Maruti Suzuki had showcased the highly anticipated Jimny off-roader at the 2020 Auto Expo in February. Now, it has been learnt that the company is readying a bigger 5-door version of the SUV for the Indian market. Besides the standard 3-door model, Maruti will also start the production of 5-door Jimny at its Hansalpur manufacturing unit in Gujarat. Though, the 3-door Suzuki Jimny which enters production from June 2020 will be up for exports only, while the 5-door version will start manufacturing six months later by end of 2020.
Maruti Jimny 5-door will be sold in the domestic market as well as exported to international markets. It will be sold via the NEXA premium range of dealerships across the nation. The prices are expected to start just below Rs 10 Lakhs (Ex. Showroom) while it will take on the likes of Force Gurkha and Mahindra Thar. It might also reduce the sales of Vitara Brezza as a result of cannibalization. The 5-door model will essentially be a stretched version of the 3-door model with the exterior styling and cabin retained from the standard model. Though, it has to be seen that how the increased length and the extended wheelbase has impacted the off-roading capabilities of the SUV.
Under the hood, Maruti Suzuki Jimny will have a BS6 compliant 1.5L 4-cylinder K15B petrol engine as standard which will develop top power of 105bhp. We have already seen this engine with several Maruti products such as Ciaz, Ertiga and Vitara Brezza. Being based on a ladder-frame architecture, the 5-door Jimny will come with a four-wheel-drive system with a low range transfer case. The SUV will feature rigid axles at both the ends, while mated to a 5-speed manual transmission as standard. Though, the company might introduce an AMT gearbox at a later stage. Maruti Jimny India launch might take place in the first quarter of 2021 with bookings starting during the festive season around mid November this year.
Source - AutoCar India