Mahindra executives have exclusively confirmed to CarSauce during a recent event at Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai, India, that the company is in the advanced stages of developing a new SUV model, tentatively named the Mahindra Thar Sports. However, due to legal reasons, this vehicle will adopt a different name when it arrives in Australia.

In an unguarded moment during the roundtable, the name “Thar Sports” was mentioned publicly for the first time by Velusamy R, Mahindra's President of Automotive Technology & Product Development. Discussing Mahindra’s international product strategy, he said, “I think two, three products, like the gentleman said, Thar Roxx and Thar Sports — two, three products which really, really get into the hearts of the customer.”

The Thar Sports is not merely a variant of the current Thar SUV popular in India but an entirely new model specifically designed to cater to international markets, including Australia.

The key differentiator is its shift from the traditional ladder-frame architecture used by the current Thar to a modern monocoque design, significantly enhancing on-road comfort, safety, and refinement.

Mahindra executives strongly indicated that the Thar Sports would closely resemble the Thar.e electric concept revealed recently in South Africa, minus the electric drivetrain.

Exclusive renderings obtained by CarSauce depict a robust and modern SUV, combining muscular, boxy styling with sophisticated design cues.

The vehicle features distinctive round LED headlights, reminiscent of the Thar Roxx, and a rugged yet refined aesthetic clearly targeting premium lifestyle segments.

Under the bonnet, Mahindra confirmed an advanced, flexible hybrid architecture will be deployed. This system supports various hybrid setups, including strong series-parallel hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and range-extender hybrids.

For the Thar Sports, executives suggested a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a hybrid system, likely in a range-extender format, where the petrol engine charges a battery powering the electric motor, similar to Nissan’s e-Power technology.

Additionally, sources indicated the Thar Sports might also feature the proven 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 149.2 kW and a 2.2-litre diesel engine delivering 129 kW, currently available in Mahindra’s XUV700 and Scorpio-N SUVs sold in Australia.

A critical point noted by executives is the Thar Sports' east-west engine layout, optimised for hybrid powertrains. This configuration offers enhanced packaging, improved interior space, and better on-road dynamics compared to traditional north-south layouts.

Speaking with CarSauce, a Mahindra executive said, “Such of those products which have east-west architecture, you can adopt all of them — strong hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and range extender.” This highlights the platform versatility underpinning the Thar Sports and Mahindra’s strategy to meet different regional demands through modular hybrid integration.

While reluctant to provide exact timelines, Mahindra executives made clear the Thar Sport is significantly progressed, with its global debut expected within the next 18 to 24 months. An Australian release could realistically occur by late 2026 or early 2027, pending ANCAP certification.

Regarding pricing, based on India's Thar Roxx range, the Thar Sport is estimated to start from approximately AUD $39,990, with higher-end hybrid variants potentially reaching between AUD $55,000–$60,000. Despite the premium positioning, Mahindra is expected to price the Thar Sports competitively to undercut established rivals in the Australian market.

The development of the Thar Sports symbolises Mahindra’s broader ambition to reposition itself as a premium lifestyle SUV brand internationally, integrating modern technology, hybrid powertrains, and advanced safety features to directly compete against global rivals.