The fourth generation Suzuki Jimny has been strongly
anticipated for the India launch since it made its official debut in late 2018.
After initially denying any possibility of launching the mini-SUB in India,
Maruti Suzuki has now hinted at Jimny's arrival in the country, as per
Auto.NDTV.
The Suzuki Jimny will be launched in India by
end-2019, and as per earlier reports it
will be sold as the all-new Gypsy. It goes without saying that Gypsy has a cult
following in India and Maruti wants to capitalise on the strong brand image the
Gypsy moniker enjoys. Reportedly, the new model will retail through the Nexa
chain of dealerships and will be positioned as a premium offering, thereby
differentiating itself from the Maruti Vitara Brezza that is sold through the
Arena retail channel.
The global fourth-gen Suzuki Jimny (there's also a
JDM-only kei version) measures 3,480 mm in legth (3,645 mm including spare
wheel cover), 1,645 mm in width and 1,720 mm in height. It has a 2,250 mm
wheelbase and a 210 mm ground clearance.In terms of mechanicals, it utilizes a
K15B 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that has been tuned to churn out 101
PS of maximum power at 6,000 rpm and 130 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. The
engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The
Jimny is based on a ladder-frame chassis and comes with ALLGRIP PRO part-time
4WD system along with low-range gear ratio. Its approach angle, breakover angle
and departure angle have been rated at 37 degrees, 28 degrees and 49 degrees,
respectively.
In terms of pricing, the mini off-roader will
understandably be placed higher than the Vitara Brezza but will likely be lower
or at par with the XL6 depending on the variant positioning. Also, report
confirms that it will lack the 4WD option at the time of the launch, but the
same will be introduced by mid-2020. The Jimny will be pitted directly
against the next-gen Mahindra Thar and even the next-gen Force Gurkha.
