Mahindra Thar is the best selling lifestyle off-road vehicle in India – Maruti has plans to launch Jimny in India to rival Thar
Ever since the debut of Suzuki Jimny in global markets, its launch in India has been awaited. The mini SUV was even showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo in Feb last year, where it received a roaring reception from visitors. It was expected to be launched in India later same year, but that did not happen.
There is still no clarity on the launch of Jimny in India. But in the mean time, Maruti has started production of the Jimny SUV at their plant in Haryana – but only for exports. Jimny is in such demand that Suzuki is forced to start Jimny production in as many locations as possible.
Spotted Next To Mahindra Thar
Now new images of Suzuki Jimny have surfaced, which show the SUV parked next to Mahindra Thar. In the background, you can also notice other Mahindra and Maruti cars. It is not clear as to where these images were clicked. It is likely to be a Maruti car yard. Images are credit to Neelesh and Aaditya.
It is the old generation Mahindra Thar which has been spotted next to the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. In comparison, the Jimny looks shorter and smaller. New generation Thar is bigger than the old Thar. There are other Maruti cars like Alto, Brezza, Baleno, Swift, etc which can be seen in the spy photos. Mahindra Scorpio pickup is also seen in the background.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door
Reports suggest that Maruti has no plan to launch this 3 door Jimny in India, but aims to launch a larger 5 door Jimny instead. The India-spec Suzuki Jimny is currently under development and is codenamed ‘YWD’. It will be a 5 door model, spy shots of which had recently surfaced on the internet.
5 door Maruti Suzuki Jimny is expected to launch sometime in 2022. It will sport larger dimensions as compared to the standard Jimny which measures 3,395mm in length, 1,475mm in width, and 1,725mm in height and ground clearance of 205mm. Jimny Sierra on the other hand measure 3,550mm long, 1,645mm wide and 1,730mm tall with ground clearance of 210mm.
The wheelbase of both versions of Jimny stand at 2,250mm. The Jimny 5 door model could measure around 300-350m longer than the 3 door version while wheelbase could also increase by 250mm so as to relate to added interior space. Interiors will see the latest in comfort and technology with touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, keyless entry, automatic AC and engine start / stop button. Safety will be via forward braking assist, hill start assist and ESP.
Engine and Transmission
The India spec Suzuki Jimny 5 door variant will likely get powered by a 1.5 liter, 4 cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine. This is the same engine that also powers the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Ertiga. The engine is capable of 103 hp power and 138 Nm torque mated to manual and automatic transmission options. The Jimny will also receive part time four wheel drive with low range.
It is likely that the new Jimny is christened as Gypsy upon its launch in India. Though there is no indication on price at the moment, pricing is expected to start in the range of Rs.10-12 lakhs. Expect it to be sold via the company’s premium NEXA dealerships from where the Ciaz, Baleno, Ignis, XL6 and S-Cross are also sold. Once launched, the new Jimny 5-door will compete with the Mahindra Thar and soon to be launched Force Gurkha in the Indian market.