Force Motors Trax History
History
The Force Trax family began production in 1988 when the company traded as Bajaj Tempo, offering robust multi-utility vehicles built around Mercedes-Benz OM616 2.4-litre diesel engines in two- and three-wheelbase configurations (2,400 mm, 3,030 mm, and 3,050 mm). Variants spanned station wagons seating up to 13 passengers, dropside pickups (the Kargo King), and ambulance conversions — all aimed at the functional rural and semi-urban Indian market.
Engine upgrades over the decades moved the line to a 2.6-litre turbodiesel producing 61–75 hp (naturally aspirated and turbocharged respectively), and the most recent BS-VI-compliant Trax carries an 80-hp common-rail unit. The Trax Gurkha, introduced in 1998 as a four-wheel-drive variant to compete with the Tata Sierra and Tata Safari, provided the platform foundation that eventually evolved into the standalone Gurkha nameplate relaunched in 2008.
Body styles
- Station wagon
- Pickup
- Van
- Ambulance
Notable special editions & performance variants
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Trax Gurkha
4×4 Trax variant powered by a 2.4-litre turbodiesel (76 hp); introduced in 1998 (initially for military users) and wound down as the standalone Force Gurkha nameplate was relaunched in 2008 — the direct ancestor of that model.
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Kargo King
Dropside pickup variant of the Trax platform for light commercial cargo use; still in Force Motors' current lineup (sold as the Trax Kargo King).
Related models