Force Gurkha five-door SUV, pickup truck unveiled in Indonesia

The 2022 edition of the Indo Defence Expo and Forum in Indonesia was not on many’s calendars here in India. This was until a local manufacturer—Republik Motor— managed to grab eyeballs for showcasing the Ksatria SUV alongside a unique double-cabin pickup truck version of itself.

Their images will be uncannily familiar to our readers since both the Ksatria SUV and pickup truck are based on Force Gurkha. The compact SUV is a niche favourite of adventure-seeking enthusiasts thanks to a superior 4x4 drivetrain.

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The SUV showcased at the expo is a five-door derivative of Gurkha, which originally comes in a three-door model. Force is already developing a five-door version of Gurkha for the Indian market and test mules of the same have been spotted on the roads on multiple occasions. In all probability, it will be an exact replica of Ksatria.

As per reports, both the vehicles showcased at the Indo Defence Expo and Forum will be manufactured locally in Indonesia by Republik Motor under a licence from Force Motors. Initially, both vehicles will be sold to government agencies and will be made available for sale to the general public at a later stage. The display models presented at the exhibition, however, were made in India.

Exterior design

In terms of design, the Ksatria duo looks almost identical to Gurkha barring the extended wheelbase and additional doors offered in the former. Up front, both the SUV and the pickup truck feature round headlamps surrounded by a ring of LED DRLs. The addition of a bull guard gives the vehicles a more brawny appearance.

The side profile of Ksatria remains similar albeit with a longer wheelbase and different alloy wheel designs as compared to the standard three-door Gurkha. The rear end takes a departure from Gurkha since the former receives longitudinal taillights featuring twin squarish LED elements with a grille. The SUV variant also gets a massive spare wheel with a cover which is missing in the India-spec Gurkha.

The pickup derivative of Ksatria flaunts a dual-cab layout that has been designed as an assault vehicle for the military. Therefore, the display model showcased a missile launcher on its loading tray. Like most pickup trucks, the tailgate is hinged on the side rather than at the bottom.

Interiors, features and powertrain

Inside the cabin of the Ksatria SUV and pickup truck, the layout is similar to its Indian cousin. However, the Indonesian models flaunt a dual-tone black and beige theme instead of an all-black interior of the Gurkha. The seats also appear to be plusher than Ksatria’s siblings from India. The five-door version comes with a six-seat layout with two captain’s chairs in the second row and a bench seat in the third.

Like the India-spec Gurkha, Ksatria offers a basic equipment list in both its derivatives. Some notable features include an analogue instrument cluster, manual air conditioning with circular vents, a touchscreen infotainment system, and a three-spoke steering wheel.

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Powering both forms is a 2.6-litre OM616 diesel engine, sourced from Mercedes Benz. This is the same unit that propels the India-spec Gurkha and churns out 90 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. Like its Indian counterpart, this motor is expected to be paired with a five-speed manual transmission that sends power to all four wheels via a low-range transfer case.

This is the first time that the five-door derivative has come to the spotlight, albeit with a different name and branding. While this SUV version of Gurkha is being tested on the road, there have been no reports of Force developing a pickup truck for the Indian market.