- To rival the Mahindra Thar RWD
- Available on the three-door version only
- No feature updates
- Offered with same current engine
- No styling changes
Force Motors are working on a new variant of the Gurkha. The company recently updated the SUV with a more powerful engine, new features and also added the five-door body style. The lifestyle vehicle remains a niche off-roader with a small mass-market appeal. A 4×2 variant of the three-door version will be more affordable and might appeal to a larger consumer base who do not require the 4×4 hardware.
Approach:
The plan of action will be similar to what happened with the Mahindra Thar. Due to the tax concessions given in the sub-four-metre segment, The RWD variants now contribute nearly 50 percent of its sales. Most Thar owners mainly spend their time in the city so the 4×4 hardware is rarely used.
Engine:
The Gurkha, however will not receive tax concessions for the 4×2 Gurkha as it will continue with the 2.6-litre 140 HP diesel engine and anything above 1.5-litre does not qualify; it will only be offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Pricing:
We do not expect any other changes to the model as it was updated only recently. The 4×2 will be offered in a four-seater configuration with forward-facing rear seats. Currently the Gurkha three-door is priced at ₹16.75 lakh (ex-showroom) but the 4×2 variant when launched, would be priced closer to ₹15 Lakh. It will be directly aimed at the Thar 4×2 which is priced between ₹11.35-14.10 Lakh (ex-showroom).
