine the first question you'd encounter will be Is your car a 4-wheel drive?
Ain't that cool?