The 2020 Mahindra Thar has been a car that ever since its unveil, has reached the want list of a number of people. However, two-door cars, what can we Indians say about them? We have had a few two-door cars on sale in the past so we are not seeing them for the first time. Some of which did well, some of which did not. This niche market has always been dodged by major carmakers, some of which tried and failed, some tried and succeeded and some never tried. However, now that the Thar is here, are we ready for a car with two fewer doors?
Unlike other international markets, where we often see multiple cars in the same family and smaller families too, it makes sense to have a two-door car. We Indians on the other hand, go for a car that offers the maximum amount of space, for all our family members and for luggage. Which always meant that 4-door cars always had the upper hand. Which translates to a simple thing, without a demand, why would manufacturers think of introducing a 2-door car?
Let me remind you of the Tata Nano. With affordability being its major priority, the car was aimed at first-time buyers. You would think that it would have made sense for Tata to offer the car as a two-door, shaving off a significant cost off of the car in the form of two fewer doors. However, that would not have gone well with the Indian audience. Primarily, we Indians believe that small 2-door cars have less space in the rear and adults can not fit in the back. Additionally, the ingress and egress, especially for elder members in the family would always be problematic.
But unlike the Nano, the 2020 Mahindra Thar, is not primarily aimed at first-time car buyers. It is more of a lifestyle product, with people interested in a fun to drive and capable off-roader being the primary target. By making it practical enough and even easier to live with than before, the Thar will also attract those buyers who have been on the fence all this while. In its latest avatar, not only does the car remain extremely capable off the road, but its on-road manners have been improved considerably, the interior gets much more equipment than before. It has, in many ways, lost the utilitarian vehicle tag associated with it all these years.
The steep price tag of the VW GTI made customers look at other, equally fun 4-door options.
In the past, cars like these have done well. May I remind you about cars like the humble Gypsy, the Mahindra Classic or even the Tata Sierra. These cars, despite having a two-door design, did offer enough space for the family. Additionally, smaller 2-door cars like the Zen Carbon and Zen Steel found many buyers too. Not only were they decently priced, but being sold in limited numbers made them much more attractive. Many exotic 2-door supercars like Ferrari’s and Lambo’s too are performing relatively well in our market. On the flip side, there have been other 2-door cars that have not done too well. The San Storm for instance, or even more recently, the Volkswagen GTI.
It proves that for a 2-door to be successful in the Indian market, it has to tick two boxes. First being space. The lack of two additional doors can be balanced out by offering abundant of space on the inside. This is why cars like the Sierra and the Gypsy did quite well in our market. Pricing comparable to its competitors is another box to tick. Cars like the Volkswagen GTI were not meant to be spacious, family cars. As good as the car was, the steep pricing of the car made customers look elsewhere. Especially at equally fun to drive yet practical, 4-door options. Further proving the point is the fact that the GTI sold itself rather quickly when massive discounts were offered on it at the end of its lifecycle.
The new 2020 Mahindra Thar has abundant space on offer. Additionally, it also has been priced wonderfully well. Its competitors like the Force Gurkha and Suzuki Jimny, when they eventually come, are expected to be priced in a similar bracket. So it does have, on paper, the credentials to do well despite the lack of two doors. Although, that is not all. The car also has much more swinging its way and pushing it to success. The Indian market too, over the years has evolved.
A new trend has emerged, where we see youngsters leaving their hometowns and moving to big cities for better opportunities. A plethora of finance and leasing schemes too, have come in the market. This makes it easier for customers to own a car. Due to this an upgrade to a larger vehicle, when the family expands, is much easier and convenient. With all this is in mind, I honestly do believe the Indian market is ripe for some lovely 2-door cars. With the 2020 Mahindra Thar taking charge, I hope there are more coming our way.
Author: Videh Vora
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