Mahindra Bolero New : The legendary poster boy of Indian roads is set… Mahindra’s Bolero, the workhorse whose look and feel has dominated rural and semi-urban landscapes for over two decades, is getting what company insiders describe as a “dhakad” (powerful) makeover that is also in line with its sweat-on-forehead affordability (starting at just ₹7 lakh).
This radical reimagining of the Land Cruiser comes at a crucial time for the pillar of Toyota’s worldwide operations, as the model has struggled to keep pace with rivals since it committed to its legendary indestructibility and no-frills usefulness.
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Mahindra Bolero New A Dynasty Reborn for a New India
Since it’s starting back in 2000, the Mahindra Bolero has had a very special place in the Indian automotive market. Not a city-slicker SUV not a bare-bones rural transport, it defined its own segment as a sturdy, practical vehicle that could handle flooded village roads in monsoon season as easily as it could chaotic tier-two city traffic.
With more than 1.3 million sold till date, by the old company, the light truck is one of the longest continuously produced vehicles in the history of the Indian automotive industry.
That Mahindra chose a mild facelift instead of an all-new replacement for the Bolero shows the fact that Mahindra has acknowledged the near cult appeal of this body-on-ladder frame design among the super LCV faithful.
“You don’t mess with a legend,” said Rajesh Jejurikar, president of Mahindra’s farm equipment sector, in an informal media interaction last month. “You carefully evolve it, respecting what made it special in the first place.”
This evolution has been informed by extensive field research, and for months Mahindra engineers traveled through the Bolero’s stronghold markets in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, interviewing owners about what they would preserve and what they would change about their loyal companion.
Mahindra Bolero New The Design Philosophy of ‘Dhakad’
The new Bolero’s design speaks the “dhakad” language says company sources, for the lack of a better word in Hindi tells a tale that says brawny, brazen and beautiful.
The philosophy also shows up most notably on the front end, which boasts a much more aggressive grille boasting six vertical slats that are gunmetal gray in this application. And mounted on either side of this are new headlamps, complete with LED daytime running lights – a first for the Leon – uniquely positioned in a tingling signature pattern.
“We wanted the new Bolero to come with a fanfare of its arrival,” design lead Pratap Singh says. “The older generations were functional and low key. The dhakad look provides it the road presence it deserves for the capability it sports.”
The boxy profile of the vehicle is still here, but tweaks to the sheet metal finally place it in the 2020s. As above, the more angular wheel arches accommodate bigger 16-inch alloy wheels on upper-spec versions (steel wheels are standard on base models), and the lower body cladding receives a redesign with textured plastic for better scratch and knock resistance.
One of the more noticeable new features is the color pallet, with bright and bold options including Dhakad Red and Thar Sand joining classic white, silver, and black options. These shades are used with advanced painting technique this is assure superior coating life to your shutter against all Indian weather condition.
Mahindra Bolero New Interior Revolution Not Evolution
If exterior changes could be classified as evolutionary, climbing aboard the new Bolero reveals a considerably more revolutionary metamorphosis. The old utilitarian dash is long gone, replaced with a military inspired design that marries practical with current expectations for comfort and technology.
The most conspicuous inclusion is a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit on mid to higher grade trims with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. This in turn is housed within a revised centre console that offers better ergonomics and useful storage options.
On the other side of the coin, the instrument cluster now features analog gauges mixed with a 4.2-inch digital information display that conveys everything from fuel economy to off-road metrics such as tilt angle.
Materials have been seriously upgraded as well, yet strength has not been compromised. The seats are upholstered in more durable fabric with better bolstering, and touch points such as the steering wheel and door handles receive a new composite material that feels like leather but is more resistant to wear.
“Our customers were telling us that they wanted the car to be more comfortable, but still tough,” says interior designer Priya Mehta. “They don’t want fabrics that are going to rip or fade after a hard six months in use. All surfaces have to be able to endure years of dusty conditions, and of operators who are, perhaps, climbing in with muddy boots.”
There plenty of user-friendly touches, from USB ports sprinkled throughout the cabin, to a cooled glovebox large enough to fit 2-liter bottles. And here’s more comfort for rear seat passengers in the form of better cushioning and even the availability of air con vents on some higher spec models.
Mahindra Bolero New The ‘Dhakad’ Promise Fulfilled by Engineering
Powering the new Bolero is a choice of two engines. This is the base version, so this still gets the latest version of Mahindra’s tried and tested 1.5-litre mHawk75 diesel engine – which is also updated in this guise for better NVH properties and no doubt the kind of unbreakable reliability and fuel efficiency of about 16-17km/l that the brand is already known for.
