Of these, it’s only the Armada that has a recall value, while all others are completely new names.
19 Dec 2023 | 9156 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Mahindra has lined up several new launches for 2024, but possibly the most important is the 5-door Thar. Mahindra now seems to have a name for the upcoming SUV – seven of them to be precise. One of the names trademarked is the Thar Armada, reviving an old nameplate ...
This is an Autocar Pro Plus article. Subscribe to continue reading.
Mahindra has lined up several new launches for 2024, but possibly the most important is the 5-door Thar. Mahindra now seems to have a name for the upcoming SUV – seven of them to be precise. One of the names trademarked is the Thar Armada, reviving an old nameplate from its portfolio.
The seven names that Mahindra has trademarked are as follows: Armada, Cult, Rex, Roxx, Savannah, Gladius and Centurion. These will be used as a suffix to ‘Thar’ to denote the larger, 5-door body style. Of these, it’s only the Armada that has a recall value, while all others are completely new names.
The Armada was originally introduced in the early 1990s as the brand’s then flagship product, specifically aimed at urban buyers. It was a predecessor to the Bolero, had a design directly inspired by Jeep SUVs and was a more premium alternative to the rather barebones Commander SUV of the time. The Armada was eventually replaced by the Bolero in 2001, which continues to be on sale till date.
Having a unique identity for the 5-door SUV will be crucial to set it apart from the regular Thar, and perhaps the Armada nameplate best fits the bill as it has nostalgic value. It also isn’t conceptually too far from what the original Armada was – a 5-door, hardtop, rugged yet premium SUV. However, do note that trademarking these names do not necessarily guarantee their usage.
Mahindra intends to expand the appeal of the Thar with the 5-door version, aimed at those seeking a tough, go-anywhere SUV but with added comfort and practicality – just as Maruti Suzuki did with the Jimny 5-door. Its longer wheelbase is expected to aid space in the second row and boot.
Camouflaged test mules have also hinted at a slightly altered design to set it apart from its 3-door sibling, and it will get more features on the inside, including a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen and a sunroof. Under the hood, it is likely to retain the current 2.2-litre diesel and 2.0-litre petrol engines, mated to the same 6-speed manual and auto gearboxes.
The 5-door Thar is expected to debut sometime around mid-2024, and is expected to be priced considerably higher than the regular Thar, likely in the Rs 16 lakh-20 lakh (ex-showroom) range.
Also See:
Next-gen Bolero to get multiple seating options
SCOOP! Mahindra XUV300 EV coming by June 2024 as Nexon EV rival