Next-gen Mahindra Thar-like vehicle confirmed for Australia
While Mahindra states that it cannot produce the current-generation Thar and Thar Roxx in sufficient numbers to meet demand in its domestic Indian market, let alone Australia, it has promised that a next-generation off-road vehicle like the Thar is in development for our market.
Speaking to Australian media in India last week, Velusamy R, the president of Automotive Technology and Product Development at Mahindra, stated that current local demand for the Thar is almost double the company's production capacity.
'Demand is now 12-13,000 per month in India, [but] our production is hardly 7-6000, roughly,' Velusamy R said.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
'We also thought [demand for] the three-door Thar might come down after introducing the five-door, however, it didn't come down. Still, there is enough market for three-door Thar, and the capacity for three-door is still fully occupied.'
While he ruled out the current model for our market, Velusamy R confirmed that a new vehicle that will be very similar to the Mahindra Vision Thar.e concept (pictured here) unveiled in South Africa in August 2023 will be coming to Australia.
'The name can be different, but what you saw in South Africa, you will get it in Australia' Supplied Credit: CarExpert
Although the Mahindra Vision Thar.e is a fully electric off-roader concept that looks nothing like the combustion-powered Thar revealed in 2020, the version heading to Australia will be available with internal combustion engines as standard, and potentially hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains as well. It is unclear whether a fully-electric version of the model will also head to our market, but it seems unlikely.
The current-generation Thar, which controversially resembles a Jeep Wrangler, has its origins in the original CJ-series Jeep, which the company had been producing under license since the 1940s.
The Stellantis group, which owns Jeep, has gone out of its way to stop Mahindra from bringing the current Thar to our market in the past. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
Back in 2021, Mahindra was issued a 'cease and desist' request from Stellantis following its plans to bring the Thar to Australia, with the American company stating that it would 'pursue all available avenues to stop Mahindra from continuing to make misleading and deceptive representations in relation to our Jeep brand, pass off their Thar as a Jeep Wrangler and infringe our design rights'.
Given that Mahindra says the concept is very close to what the production model will look like, the new model heading to Australia in the coming years will appear very different to the Wrangler, which means Stellantis won't have to worry about it offending the 724 Australians who bought a Wrangler in 2024.
MORE: Everything Mahindra
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Perth Now
Value-hungry Aussies will benefit from even more auto brands, says BYD
Australia is already home to more automotive brands than any other country, making it one of the world's most competitive auto markets as well as one of the smallest, but Chinese giant BYD says value-focused local consumers will benefit from even more of them as brand loyalty disappears amid the cost of living crisis. 'Australia has the most brands available in any market, but I think what we're seeing is a shift in understanding as well,' BYD Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Hornstein told CarExpert. 'The walls are coming down to new brands. I think brand loyalty is somewhat disappearing, and I think Australians are very driven, especially in today's climate, by value and what their own personal family needs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'By being able to give them choice and more options, it's only going to be better for the customer.' BYD launched in Australia in 2022 and has since announced it will bring its Denza luxury brand – which will play a similar role for BYD as Lexus does for Toyota – to showrooms before the end of 2025. While it hasn't announced any others, BYD also has its Yangwang and Fangchengbao brands in China, and models from each are on the cards for Australia – although they will likely be sold as BYD or Denza models. Other Chinese automakers have also brought several brands to Australia, including Chery which recently launched its Omoda Jaecoo brand and potentially has more to come. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The first Geely-badged model – the EX5 mid-size electric SUV – went on sale here in March 2025, adding to other Geely owned or controlled brand already present locally including Volvo, Polestar, Smart and Zeekr. While many more are coming here, Australia currently has about 70 auto brands, despite the exit of several in relatively recent years including Holden, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Opel and Alpine, which will make a comeback in 2026 with the Alpine A390 hatch. In the space of less than five years, Australia will have added about a dozen new Chinese brands, providing more choice for consumers than ever, but also forcing each automaker to fight over a relatively small sales pie – 1.2 million total sales across all brands in 2024. That compares to roughly 30 million new vehicle sales annually in China, 16 million in the US, 2.8 million in Germany and 1.95 million in the UK. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Chinese automaker MG became a top-10 selling brand for the first time Down Under in July 2021. It's now firmly entrenched here and will launch its IM Motors premium electric brand here later this year. IM Motors is to MG what Denza is to BYD, which previously stated plans to eclipse local market leader Toyota by 2027. Ms Hornstein says Denza will be another alternative to luxury marques primarily from Germany. 'When we look at Denza, the [luxury car] segment is largely populated by European brands and I think when we look at cost of ownership, initial outlay, cost of extended ownership, it's incredibly expensive for Australians just given where we are geographically,' she said. 'So I think what this provides is another option for customers to explore when they are in the market for a car.' MORE: Everything BYD
7NEWS
14 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Value-hungry Aussies will benefit from even more auto brands, says BYD
