Mahindra Thar
Mahindra TharMahindra

Here is the good news for Mahindra Thar aficionados. Pawan Goenka, managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra, has confirmed development of the next generation of Thar.

Launched in 2015, Mahindra Thar is an instant choice for anyone looking for an affordable off-roader. In 2015, the company had given a mild facelift adding new dashboard, seats and AC. However, the next generation of the popular SUV is rumoured to come with major changes.

Also read: Mahindra to launch yet another compact SUV between KUV100 and TUV300 by 2017-end

The next-generation Thar will be designed not for domestic markets, but also for international markets. To make the design universally appealing, Mahindra will make use of expertise from Pininfarina and SsangYong in addition to its own designing team, reports Autocar. Both Pininfarina and Ssangyong are Mahindra's Italian and Korean subsidiaries, respectively. "For every vehicle that Mahindra develops, we will seek three proposals for its design – one each from Ssangyong, Pininfarina and from our team," Autocar quoted Goenka as saying.

According to MotorOctane, the new Thar will get an all-new advanced ladder frame platform, not a monocoque shell. It is also expected to get nearly 100bhp in place of the current 2.5-litre CRDe engine that develops 104bhp and 247Nm of torque mated to five-speed manual transmission. The downsizing of the engine for a new model is targeted at meeting upcoming emission norms and better fuel efficiency.

The new Thar is expected to get latest technologies that will aid in off-roading. The dual front airbags and ABS can be expected as standard. It remains to be seen how Mahindra is going to update the exterior of Thar. The current silhouette is appreciated by off-road enthusiasts and updating without disappointing them will be a big task for Mahindra designers.

Also Read