India's Jeep Wrangler Knock-Off Is A More Faithful Representation Of The Original
Quick Links
It's hard to argue with the Jeep Wrangler's level of fame. When you think of the quintessential American off-roader, it's the Wrangler. This is, arguably, especially the case if you think of the stereotypical American off-road vehicle. The Wrangler's design has been around in some form since the early 1940s, and it was swiftly brought to fame following World War II, after thousands of GIs drove, or rode in, Willys Jeeps on the battlefield and beyond.
Of course, any great thing will have its copiers. The Jeep Wrangler is no exception, because India has come out with their own Jeep Wrangler lookalike called the Mahindra Thar. If you happened upon a Jeep Wrangler and a Mahindra Thar parked beside each other in a parking lot, you'd have to give a second - or even third - glance in order to discern the difference between the two. The thing is, though, the Thar isn't as "copycat" as you might think.
330-1.png
Jeep
Jeep is an off-road SUV brand with roots dating back to World War II when off-roaders were known as jeeps (from GP or General Purpose vehicles). Willys-Overland Motors took the concept mainstream by launching versions for the public to buy, and the brand has built a reputation of being te purest off-road-focused brand ever since. Iconic models like the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee have been staples in the lineup, and the brand currently lays claim to having the best-selling plug-in hybrid in America, the Wrangler 4xe.
The following write-up has been supplemented with information gathered from official manufacturer press materials.
The Mahindra-Jeep Relation Goes Back Far
Mahindra ROXOR 5
Bull-Doser/Wikimedia Commons
Mahindra & Mahindra Key Points
- Founded in 1945
- Began selling the Willys Jeep under license shortly after founding
- Has held the license to the Willys Jeep/Jeep Wrangler consistently for over 75 years
- Mahindra and Mahindra's tractor subsidiary is the largest manufacturer of tractors in the world
Following the founding of Mahindra & Mahindra - which was called Mahindra & Mohammad in the beginning - the then-new Indian company was looking for ways to broaden their product offerings beyond large-scale steel trading. A few years later, Mahindra approached WIllys in order to gain licensing rights to the Jeep, as the Indian conglomerate saw promise in the mass-production of small and large utility vehicles.
Licensing was granted, and so Mahindra set out to build their own version of the Willys Jeep under the M&M name. Eventually, Mahindra was recognized as the official Jeep manufacturer in India, and their cheap-and-cheerful product was well-liked by Indian motorists. Throughout Jeep's ownership changes, Mahindra maintained their licensing rights throughout. Even today, the Mahindra Thar, the Jeep Wrangler's Indian sibling, is still produced.
N/A
Mahindra Vision Thar.e Is The Willys Jeep's Wild Electric Descendant
Is Mahindra in for yet another lawsuit over this design?
The Mahindra Thar: The Wrangler's Indian Twin
2024 mahindra thar front red
Back in 2010, Mahindra released their newest Jeep Wrangler lookalike: the Thar. The "Thar" namesake is meant to pay homage to the Thar Desert, an expansive swath of arid land in the north-western part of India. The Thar replaced the Mahindra Major, the previous-gen version of the under-license Jeep Wrangler. While the looks are decidedly Jeep, the Thar is actually more Jeep-like than an actual Jeep.
We say this because of the Thar's rather bare-bones equipment levels at its base grade, along with its rugged and simple mechanical makeup. Mahindra offers the Thar with a choice between three powerplants, one of which is an in-house-produced 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing 150 horsepower. The other two mills are diesels, a 1.5-liter turbo and a 2.2-liter turbo, both of which are inline four-pots. An electric version is coming, too.
They Don't Build 'Em Like They Used To
Mahindra Thar Exterior
The 2025 Mahindra Thar starts at a base price of ₹11.50L, or about $17,600. The American Jeep Wrangler, in its most basic form, carries a starting price of $32,690. You certainly don't get $15,090 more in equipment in the Jeep, so why is it so much more expensive? The answer lies, largely, in production costs, which are substantially lower in India. The Thar is also a bit less equipped, especially in safety features.
Furthermore, the Thar's suspension is simply leaf springs attached to an independent suspension, not the best for off-roading. In contrast, the Wrangler boasts a front and rear five-link suspension setup. The thing is, because of the Thar's simple powerplants and rugged, yet simple, suspension, it's what the Jeep Wrangler used to be, before it was watered down a bit in order to appeal to the American mass-market. It can be argued that some Jeep purists may prefer a Mahindra, if they can get over owning a Jeep that isn't actually a Jeep, of course.
Jeep Once Sued Mahindra
2022 Mahindra ROXOR
Ultimately, the courts ruled in favor of Mahindra North America. The court win meant Mahindra could continue to produce the Roxor at their Detroit-based factory for the American market. However, the Roxor isn't actually street-legal here. The Roxor is basically a UTV, or a type of work/play vehicle commonly used by farmers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts. Yes, you can buy one, so long as you have the $12,949 to cover its base cost.
If You Think About It, The Thar Makes A Lot Of Sense
Mahindra Thar Exterior
In the right market, of course. However, in the US, it may not be very peachy. Sure, there would be a surge among a niche group of enthusiasts if the Thar came to the US. However, it wouldn't do very well here for a few reasons. For one, it would need to be completely overhauled in terms of safety as the Indian safety minimums are quite a lot less strict than those in the US. New engines would have to be made, or existing ones updated to match our strict emissions standards.
These changes would drive the price of the Thar up considerably. We also have to think about competition. The Jeep Wrangler, even if it's more expensive than a hypothetical SMerican-market Thar, would still win out in sales more than likely. The Wrangler has such a deep-rooted history and love in this country that the Thar may not be able to even scratch the surface of it. Its lack of standard equipment would draw scrutiny among the masses, as well.
So, that's about it with the Mahindra Thar. It sounds like a great little off-roader with an attractive price and a time-tested exterior design. Its simple, yet rugged, construction could win over the hearts of many outdoor and off-roading enthusiasts. But, when it comes to the mass-market, the Thar would most likely be a major flop. After all, large corporations do mountains of market research before even considering bringing out a new model, and if the Thar hasn't been sold here yet, it'll likely never be sold here, at least not in the near future. So, it's base Jeep Wranglers and Ford Broncos for the basic, all-terrain-oriented for now.
Sources: Mahindra, Mahindra North America, Jeep