Australia is already home to more automotive brands than any other country, making it one of the world's most competitive auto markets as well as one of the smallest, but Chinese giant BYD says value-focused local consumers will benefit from even more of them as brand loyalty disappears amid the cost of living crisis. 'Australia has the most brands available in any market, but I think what we're seeing is a shift in understanding as well,' BYD Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Hornstein told CarExpert. 'The walls are coming down to new brands. I think brand loyalty is somewhat disappearing, and I think Australians are very driven, especially in today's climate, by value and what their own personal family needs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. 'By being able to give them choice and more options, it's only going to be better for the customer.' BYD launched in Australia in 2022 and has since announced it will bring its Denza luxury brand – which will play a similar role for BYD as Lexus does for Toyota – to showrooms before the end of 2025. While it hasn't announced any others, BYD also has its Yangwang and Fangchengbao brands in China, and models from each are on the cards for Australia – although they will likely be sold as BYD or Denza models. Other Chinese automakers have also brought several brands to Australia, including Chery which recently launched its Omoda Jaecoo brand and potentially has more to come. The first Geely -badged model – the EX5 mid-size electric SUV – went on sale here in March 2025, adding to other Geely owned or controlled brand already present locally including Volvo, Polestar, Smart and Zeekr. While many more are coming here, Australia currently has about 70 auto brands, despite the exit of several in relatively recent years including Holden, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Opel and Alpine, which will make a comeback in 2026 with the Alpine A390 hatch. In the space of less than five years, Australia will have added about a dozen new Chinese brands, providing more choice for consumers than ever, but also forcing each automaker to fight over a relatively small sales pie – 1.2 million total sales across all brands in 2024. That compares to roughly 30 million new vehicle sales annually in China, 16 million in the US, 2.8 million in Germany and 1.95 million in the UK. Chinese automaker MG became a top-10 selling brand for the first time Down Under in July 2021. It's now firmly entrenched here and will launch its IM Motors premium electric brand here later this year. IM Motors is to MG what Denza is to BYD, which previously stated plans to eclipse local market leader Toyota by 2027. Ms Hornstein says Denza will be another alternative to luxury marques primarily from Germany. 'When we look at Denza, the [luxury car] segment is largely populated by European brands and I think when we look at cost of ownership, initial outlay, cost of extended ownership, it's incredibly expensive for Australians just given where we are geographically,' she said. 'So I think what this provides is another option for customers to explore when they are in the market for a car.'
7NEWS
14 hours ago
- 7NEWS
2026 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Hybrid: Everything we know
The first Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series Hybrid has been confirmed for Australian showrooms in 2026, with few details officially confirmed. However the Japanese automaker has opened orders for the 'Land Cruiser Hybrid' in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and already sells the related Lexus LX700h in the UAE and the US. Toyota offers two LandCruiser Hybrid model grades in the UAE, with an entry-level GR Sport running 18-inch wheels, chunky front and rear bumpers and black details. The higher-spec VXR gets hybrid-unique bumpers, chrome trims and 20-inch wheels similar to that of the Australian-market Sahara ZX. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Cabin equipment includes standard leather seats on both model grades as well as walnut applique, four-zone climate control and 12.3-inch centre touchscreen – the GR Sport also gets its own steering wheel design. The LandCruiser Hybrid's mechanical spec is expected to carry across to Australian versions largely unchanged, which means a 341kW/790Nm 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbocharged petrol engine – identical outputs to the LX700h and UAE-spec LandCruiser Hybrid – with an electric motor mounted within the transmission's housing. There's full-time four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case, with a hybrid control system managing the switch between petrol and electric power. Being a parallel hybrid system means LandCruiser Hybrid can use the petrol engine or the electric motor to drive its wheels. According to overseas specs, there are front, centre and rear electronic differential locks, with a Torsen limited-slip diff (LSD) fitted to the LX700h F Sport grade sold in the US. Above: 2025 Lexus LX700h Overtrail The hybrid off-roaders also use a unique, thinner front crossmember designed to maintain off-road ground clearance, while the spare wheel has been repositioned to allow the nickel-metal hydride (NMH) battery to be installed in the rear floor. The 10-speed automatic transmission has been somewhat waterproofed to protect the electric motor, with up to 700mm water wading. The rugged Lexus LX Overtrail is fitted with 33-inch all-terrain tyres. Combined fuel economy of 10.9km/L (9.17L/100km) for the UAE-market model translates to over 1000km of touring range in the LandCruiser VXR grade with the larger 98L fuel tank. The Middle Eastern-spec GR Sport makes do with a much smaller 68L tank. The same performance stats also apply across the line-up, with a 0-100km/h claim of 6.4 seconds and a braked towing capacity of 3629kg. In Australia, the diesel-powered LandCruiser 300 Series is rated to tow 3.5 tonnes. US specifications indicate the 3.5-litre V6 hybrid system in the Lexus LX700h adds around 181kg over the equivalent LX600 – which runs a non-hybrid version of the same twin-turbo V6 petrol engine. This is where the LandCruiser 300 Hybrid and Lexus may differ, given their different equipment levels and their impact on overall weight – which could in turn affect towing, fuel economy and of course touring range. The LandCruiser Hybrid starts from UAE$389,900 (A$164,114) in the UAE, while the standard petrol-powered LandCruiser kicks-off at $UAE238,900 ($100,556). Meanwhile, the Australian 300 Series lineup starts at $97,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level GX, with the flagship Sahara ZX wearing a $146,910 sticker plus on-roads. For reference, the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup with a similar drivetrain is $155,990 plus on-roads in Australia – meaning the LandCruiser Hybrid could be the most expensive vehicle to wear the Toyota badge in Australia.
