Mahindra & Mahindra recently unveiled the much-anticipated Thar Roxx, marking a significant expansion in their off-roader lineup. While the introduction of the Thar Roxx is expected to impact the sales of the Thar 3-door, the company is prepared for potential cannibalization within the Thar brand.
Since the launch of its second-generation model in 2020, the Mahindra Thar has dominated the off-roader segment in India, with the company selling 65,246 units in FY24 alone. The Thar Roxx, launched on August 14, comes with a competitive price range, especially for the RWD variants, but the 4WD prices are yet to be disclosed.
Pricing and Engine Options
The Mahindra Thar Roxx RWD is currently priced between Rs 12.99 lakh and Rs 20.49 lakh (ex-showroom). Meanwhile, the Mahindra Thar 3-door RWD is available between Rs 11.35 lakh and Rs 14.10 lakh (ex-showroom), with the top-spec 4WD variant priced at Rs 17.60 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Thar Roxx offers two engine choices: a 2.0-litre TGDI mStallion petrol and a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel. The petrol engine is available only in RWD at present, while the diesel variant offers both RWD and 4WD configurations. The petrol engine has three power outputs (152PS/330Nm, 162PS/330Nm, and 177PS/380Nm), and the diesel offers two (152PS/330Nm and 175PS/370Nm), with both engines paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission (MT) or a 6-speed automatic transmission (AT).
In contrast, the Thar 3-door comes with three engine options, including a 1.5-litre D117 CRDe diesel (118PS/300Nm), 2.2-litre mHawk 130 CRDe diesel (132PS/300Nm), and a 2.0-litre mStallion 150 TGDi petrol (152PS/320Nm). Similar to the Roxx, transmission choices include a 6-speed MT and a 6-speed AT.
Mahindra's Strategy to Manage Cannibalisation
Mahindra's Executive Director and CEO, of Auto and Farm Sector, Rajesh Jejurikar, acknowledged the possibility of cannibalization between the Thar Roxx and the Thar 3-door. However, he noted that the company is prepared for this scenario. To minimize overlap, Mahindra decided not to introduce the 1.5-liter engine in the Thar Roxx, giving the Thar 3-door a price advantage.
The company has a production capacity of 9,500 units per month at its Nashik plant for both the Thar Roxx and Thar 3-door, with some flexibility to adjust production based on demand. Bookings for the Thar Roxx will open on October 3, with the 4WD variant prices expected to be announced beforehand.
Jejurikar further commented that the demand for the 4WD variant in the Thar Roxx might be lower than that of the Thar 3-door, where the sales split is currently around 50-50 between RWD and 4WD. However, Mahindra remains open to adjustments based on market response.
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