Mahindra Thar Reaches A New Milestone! A Look Back At Its Journey Over The Years…

The Mahindra Thar three-door which is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and popular SUVs of India has crossed the milestone of 2 lakh sales since its launch back in the year 2020. Apart from its many strengths, what has impressed us the most is the Thar brand’s growth over the years including the introduction of the 5-door Thar Roxx that has pushed the boundaries even further.  

While the roads in India are improving and there is progress, there are still plenty of roads and stretches that are in poor condition and are not confidence-inspiring to drive your vehicle on. That is where rugged SUVs like the Mahindra Thar excel and outshine all other vehicles. Apart from its rugged attributes, owning a Thar or even sitting in one makes you feel cool and gives a sense of dominance on the road. 

India has seen many iconic cars and the Thar is right up there! Its journey is something that we should know about and cherish. So on the occasion of the Thar crossing the 2 lakh sales figure, we take you through its glorious history and give you an idea of what makes the Thar so special: 

Mahindra Thar: Through The Years! 

1960s

Starting with the 1960s, when the Willys Jeep CJ3 series became the first offroader that Mahindra started manufacturing locally. Its body style and stance became the base for the boxy design of the Thar! Mahindra made some tweaks to the model to make it more suitable for Indian buyers. 

The CJ3Bs were later also used by the Indian Army in quite a few battles and they proved to be very durable and resilient machines and did not break a sweat while off-roading. It was indeed a true companion during the testing times. It was powered by the popular Willys Hurricane petrol unit which was a very capable and powerful engine back in the day! 

1985

The year 1985 was the turning point in the history of the Thar as it introduced the legendary MM540, and the “CJ” moniker was ditched. It had a longer wheelbase and looked more in line with the design language of the current Thar. The MM540 was on sale for many years and plenty of variations of it were introduced as well. 

This was one of those vehicles which made it to various police and defence organisations across India.

The Mid-1990s 

In this phase, we got the Mahindra Classic which was more of a lifestyle offroader in the true sense. It received some premium and appealing additions in both interior and exterior to appeal to a wider range of buyers. 

2000s

The 2000s were not the best phase for the crude jeeps as the better-built SUVs such as the Tata Safari and Mahindra Scorpio caught more attention and gained significant numbers of buyers. Buyers wanted a more comfortable vehicle and had alternatives that were satisfying that demand. However, the end of the 2000s saw a wave of enthusiasts who wanted to have a lifestyle offroader in their garage and the craze for a rugged SUV seemed to have crept back!

2010

The turning of the decade introduced the Mahindra Thar! Yes, it was the first time the “Thar” moniker was used and was the beginning of a successful journey. It was called the “Thar CRDe” and was launched at an attractive price of just Rs 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom). It came with 4x4 hardware, a soft top roof, a more modern design and a powerful diesel engine which made over 100 PS and about 250 Nm! Mr. Behram Dhabhar had played a crucial role in the creation of the Thar and was considered as the father of the Thar.

From mostly being sold in the rural areas, the Thar started to gain popularity in modern cities as well. It proved to be an aspirational vehicle and an enthusiast's pick! 

2012 And 2015

In 2012, air conditioning was added to the Thar as it had become an essential and common feature on most cars. In 2015, the Thar received a proper upgrade when it was introduced with some necessary safety features. 

In 2013, there was an iconic Mahindra commercial called the “Mahindra Live Young, Live Free” in which the Thar was showcased at off-road locations among other Mahindra SUVs. Check it out here. 

While the Thar remained largely a niche vehicle, its popularity did gain some momentum and the sales reached about 800-1000 units per month, which was honestly an achievement back then.

2020 

A year which had the world battling out the coronavirus disease, saw the launch of the second generation of the Thar in the second half of the year. This was a proper modern-generation Thar 3-door that is still on sale in India and this version of the Thar has come out to be much more popular and in-demand than the previous one. 

But Why Do People Love It? 

The new Thar 3-door was launched with a more modern cabin which covered all the essential convenience and safety features, it got even more powerful engines including both petrol and diesel options and a striking design combined with a mighty road presence! It offered all this while being a top offroader capable of taking you to less-travelled roads and unpaved surfaces. 

More importantly, the Thar gives you a sense of arriving in style and the feeling of driving something that is indestructible. Later it also got a RWD version which lowered the starting price, and made the offroader more accessible to a wider range of buyers. 

Launched back in 2020, the three-door version of the Thar will be getting its first facelift sometime later this year. The update is expected to bring in minor design tweaks, and new convenience and safety features inside the cabin. 

2024 - The Thar Roxx

The 5-door version of the Thar, called the Thar Roxx was introduced in August 2024! It redefined the off-roading SUV segment and further took the legacy of the Thar to a whole different level. It introduced a host of premium features, a much more spacious cabin, more powerful engines, and a more comfortable SUV overall that can be considered as a family car as well. 

The Mahindra Thar is not just any other SUV on our roads, it is an emotion. It is an SUV that has helped in growing the off-roading culture in India and for sure has created many off-roading enthusiasts in India. Right from our grandfather’s generation to hopefully the upcoming ones and further, we believe that the Thar will continue to build its legacy and create an even more significant impact in the Indian auto industry. 

What are your thoughts about the iconic Thar? Which model of the offroader is your favourite? Let us know in the comments section.

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