Mahindra Thar AX Std And AX Variants Temporarily Unavailable For Booking

• Mahindra is having to do some restructuring to meet the immense demand and popularity of the second-gen Thar.

• Bookings for the least expensive AX Std and AX variants has been suspended for now as demand for AX(O) and LX is considerably higher.

• The AX Std and AX only come with the fixed soft top and side-facing jump seats in the rear.

• AX(O) and LX variants come with the choice of a convertible soft top or fixed hard top, and forward-facing rear seats.

• The waiting period for the new Thar is already stretching up to seven months in some cities.

The second-gen Mahindra Thar has been on sale for just over a month and its popularity has already forced the carmaker to alter its plans to meet the demand. Its most recent move has been to halt bookings for the more affordable AX Std and AX variants of the new Thar since their demand is much lower than the AX(O) and LX variants.

The AX Std and AX variants are the only ones to be offered with the fixed soft top and the old-school 6-seater layout with side-facing jump seats in the back. While these variants are more in line with the original Thar, it seems most buyers of the new one prefer the more practical variants with the front-facing forward seats and the choice of a convertible or fixed hard top. 

The entry-spec AX Std Thar also misses out on a mechanical locking differential even though 4WD is standard and is only offered with the turbo-petrol engine. Meanwhile, the AX(O) variant gets remote keyless entry, roll cage, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and height-adjustable driver’s seat over the AX variant. The top-spec LX variant gets the full range of comforts starting from the choice of automatic transmissions for both petrol and diesel engines. It also comes with cruise control, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, roof-mounted speakers, 18-inch alloy wheels, and moulded side steps.

Mahindra recorded over 20,000 bookings for the Thar even before deliveries began on November 1. The carmaker will be ramping up production from January 2021. In some cities, the waiting period for the new Thar is already stretching up to seven months. The bookings for the AX Std and AX variants should resume once Mahindra has caught up with some of the pent-up demand.

Also read: Mahindra Thar: 5 Thing To Know Before Buying The Thar

The Thar is currently priced between Rs 9.80 lakh and Rs 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). It doesn’t have any direct rivals but its pricing brings it into contention with compact SUVs such as the Renault Duster, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Nissan Kicks. The BS6 Force Gurkha is due to launch by the end of 2020 while the latest Maruti Jimny could arrive in India sometime next year.

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