Along with a heavily upgraded interior, the new 2015 Mahindra Thar facelift will also get updated exterior without tinkering too much from the iconic styling of the SUV.

2015 Mahindra Thar Test Mule
Upgrades include a new bumper, flared wheel arches and slightly sculpted front hood

The Mahindra Thar is all set to get a number of changes for the 2015 model year that will be making the lifestyle SUV a lot more modern and appealing over the existing rugged and utilitarian design. An extremely potent off-roader that has carved a cult following with its timeless design, Mahindra is all set to give a mild revision to the exteriors of the Thar without tweaking the existing design too much. The facelifted Thar was recently caught testing at Dahisar near Mumbai which is pretty close to the company’s facility in Kandivali.

As seen in the spy shots, the 2015 Mahindra Thar gets a reworked front bumper which is said to be part metal and part plastic and integrates with the new and wider front wheel arches. The camouflaged hood is expected to get mild tinkering with newly sculpted lines on offer. At the sides, the most prominent change is the new side step that will allow easy ingress and egress and the rear gets a slightly raked soft top along with wider wheel arches as well as a new bumper.

While the exterior changes are minimal, the interiors will see a major overhaul with the instrument cluster and switches from 1990 finally being thrown out. The 2015 Thar gets a more premium looking cabin with the new dual tone dashboard, updated upholstery and better-looking plastic used. The instrument cluster is a 3-part unit with chrome bezels; whereas the gear shifter and four-wheel drive lever are covered up in faux leather that certainly looks good.

In terms of power, we expect no changes on the 2015 Mahindra Thar with the 2.5-litre CRDe motor doing duty, churning out 105 BHP of power and 247 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The base variant uses a 2.5-litre DI diesel engine with 63 BHP and 182.5 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed gearbox which sends power to the rear wheels only. The Thar will continue to get BorgWarner’s all-wheel drive system as standard on certain variants.

Mahindra Thar Facelift Interior
The interiors of the updated Mahindra Thar see a massive change
2015 Mahindra Thar Spy Shot
The rear will get a raked soft top on offer while the engines will sport no changes

Spy Pictures Source – Motoroids.com