Suzuki Jimny Could Be Introduced in India

The launch of the mini SUV Rio by Premier Automobiles Ltd, an Indian carmaker, has sparked an unforeseen interest towards this segment in the country. Other manufacturers are trying to capture a piece of the action, starting with Mahindra’s Xylo, which is scheduled for launch sometime next year. Now Maruti Suzuki is considering Suzuki Jimny, a two-door SUV sold in Japan and some European countries, for the Indian market.

“We’re looking at how to strengthen our portfolio and are identifying new gaps. We’re actively looking at the small SUV space … this will have to be a four-door diesel model, as a petrol two-door SUV will not click with the Indian consumer. We’re working on an almost new concept for this,” said a senior company official in a recent Hindu Businessline article.

Suzuki Jimny is powered by a petrol engine in its home country Japan, but Maruti will opt for a diesel-powered four-door version for India’s market. The engine could be the 1.5 DDIS diesel engine taken from Renault.

Suzuki have sold over 2.5 million Jimnys over the past 40 years, making it one of the most successful 4x4s in the world. The current model is the sixth generation car that has entered production in 1998. The first generation model only had a two cylinder engine (360 cc capacity) that developed a huge amount of power: 25 hp. The current engine range has grown up a bit to the 1.3-liter 16-valve 85 hp petrol model.

Maruti Suzuki will launch seven new cars in the next two years. Suzuki Jimny should be filling the gap in Maruti Suzuki’s model range, which is currently dominated by small cars. Maruti Suzuki India’s SUV offerings include the Grand Vitara and Gypsy.