[Venkatesh]

A beginner's guide on How to off-road.
Featuring : Suzuki Jimny, Ford Ranger Raptor.

https://youtu.be/KqcGqW3tdJM

[Fuldagap]

Reading a lot of news online, regarding Maruti being unsure of Jimny's India launch, since the past two days. Can anyone throw some light?

Have watched n number of reviews of the Jimny on the net from across countries. One thing every review mentions, apart from the off road prowess that the Jimny posssess, is the acute lack of space inside. A LWB version is indeed required IMHO too. Gypsy King's track and wheelbase was also increased compared to the previous 410. I've seen a lot of SWB Gypsies outside India but I think everyone would agree that the Gypsy really made a mark in India with the increased track, wheelbase and overall length.

[omar]

Going by the interest at the Auto Expo they should really consider getting the car here. I was there, and it had a huge crowd around it. A small kid even managed to skip security, went and sat inside

I love nimble cars and detest SUV's in general. But I would be first in line to get the car, if priced right. This car has the potential to unlock a segment in the market to the masses. It could be very beneficial for Maruti Suzuki in the long run.

[sajanjohn]

Been watching every Jimny videos such that my YouTube feed is full of it . Like someone else mentioned, every owner called out the lack of space as a good to have wish list feature . I do hope they launch a LWB version here along with original 3 door model.

[Fuldagap]

https://m.indianautosblog.com/maruti...ia-p320837/amp


More feed for speculation. The website says that 3 door most probably not being launched here and business proposition for a 5 door doesn't make sense. :(

[indian21r]

If Maruti does not bring Jimny or something equivalent here, I am going to Ditch the brand for good. S cross 1.6 will be my last Maruti

Too much stringing along. It is not a brand new product that we are asking for. Except for a few parts majority of them will be anyway for their existing bin. So how difficult is it for them read the Market, after the car had such overwhelming response at Auto Expo.

I will keenly look at the Thar now. Maybe pick one early next year than wait perennially for Maruti to feel comfortable about Indians.

[shankar.balan]

Maruti does not serve the enthusiastic driver. It’s value proposition is absolutely clear. Mass market all the way.
On the streets around me I see large numbers of Celerios, Altos, Swifts and WagonR’s and S Pressos and of course quite a few venerable old 800’s and Gypsys Etc.
The more expensive and premium cars from Maruti are merely a smattering. One or two Ciazs, a couple of S Cross’s (1.3 ‘s never the 1.6’s), an all occasional Ignis, an equally occasional Brezza and thats it. Why did Maruti discontinue the 1.6 S Cross which was such a good car? Simply because the run of the mill middle classes didnt warm to it.
And in the HSR area there are plenty and more of super premium cars - name it and it is there.

So, the Maruti chaps seem to be selling overwhelming numbers of their standard middle of the road offerings.

Yes in the Auto Expos the Jimny has always elicited admiration - right from 2004-2005 when they showcased the old Jimny and now when they have showcased the new Jimny. But these are merely teasers and will not be given to us Indians.

If at all they bring the Jimny here, it will be a rehashed version which wont have the bells and whistles offered abroad and will blandly compete with all those bread boxes that the manufacturers like themselves and Hyundai and Honda and Toyota and Kia and everyone churn out by the millions, for our Indian Public’s consumption.

I do not have faith about them bringing in the 3 door version because the great Indian middle classes simply wont buy it. They will do something horrid to it and elongate it and add extra doors and then it will just become one more boring bread box which they will sell here in significant numbers.

I love the Jimny. I ve spent a lot of time fiddling with it on trips abroad pre Covid. I would love to buy the top spec 3 door version.

But I dont think this dream will come true here.

Pessimistic? Yes certainly. With manufacturers like Maruti and Hyundai and Honda and Kia and Toyota etc, I cannot but be pessimistic - I am absolutely NOT their core customer because they will never give me the car I want. Why. The same goes for the today’s world newer age Skoda and VW and all. We all know the poor Yeti never did well here. Though it was probably the most well rounded offering ever from Skoda.

Hence they all have also succumbed to the middle of the road cues.

The only way out for enthusiasts on a budget is to keep looking at the second hand market and buy their dream exotics or other cars they like once these depreciate enough to become affordable.

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by indian21r

If Maruti does not bring Jimny or something equivalent here, I am going to Ditch the brand for good.

The Jimny fans can start a #NoMarutiIfNoJimny hash tag.

Hey the frogs-in-the-well at Maruti, even if the product won't sell as much as the other successful models from you, the good will that it creates will be very high and the brand as a whole can benefit from it. (I know several car enthusiasts wandering in the Maruti threads after the S-Cross 1.6 launch.) Also, the increased foot falls in the showrooms will translate to more sales of other models.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by indian21r

If Maruti does not bring Jimny or something equivalent here, I am going to Ditch the brand for good. S cross 1.6 will be my last Maruti

This sentiment is exhibited by many of us including long time Maruti customers like myself who finally had no option but to switch to other stables due to poor product portfolio from Maruti. Newer and more exciting brands and models continue to slowly but surely flood the Indian market and till Maruti ditches it's lackadaisical attitude towards the young and discerning enthusiastic Indian market, the newer brands will get increasing business.

I kept waiting for them to bring in the Swift sports , and finally after years of speculation and disappointment picked up a City last year.

