The show-stopper at the Mahindra Adventure 4x4
Experience Zone at the recently conducted Autocar Performance Show 2018 was the
Mahindra Thar Draco, a heavily customised version of the company's popular
lifestyle SUV.
The Mahindra Thar Draco is a thoroughbred off-roader
and looks the part. It features a metallic blue exterior paint with 'flame'
graphics on the hood, front fenders, and doors. The bold stance is courtesy of
the larger wheels shod with off-road tires. A custom metal bumper characterises
the front-end with two red tow-hooks. An electric winch is mounted atop the
front bumper and is flanked by a LED lightbar. The original grille and the
headlamps have been retained, but the front fenders have been updated to support
the higher wheel travel.
In the side profile, you'll be quick to notice the
exterior roll cage and the plastic snorkel. Other highlights are the
high-placed custom rear fenders and the rally-spec steel wheels. At the rear,
the original bumper has made way for a custom unit with a red-painted tow hook.
The radiator has been repositioned to the back of the vehicle to minimise the
risk of damage from mud or water splashing inside the engine bay via the
radiator fan. This modification must have warranted re-routing and updating the
fuel & cooling lines, and water & fuel pumps.
Details of the performance upgrades aren't available
at the moment. That said, it's clear that the Mahindra Thar Draco features a
heavily reworked suspension for enhanced off-roading capabilities. Moreover,
it's likely to have gained at least a handful of performance upgrades for
additional grunt.
The factory-spec Mahindra Thar is powered by a
2.5-litre CRDe turbocharged diesel engine that outputs a maximum power of 105
bhp at 3,800 rpm and a peak torque of 247 Nm at 1,800 - 2,000 rpm. The engine
comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
