What makes Mahindra Thar a cult among the cars?
Why is Mahindra Thar So Popular?
For some time, Indian business house Mahindra & Mahindra was looking for a winning formula. The group has seen some of its ambitious moves like Ssangyong turn sour. The company was looking for prospective buyers for some of its business and a massive reorganisation on the cards.
Then Thar happened. Mahindra & Mahindra launched Mahindra Thar 2020. It was an instant success. The new and improved offering of icon Thar received a warm response from everyone. People flocked to the Mahindra showrooms to book their dream car. There’s still a waiting period of 10–12 months for Thar in most parts of India.
It is interesting to see despite being a 72 years old brand, Thar is still very much popular among everyone. The modest SUV has attained a cult status, which is very rare among automobiles especially in India. Only a handful of bikes and cars have continued to receive the same response for decades after decades.
The story of Mahindra Thar goes back to 1949. In the year, Mahindra and Mahindra launched a licensed model of the Utility vehicle. The off-roader SUV was licensed from the American car market Jeep. It was an instant success. The strong build quality and powerful engine were suitable for India’s rough terrain. For the next 6 decades, Mahindra continued to launch new and improved models of their iconic SUV.
Interestingly none of these SUVs was named Thar in their first 6 decades. Thar’s unique USP was off-roading and adventure. While most of the SUVs catered to city life, Mahindra Thar made city dwellers take a break from their lives and hit the roads deep in the Himalayas, or the sand dunes of Rajasthan and beautiful rainforests of southern India.
In 2010, Mahindra launched the first Thar. An improved version of its classic and cult SUVs. Over the years, Thar became the symbol of off-roading, adventure and the wild spirit of everyone. The cult Mahindra has cultivated over the last 6 decades had a new name, Mahindra Thar. Mahindra Thar became the symbol of adventure for cars much like Royal Enfield has achieved a similar status for bikes.
The Mahindra Thar has almost changed the fortunes of the Mahindra Group. This new SUV has captured the minds of young India. The love for Thar is so much so that around 40% of the bookings came from metro cities like Delhi, a forte of luxury SUVs. The success of the new Thar translates into the rising stock prices of Mahindra and Mahindra. From the low of ₹200 in 2020, the Mahindra stock has climbed 4 fold to ₹900 in less than 2 years.