They can't even bring in a good turbo petrol right now, when all others are doing this (ignore the baleno RS fiasco for the time being). They will wait for five more years by which time it will become irrelevant.

[needforspeed88]

We see ''enthusiasts'' complaining about manufacturers not bringing in more aspirational, sporty products sought after by enthusiasts only for them to bail on the very same enthusiast centric products blaming lack of practicality. A ton of products aimed at enthusiasts have miserably tanked in the Indian market cos majority of the ''enthusiasts'' have a totally different criteria when it comes to actually putting money where their mouth is.

DSG boxes are sporty but ''enthusiasts'' ignore them cos they overheat in traffic. JTP sank without a trace and we saw all the hype n hoopla before they were launched only to reflect in abysmal demand when the product was actually launched.

What happened to Baleno RS which was discontinued owing to poor demand. Manufacturers cannot blindly launch unsustainable models just because there is a lot of 'noise'' about the said product.

Every single person has his own criteria for buying a vehicle but manufacturers have to go by what most people want. A lot of products written off by ''enthusiasts'' have gone on to do extremely well in the Indian market while a lot of ''enthusiast'' models have sank without a trace, not because the ''aam junta'' didn't buy them rather the 'enthusiasts'' made a volte-face when it came to signing the cheque.

[neil.jericho]

I was surprised to see the Jimny at number 3 of this Carwow video.

Carwow

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by needforspeed88

We ''enthusiasts'' have a totally different criteria when it comes to actually putting money where their mouth is.

DSG boxes are sporty but ''enthusiasts'' ignore them cos they overheat in traffic. JTP sank Manufacturers cannot blindly launch unsustainable models just because there is a lot of 'noise'' about the said product.

A lot of products written off by ''enthusiasts'' have gone on to do extremely well in the Indian market while a lot of ''enthusiast'' models have sank without a trace, not because the ''aam junta'' didn't buy them rather the 'enthusiasts'' made a volte-face when it came to signing the cheque.

I take your point about why manufacturers take decisions based on “mass” appeal rather than niche appeal.

But let me also say one thing here - I went to NEXA a while ago and asked about RS Baleno. They gave me a tepid answer.
I went for my Dad and asked Ford Bangalore several times to help with the AT (Torque Converter) Figo Aspire with 105 + BHP. They never even got back to me. Ford dealers in Madras dont even bother to reply to my Dad. I enquired about the Tata JTP several times at their Hosur Road Shop - absolutely to no avail.

In the case of the Jimny, they have showcased the previous generation in 2004-2005 and now of course the new one. For some reason, they never club India in the same bracket as other countries where they offer these vehicles.

Think of the VW T ROC- they imported some 1000 CBUs. All sold out.
What prevents Maruti from bringing in 1000 CBU Jimnys and gauge the demand?

[Fuldagap]

Sold in India or not, it would be utterly interesting to see an ultra comprehensive case/review of Jimny (current one) vs the Gypsy King (MG413W, MPFI) in the real world. Pitched against each other would be two products from the same brand, same line, maybe same name, from two different eras, which shook/has shaken the world of enthusiasts in India and elsewhere.

There was nothing in the off road where the Gypsy King couldn't go, was/is a behemoth and workhorse for the Army for decades. It would be fantastic to see what more the Jimny brings to plate. Maybe a Kashmir to Kanyakumari race or test with minimum time for rest for the two humans as drivers. Wading through mountains, streams, deserts, highways, villages, metros the two would be seen as grand mother and grand daughter racing each other on ungodly terrains, for us audience. Or maybe just a competition in the Himalayas. Who knows! Pitted against each other, the latest Jimny would definitely beat down the old workhorse MG413W, but who can foretell, unless it's really done.

The MG413W in its Suzuki SJ413 avatar (not even the Samurai) featured in the Top Gear with Hammond, May and the Orangutan and most would agree it was the clear winner, beating its unbelievable rivals, the Toyota Land Cruiser 40 and the Range Rover Classic . If an SJ413 could take on two beasts like the Toyota and the Range Rover, how would then a MG413 from India fare against its own future avatar, the Jimny.

I have always wanted to see how does a Gypsy compete with itself in the form of Jimny, when everyone keeps pitching it against Land Rovers and Jeeps and Toyotas and what not. We have now LSD and soft suspension in the Jimny when the King used to just have a simple but robust 4 by 4 with archaic leaf springs. It'd be duel like none other with both having immaculate Samurai character. When would some godly creature take matters into his own hands and present us with this figment of imagination turned into a classic real world case. When god when! Can The Grand Tour guys do it for us, a la Bolivia special, Himalaya special or India special or maybe do it in Bolivia again who cares. A pipe dream or a dream come true? And which is more fun?

[romeomidhun]

Source: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-suzuki...ssibility/amp/

The 3-door version may not come to India, but the 5-door version code named YWD may come in 2021. Since the news comes with the codename, I believe this is a credible one.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by romeomidhun

Source: https://gaadiwaadi.com/maruti-suzuki...ssibility/amp/

The 3-door version may not come to India, but the 5-door version code named YWD may come in 2021. Since the news comes with the codename, I believe this is a credible one.

Is there any “Informed” speculation at all as to the pricing of this 5 door variant of the Jimny?
If built in India would it perhaps sit around the 10- 12 lakh mark in its top spec AT 4WD Avatar?