Maruti Suzuki showcased their Jimny SUV at the 15th edition of the Auto Expo 2020 to gauge the customer reaction. The Suzuki Jimny is the successor of the popular Gypsy in the Indian market. In the recent past, the brand was rumoured to have started production on the Jimny in the Indian market as test mules of the car were spotted driving around the brand’s Gurugram facility where the company also assembles the Gypsy.
Now a new report suggests that the brand has already assembled 50 units of the Jimny at the Gurugram manufacturing plant from CKD (knocked down kits) imported from Japan. The Jimny model currently assembled is a three-door version and it is being reported that the brand will be building a 5-door version of the Jimny for sale in the Indian market. The much more mainstream 5-door version will require heavily engineering the current model as well as retooling the production line but it is expected to be more “practical” and hence garner more number of sales. It is also being rumoured that Mahindra also plans to bring a 5-door version of the Thar which is the Jimny’s prime competitor in India.
Earlier it was reported that Maruti Suzuki plans to make India the manufacturing hub of the Suzuki Jimny which is currently manufactured at the Kosai manufacturing facility in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan which also manufactures Alto, Spacia, WagonR, Hustler and DF350A Marine Outboard motors. The brand is speculated to shut production at the Kosai facility and produce the Jimny exclusively in India for sales to the international market. Initially, only the 3-door version is likely to be made for the international market and later in 2022/23, the brand is likely to bring the 5-door version for sale in the Indian market.
The Suzuki Jimny is powered by the K15B 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 105 PS of power and 138 Nm of torque matched to a 5-speed manual gearbox and an optional 4-speed automatic transmission. The drivetrain also comes with a part-time 4 wheel drive system (ALLGRIP PRO) with a low ratio transfer case.