5-door Mahindra Thar Spotted With New Penta-link Rear Suspension From Scorpio N
The new suspension is expected to give the longer Thar improved ride quality and handling
Mahindra is not going to officially unveil the five-door Thar anytime soon. But, we find out a little more about the upcoming off-roader with each sighting of its camouflaged test mule and the latest sighting gives us a glimpse of the rear suspension of the longer Thar which seems to be the same penta-link setup as the Scorpio N.
The Scorpio N features many mechanical upgrades over its predecessor. It was already confirmed by R Velusamy, Mahindra’s Head of Automotive Product Development, that the five-door Thar will be based on the stiffer platform that underpins the Scorpio N.
Our suspicions about the two SUVs sharing the new penta-link rear suspension setup as well have now been addressed as the position of the anti-roll bar as seen on the test mule is the same as the Scorpio N and not something you can see on the three-door Thar.
Benefits of the new suspension
One of the biggest improvements for the Scorpio moniker in its latest generation has been its ride quality and handling. The new suspension has helped improve rear end stability at highway speeds and through corners, making the Scorpio N feel quite planted for a boxy SUV of its size. Since the Thar’s shape is boxier still, the elongated five-door version should benefit from this new rear suspension the same way.
The current three-door Thar with its compact and upright dimensions has its dynamic shortcomings on highways and at speed. But, as an off-road focused machine, those compromises are understood.
However, the five-door Thar will be used more as a regular family SUV than just an off-roader and understanding that, Mahindra is adapting the car to suit the purpose. As a result, it should offer a different experience instead of feeling like just a longer Thar with extra doors and seats.
Previous sightings of test mules of the five-door Thar also revealed a third row of seats, indicating Mahindra’s plan to sell it with multiple seating layouts.
The five-door Thar is expected to get the same engines and transmissions as the regular Thar but perhaps with a different output. In three-door form, the 2-litre turbo-petrol makes 150PS and the diesel produces 130PS. Additionally, the more practical Thar could also get the option of 2WD variants unlike the current Thar which gets 4WD as standard.
Mahindra plans to launch the new, longer Thar in 2023. It is unlikely to be showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo, instead following the trend of the three-door version which debuted in the second half of 2020.
The extra seats, space and doors are expected to result in the five-door Thar attracting a premium of around a lakh rupees over the existing Thar while the additional features could take the top variant closer to the Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom) mark. It will rival the upcoming five-door versions of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Force Gurkha.
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