This Is Force Gurkha’s Beefed-Up Big Brother

Gurkha’s big brother believes only one thing - all seven days of the week are leg days at the gym

The Gurkha has always tugged at the heart of off-road enthusiasts and one of the reasons to buy it has been the hardware on offer. You really don’t need to add much to it, to tackle the tough trails. However, some people disagree and Force agrees with them. They believe the Gurkha with its function-over-form approach has the potential of being a truly great off-roader, that is, if it’s armed with the right tools. Force decided to do just that and brought along the Frankenstein they created to Auto Expo 2020. Take a look:

The design of the customised Gurkha is similar to the updated one shown at the expo. However, we’ll not hold it against you if you can’t it at first. That is because the raised suspension makes it look like a completely different animal. There are subtle changes here and there. The LED elements in the headlamps are different and the panels around it are black, compared to the body-colour ones on the regular Gurkha. The bull guard on the front is wrapped in black rope, making the Gurkha look that much more badass. There is a winch too, just in case you get stuck.

Look at it from the side and you’ll again notice subtle changes. The side windows get protection in the form of a metal net, again to protect them off-road from branches and other obstacles. The luggage rack sits on the top of the external roll cage -- both of which will stop the roof from caving in, in the event of a rollover accident. The spare tyre is kept on top too. One side has a shovel strapped to it, which is helpful when you get stuck.

Just in case you need to drive it on the street, there is a huge side mirror with two glass elements. One can be focused on the traffic behind, whereas the other one can be used to see what’s at the base of the vehicle, near the rear tyre.

The tyres, measuring 40 inches in diameter and 13.5 inches in width, use a 17-inch rim. They are full-on knobby tyres, best suited for hardcore off-roading. However, their rating allows them to be driven on tarmac if required.

Swing around to the rear and you have not one, but two jerry cans stored in a metal contraption. These should come in handy when you end up going far off the beaten path. There is a small ladder too, to get to the storage space on the top. While there is no huge bull guard at the back, the tail lamps have been given individual protection to shield them from the obstacles in your path.

The other side of the customised Gurkha features a pickaxe to hack away at branches in your path. You’ll also notice that there are auxiliary lights all around the Gurkha, allowing you to light up your surroundings even at night.

The suspension, including the axles, is completely different from the regular Gurkha. It gives the customised Gurkha the ability to go over any obstacles in its path.

Now comes the sad part. Force isn’t making it for its customers. It is instead, a testament to the capabilities of the Gurkha, and what it can be made into. To put it into context, it uses the same powertrain from the regular Gurkha.

Force has also been kind enough to reveal that it will cost approximately Rs 10 lakh over the price of the updated Gurkha (which hasn’t been revealed yet), to create this Frankenstein that could be called a baby monster truck.