With speculations for the launch of the Suzuki Jimny in India put to the shelf, the future of the Maruti Gypsy is still under the cloud of uncertainty.
Is Maruti going to update the Gypsy anytime soon?
Possibly not!
Why do we say that?
The top officials from Maruti Suzuki have confirmed recently to the press that the company is not planning to launch the recently unveiled Suzuki Jimny in India.
What connection does the launch of Suzuki Jimny have with the launch of the Maruti Gypsy in India?
Well, the current generation Maruti Gypsy is essentially the second generation Suzuki Jimny. The latter is currently running in its fourth generation in the international markets. And if Maruti ever decides to launch an update to the Gypsy, it would most likely be the current generation Jimny.
Also Read: Exclusive: 2018 Hyundai Santro to launch at a starting price of around 2.99 Lakhs
However, there is a slight catch here:
As explained by Maruti, the New Gypsy, if launched in India will retail as a lifestyle vehicle. As a result of this, it will have a very niche buyer. Currently, the vehicles in the same segment which includes the likes of Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha, haven’t been able to generate good sales numbers in the country.
Also Read: Upcoming Maruti Vitara Brezza Rivals- Hyundai Carlino, Mahindra S201 and Jeep Sub-Compact SUV
In addition to this,
If launched in India, the new Maruti Gypsy will have a price range of INR 6.5 Lakhs to 10 Lakhs. Maruti already has the Vitara Brezza in this price segment. Launching another compact SUV, despite it having off-road credentials will not result in significant revenue for the company which will justify the input costs.
All that said, the launch of the next-generation Maruti Gypsy cannot be ignored completely.
Why is that?
Well, because the current generation of this SUV is already outdated in comparison to the competition. Furthermore, its body shell will not meet the upcoming safety regulations for motor vehicles in India which will come into effect starting April 2019. In addition to this, the current Gypsy’s engine will not meet the BS-VI emission regulations.
Also Read: Maruti Alto, Swift, Wagon R and Baleno’s Next-Generation launch details revealed
All that said, what does the future hold for the Maruti Gypsy? Will the iconic model from the Indo-Japanese automaker face discontinuation?
It is unlikely that Maruti will discontinue the Gypsy. Going by the current scenario, we believe sooner or later, the company will introduce an update for the Gypsy to meet the new safety and emission regulations. And the joy of joys, the company might decide to even launch the Jimny as the new Gypsy in India.
But that is not going to happen before 2020. To speculate, the automaker might decide to start production of the Jimny in India to meet demand. As we have seen, the Indonesian market, which is quite similar to the Indian one, is currently observing a huge demand for the Jimny, even exceeding Suzuki’s expectations. This could lead to a possible launch of this product in our country as well. But all of that remains to be seen.
For the latest news of the next-generation Maruti Gypsy, stay tuned to Car Blog India.
