Maruti Suzuki Jimny has been generating a lot of buzz ever since it was showcased in a 3-door avatar at the 2020 Auto Expo in February in India. It was learnt that the company is intending to launch a 5-door version of Jimny in the country in 2021 with local production taking place at its Gujarat manufacturing unit. Today, it has completed a successful journey of 50 years since the roll out of first model in April 1970. During all these years, the company has managed to retail a whooping 2.85 million units of the Jimny across the globe.
If seen practically, it is not a cakewalk for any vehicle to survive a life cycle of 50 years and that too without losing its original character. The company is in the process of rolling out the fourth-gen Jimny which is based on a ladder-frame chassis. Even the suspension system has been tweaked to adjust with the uneven terrains while the all-wheel-drive will be expected to be retained. It draws power from a 1.5L 4-cylinder K-Series petrol engine which scores heavily in both power output and fuel economy. The Indian market could never see the original Jimny on the roads, instead the company introduced 'Gypsy in the early 1980s' which was essentially a long wheelbase version of the second-gen Jimny.
Read Also: Upcoming Cars Under 10 Lakhs in India 2020
Maruti Gypsy was loved by one and all due to its rugged appearance and off-roading capabilities. The Gypsy was on sale for nearly three years in India and not only civilians but it also served the Indian armred forces. It was only discontinued a couple of years back due to the implementation of stricter safety and emission norms by the Government. However, it is almost confirmed that the new-gen Maruti Suzuki Jimny will be launched in India by mid 2021 in a five-seater version while it will be sold via the NEXA premium network chain. The company is also looking to export the 5-door version made-in-India Jimny to several global markets including Europe where right-hand-drive configuration is valid.