Remember when Mahindra revealed the Thar 4x4? While some might say it's a direct rip-off of the JK Jeep Wrangler, the Mahindra Thar is actually based on the looks of the Jeep CJ to which the Indian automaker owns the rights to. That means Stellantis will not be able to sue Mahindra for design infringement.

And now, Mahindra has just revealed a special edition of the 4x4 called the “Thar Earth Edition”. Now serving as the new flagship version of the rugged SUV, it gets unique styling upgrades the lesser variants of the Thar can only wish to have. It also serves as a more affordable alternative to the Jeep Wrangler.

Beginning with the most obvious first, the Earth Edition comes in a unique matte finish called Desert Fury. It is then complemented by touches of black which can be seen on the side mirror caps, grille surround, badges, B-pillars, and body cladding. It also comes with special 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 255/65 all-terrain tires.

Hop inside and the Thar Earth Edition greets occupants with a two-tone motif that's reminiscent of the exterior. It gets a predominantly black interior that's spruced up by Desert Fury-colored accents which can be seen on the aircon vent surrounds and on the steering wheel. There's also a special VIN plate on the left side of the dashboard to remind owners they are in something special. Last but not least, the 4x4 gets leather seats finished in beige.

Like the regular versions of the Thar, the Earth Edition comes with plenty of goodies that include; 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a 6-speaker sound system, 50:50 split rear seats, a driveline disconnect for the front axle, a locking differential, rear parking sensors, and a tire pressure monitoring system.

Under the hood, the Thar Earth Edition is available with either a 2.0-liter turbo-gasoline four-cylinder engine or a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel inline-four. The former makes 152 PS at 5000 rpm with 300 Nm of torque at 1250 – 3000 rpm while the latter generates 132 PS at 3750 rpm and 300 Nm of torque between 1600 – 3800 rpm. The two engines can then be connected to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. As mentioned earlier, the 4x4 SUV comes with a part-time 4WD system with high & low reduction gears and automatic-locking hubs.

The 2024 Mahindra Thar Earth Edition is now available in India and is only available in a 3-door body style. It's However, it is expected that there will be a more practical 5-door version coming soon. Could the Mahindra Thar make sense in the Philippines should it be offered here?