Maruti Jimny is about to launch in our market on June 7, which is when the prices will be announced too.
The Indian Army has shown interest in the upcoming Maruti Jimny lightweight off-roading SUV. Note that the Indian Army also possesses the Maruti Gypsy in its fleet as a lightweight and agile off-roader needed for treacherous terrains in the higher regions of the Himalayas. However, since it has now been completely discontinued, the all-new Jimny could be a great contender to replace it. Senior Executive Director – Marketing and Sales at Maruti Suzuki, Shashank Srivastava confirmed the interest by the Indian Army in a recent interview with HT Auto.
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5 Reasons Why Maruti Jimny is Perfect for Indian Army
1. Tried and Tested K15 Petrol Engine
The mill that powers the new Jimny is the same that we have seen on many successful Maruti cars over the years including Ciaz and Brezza. The K15 petrol engine is quite reliable and has stood the test of time. When it comes to defence forces, reliability is at the top of the priority list. You can’t have cars that break down on every corner, especially considering the fact that these SUVs will be used in far-flung areas of the country. Therefore, a reliable and tested engine is a must and the Jimny has it.
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2. Competent Off-Road Hardware
Then there is the aspect of the SUV being a monster when it comes to off-road abilities. There are no paved roads around the borders of the country. Hence, a vehicle needs to be immensely capable of tackling any sort of terrain. Jimny has a hardcore off-roading kit including a Brake Limited Slip Differential, Low Range Transfer Case, Suzuki’s Trademark ALLGRIP PRO 4×4 Drivetrain, 3-Link Rigid Axle with Coil Spring Suspension, Ladder Frame Chassis, Great Approach, Breakover and Departure Angles (36, 24 and 50 degrees respectively), Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Optimized Bumpers for Off-Road Adventures, decent Ground Clearnce (210 mm) and much more. Note that if the Jimny were to be used for the Indian Army, there will be even more customizable options with regard to powertrain and off-road kit.
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3. Affordability
The main attraction of any Maruti car in India is its affordability. Being present in our market for decades and establishing a dense manufacturing and service network, the cost of spare parts and ownership including the initial costs are competitive. Although the official prices are not out yet, we know that it will be more attractive than the rivals, Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha. That is also a huge positive in favour of Jimny.
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4. Compact Dimensions
Another key parameter in favour of Jimny is its dimensions. It is under 4 m long which makes it perfect to traverse across tiny mountain roads. Not only that, it is slightly smaller in overall dimensions too. Army needs such cars that could potentially go unnoticed. Hence, Jimny fits the bill rather perfectly.
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5. Runs of Petrol
There are various problems with diesel fuel at high altitudes and extremely low temperatures. This includes things like it becoming vicious at 3 deg (pour point), wax components of diesel freezing at -8.1 deg (gel point), cold start issues, etc. There are glow plugs and block heaters to keep the components warm but that will drain the battery a lot and the performance will be affected. These issues don’t crop up when the engine is running because the components are kept warm but once the car stops and the components reach ambient temperatures (which are below 0), the SUV will refuse to stop. Hence, having a petrol engine solves all these problems.
