Maruti Suzuki has been a dominant player in the country for quite a long time. The homegrown manufacturer has maintained its stronghold in the lucrative market with a slew of new products. Apart from the existing models on sale, there has been constant speculation about Maruti Jimny. Showcased at the 2020 Delhi Auto Expo, Jimny launch in the country continues to draw widespread interest from buyers.
The automaker is still weighing options regarding Jimny launch in the domestic market. In an investor call, Maruti's Executive Director of Marketing and Sales, Shashank Srivastava spoke about the SUV. Quoted by various media outlets, he said “The company is currently evaluating various aspects of marketing the off-roader here and deciding as to when, if at all, the vehicle can be launched in the domestic market”. If launched, Maruti Suzuki Jimny would rival the likes of Mahindra Thar and upcoming Force Gurkha in its segment.
Recently, Maruti Suzuki had commenced the production of Jimny for the international markets. The manufacturer has exported 184 units of the SUV to the Latin American market. Venezuela and Peru are the first countries to receive the off roader. Maruti Suzuki plans to export the 3-door version of the SUV to the Middle East as well as emerging markets like South Africa, Brazil among many others. With the assembly of Jimny resuming, there were reports of it coming to the Nexa outlets. A test mule was spotted on the Indian road that gave rise to the speculation that the off roader was coming here. The brand believes that the 3-door SUV is not feasible for India and the 5-door model will not be economically viable.
Going by this notion, Maruti Suzuki will not be producing the Jimny for the Indian buyer in the coming future. It instead wants to make the country a production hub for exporting vehicles to the global market. There is a huge demand for the off-roader and Suzuki Japan cannot meet the rising demand. The 'Made in India' Jimny is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine. The manufacturer offers two transmission options, a 5-speed manual, or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. There are rumors of Maruti Suzuki displaying the Jimny at their premium Nexa outlets to gauge the response of the Indian buyers. Considering the popularity of Mahindra Thar, there is a good possibility of Maruti bringing the off roader to India.
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