HomeCar NewsMaruti Jimny Booking Amount Increased - Highest For Any Maruti Car

Maruti Jimny Booking Amount Increased – Highest For Any Maruti Car

Maruti Jimny booking is off to a flying start – In just 2 days, bookings have crossed 3,000 mark

Maruti Jimny 5-Door off-road
Maruti Jimny 5-Door off-road

Unveiled at Auto Expo, 5-door Jimny has gotten off to a good start with bookings of 3,000 units in just 2 days. It’s when prices are yet to be announced for the SUV. In comparison, Thar had registered bookings of around 9k units in 4 days when it was launched in October 2020.

With Jimny’s production capacity currently at around 1,000 units per month, waiting period has already touched three months. Bookings could increase further when test drives start and prices are announced. Jimny is expected to be launched at a starting price of around Rs 10-12 lakh, ex-sh.

Jimny booking amount increased

Booking amount for all Nexa cars including range-topping Grand Vitara is Rs 11,000. It was the same for Jimny as well, but now it has been increased to Rs 25k. This makes Jimny booking amount the highest for any Maruti car. It is not clear as to why Maruti has increased booking amount of Jimny to Rs 25k. Even the new Fronx, which was unveiled along with Jimny, has a booking amount of Rs 11k. Booking amount of all Maruti Arena cars is also at Rs 11k, except for Alto 800, which has a booking amount of Rs 5k.

It is possible that the booking amount has been increased to avoid a situation wherein there’s a heavy deluge of bookings. As seen with cars like XUV700, Scorpio-N, etc., waiting period had touched 24 months at some locations. Maruti is probably looking to avoid prolonged waiting period, as it creates various challenges. Key among them is the need to increase production capacity. Maruti also manufactures 3-door Jimny, which is exclusively for overseas markets. For 5-door Jimny, Maruti may need some additional time to boost production capacity.

Jimny booking amount is the highest for any Maruti car on sale today
Jimny booking amount is the highest for any Maruti car on sale today

Cancellations are another major challenge. Excessive bookings lead to extended waiting period. Over a period of 12-18 months, there could be significant developments such as launch of a new product or a facelift version of a rival product. These developments can prompt customers to cancel their bookings. If there are significant cancellations, it can result in underutilization of production capacity.

Maruti is likely aiming for a leaner approach to avoid such complications. Waiting period of Nexa cars is around 3 to 9 months, something that Maruti will be looking to achieve for Jimny as well.

Jimny booking amount higher than Thar

5-door Jimny will primarily rival existing Thar and upcoming 5-door Thar. Mahindra Thar currently enjoys a monopolistic run in the lifestyle off-roader segment. Force Gurkha is another option for off-road enthusiasts, but it is still to generate big numbers.

Maruti Jimny 5-Door off-road
Maruti Jimny 5-Door off-road

With Jimny booking amount increased to Rs 25k, it is now more than the 21k booking amount of Mahindra Thar. This may have been done on purpose to ensure that only genuinely interested folks place their bookings for Jimny. Or maybe give a perception that Jimny is a more premium product in comparison. Increased booking amount will also provide Maruti a more realistic view of the overall demand for Jimny. Production can then be managed accordingly.

While a Rs 10-12 lakh price seems reasonable, Maruti could launch Jimny at an even lower price point. With the cult-like following of Thar, Jimny needs all the help it can get to establish a strong foothold in Indian market.

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