Named after the toughest infantry in the world, the Gurkha does not spoil its occupant with comfort. The Indian off-road vehicle is designed for tough use on the worst roads.
Lovers of robust off-road vehicles have a hard time in Europe after both the Defender from Land Rover and the G-Class from Mercedes have been reissued. Both successors only have the name and a few optical borrowings in common with the legendary vehicles. Fans have to wait for Ineos’ grenadier or they can look to India. There the Force Motors Gurkha still impresses with the box design. With the G-Class but also with the Defender, the prices were anything but down-to-earth. The Gurkha is already available for 11,000 euros and even if you push the price up, it remains cheaper than a mediocre motorized Golf.
The name says it all
With the Grenadier the name says it all and so with the Gurkha. It is named after Her Majesty’s Gurkha troops. A unit that is considered to be the toughest and most operational infantry in the world. During the Second World War, the Germans feared the warriors from the Himalayas, who prefer to fight with a dagger. During the First World War, the Gurkha were the only ones who managed to reach the Turkish trenches at Gallipoli.
Popular family car
The off-roader is not that terrible. It is available as a three- and five-door model, with a long and short wheelbase, an open loading area or as a closed version. All-wheel drive is not an extra, but is part of the basic equipment of the short version. With an approach angle of 44 degrees at the front and 40 degrees at the rear, the car even leaves Suzuki Jimny or the Mitsubishi Pajero Pinin behind. Short climbs well – this also applies to the Gurkha. The short version with three doors is only 3.99 meters long and, with its short wheelbase of 2.40 meters, also has potential off-road. This Gurkha is equipped with a snorkel as standard. The trunk increases the depth of the mudflats, and you suck in less dust further up. The turning circle of the three-door Indian is 11.30 meters.
Puristic interior
Even the long version with 4.34 meters hardly grows beyond golf level. Nevertheless, the off-road vehicle offers space for up to nine people. The height of 2.08 meters also makes the interior large. But nine people have to move together snuggly. Indian auto journalists called the interior ambience “disappointing”. It is equally reminiscent of an old black and white film and a naked bus body. Bare metal greets you everywhere. The shift levers require more than a little force.
Weak engine
You can even get the long Gurkha with rear-wheel drive because it is also a popular family car. The top speed is just under 160 km / h. The engine also shows a certain age: the four-cylinder common rail diesel “conjures up” just 85 hp and a maximum torque of 230 Nm from a displacement of 2.6 liters. There is an independent independent wheel suspension at the front, while a multi-link construction is installed on the rear axle. A gear reduction and differential locks on the front and rear axles ensure tough use off the beaten track. Only drum brakes are installed at the rear.
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