Force Gurkha

 Step in, or rather, climb in and the first thing that takes you by surprise is the overall up-market feel for a SUV of this segment. The two-tone seats for example match the two-tone colour combination of the interiors. Finished in a mix of black and beige, they also offer high comfort though the arm-rest didn’t seem to function properly on our test vehicle. The fascia design has been changed as compared to the older model and looks far pleasing than its main rival, the Mahindra Thar. It also offers a lockable glovebox and the tachometer sits in the middle of the fascia. The standard air-con seems to work well in the 40+ degree heat though the fan seemed to be too noisy at full speed.  The Gurkha makes use of hard-core 4×4 mechanicals here. The middle of the longest lever is ofcourse the conventional gear lever. On its right sit two smaller levers which are used to lock the front and rear differentials independently. Lastly, the lever on the right of the hand brake is for shifting from 4×2 to 4x4H or 4x4L. 

 The new Gurkha is largely based on the older model – it still makes use of the same chassis and the body. This isn’t a bad thing as the original Gurkha was designed on the lines of the legendary Mercedes Benz G Wagon and in the middle of nowhere, this vehicle will surely look appealing. Changes on the exteriors include new bumpers, foot board, grille and that lovely functional snorkel. Alloy wheels are borrowed from the Force One and on avail are both 3-door hard-top and a soft top version. Interesting bits of exterior elements include the two Gurkha badges – one under the front windshield and one at the back. The Gurkha comes standard with front fog lamps and the exhaust outlet in front of the rear right tyre looks unique. The high ground clearance and all-terrain tyres add a touch of ‘macho-ness’ to the Gurkha.

 The OM616 engine isn’t very smooth or refined. However this could also be blamed on the overall NVH levels. It goes over bad roads very well and just lords over them.

 The Gurkha still makes use of the same Mercedes licensed OM616 four cylinder unit. Much work has been done to make sure both power and torque take a bump. The 2596cc makes a maximum power of 80PS at 3200rpm along with a maximum torque of 230Nm at 1800 rpm. This is transferred to the wheels via a G1 18/5B gearbox.

 The engine does the trick automatically and all you need to do is lock the differentials, select 4x4L, slot into first and let off the clutch. This thing will give actually challenge mountain goats up a rocky hill side no matter what terrain it is on! For the uninitiated, the differential lock helps come out of situations when one or more of the wheels are slipping on soft ground or in air due to undulating terrain and unable to generate enough traction to move forward. The 210mm ground clearance and 550mm wading depth further give the Gurkha a complete clear edge over the Thar. Lastly, enthusiasts who love venturing into the unknown like jungle trails, mining areas etc will also love the 37 degree approach angle and 34 degree departure angle – possible due to short overhangs.