But the most significant bit is an optional 4-cyl 2.2-liter mHawk diesel outputting 140 bhp and 320 Nm of torque, which is close to 80% more power and about 65% more torque over the smaller engine.
Mileage This engine is a derivative of Mahindra’s upmarket products but specifically turned for Bolero’s duty cycles completely transforms the Bolero’s performance profile while maintaining decent fuel efficiency of about 14-15 kmpl.
The engine however is mated to an all-new 5-speed manual gearbox that has been engineered for better shift quality and shorter throws. The expected automatic tranny hasn’t appeared in this refresh, with company sources suggesting a lack of customer support in major markets.
The chassis continues with the same body-on-frame architecture that gives Bolero its legendary durability, but gets large scale changes in suspension bits.
Meanwhile, new progressive-rate springs and twin-tube dampers, combine for a significantly improved ride that doesn’t compromise load-carrying ability, and thicker anti-roll bars help to keep the high-riding 5008’s body in check in corners.
Four-wheel drive is still an option but has more capability across the range including an electronic rear differential lock on some of the top-end variants — sure to boost the perception of drivers who use their vehicles for hardcore off-roading.
Mahindra Bolero New Advances in Safety Respond to Vital Needs
Arguably, the most welcome improvements are in terms of safety, an aspect in which the original Bolero was a product of the more lax safety standards of its time. The new version comes with stronger body structure complying with new crash test norms, dual front airbags as a standard feature across all variants and ABS with EBD.
Higher-spec models gain side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control, hill descent control and a rear-view camera with parking sensors. Although still not meeting the safety requirement of premium SUVs, these advances are a game-changer for the model, and a sign of the times for its segment.
Mahindra Bolero New Market Positioning and the ₹7 Lakh Question
One of the biggest surprises in the new Bolero is the pricing strategy. Despite the major overhauls, Mahindra has been able to price the updated Thar from ₹7 lakh (ex-showroom) with the topgoing for around ₹11.5 lakh for the fully-loaded 4×4.
This competitive pricing makes the updated model a strong rival against its more regular competition the Tata Sumo and the modern breed of compact SUVs which have started proving to be sales thorns in Bolero’s traditional strongholds.
“The price of ₹7 lakh is really hard to believe with the kind of enhancements that they have made,” says automotive analyst Vikram Chopra. It is evident that Mahindra has made a conscious trade off to retain the Bolero’s market share even if the margins get squeezed a bit. Some car makers know, and they get that the car is part of what makes them the brand they say they are.
Industry sources claim that the aforesaid pricing has been possible because of a mix of economies of scale, localization of components which used to be imported hitherto, and smart feature set variation for each variant to offer a clear differentiation across the lineup.
Mahindra Bolero New Rural Supply Response and Urban Demand-FIRST_RESULTS
Early response from channel partners in key rural markets has been overwhelming and some are already experiencing pre-launch enquiries greater than any past Bolero refreshes. The mash-up of the familiar nameplate and evidently modernised designs appears to have struck a chord with oldsters and potentially newbies.
“When customers come to see it, they are all shocked at how much more they are getting for the same, more or less, money,” said Suresh Patel, a Mahindra dealer in the Mehsana district of Gujarat.
“The various dhakad styling additions are gaining huge popularity especially – people now want vehicles that stand out even at an urban level, let alone in rural markets.”
Peculiarly, it seems Mahindra is trying to seek some more relevance within city limits with this facelift. Some of the higher-spec models with their more luxurious interior and tech packages could well appeal to buyers who want a rugged, utilitarian sort of vehicle for weekend adventures, but would also like it to be reasonably comfortable for the daily commute.
Whether this city-centric approach pays off is yet to be seen, but the values of value (for VFM), hardiness (after all these are tough times) and now in large part comfort (with the appurtenant upgradations) make this new avatar of the Bolero a game contender in an increasingly crowding market place.
For Rs 7 lakh, its mix of presence, practicality and rock solid reliability is a hard sell against its more contemporary but less hardy rivals.
As the new-look Bolero starts its journey to showrooms across the country starting this month it represents not only Mahindra’s hopes for continuing its winning ways in the sales charts but also the affection of generations who have relied on this no nonsense car. The “dhakad” makeover ensures that it will stay impossible to ignore on the road and in the market.
