With its jacked-up ride height, chunky tyres and slab-sided exterior design, you’d be forgiven for thinking you are staring at an old Mercedes G-Wagon that has been put through a hot wash, but this is the latest Gurkha from Indian automotive manufacturers Force Motors.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? Well Force Motors admits it has been a little bit inspired by the German off-roading warrior but the Gurkha is a fairly formable mud-plugger in its own right. The vehicle has won numerous Rainforest Challenge cups and is hugely popular with off-roading enthusiasts in India.
The new Gurkha features a 140hp 2.2-litre diesel engine, a live rigid front axle, all-wheel-drive with a differential lock on each axle, coil suspension all-round and a new, more rugged high strength chassis. And yes, that snorkel comes as standard.
Its 40+-degree approach and departure angle rival the new Land Rover Defender, while its 550mm wading depth is up there with some of the most heroic classic off-road vehicles ever made. There are also plenty of rugged accessories available to order at dealer lever, from chunky roof racks to rear door-mounted fuel cans. Since the demise of the Suzuki Jimny in the UK, could this be the rugged off-roader green-laning enthusiasts have been demanding?
Well, it will likely never to make it to these shores, let alone pass the rigorous European emissions and safety tests, but with a sticker price of around £13,000, it;’s certainly tempting to start petitioning the Indian firm.
Keyword: The Indian-built Force Motors Gurkha is the Suzuki Jimny replacement we sorely need