The iconic Maruti Suzuki Gypsy’s production will commence again in India to cater to the requirements of the Indian Army
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) will be resuming the production of the Gypsy soon at its domestic plant. The company stopped rolling out the iconic model due to a number of reasons. Despite having a dedicated fan following, Maruti Suzuki had to let go of the SUV, as it could not stick by stringent safety standards.
The largest carmaker in the country won’t be manufacturing the Gypsy for private customers though as it will be exclusively made for Indian armed forces. Several reports emerged on the internet a while ago indicated that just over 3,000 units will be produced by Maruti Suzuki to meet the requirements of the Indian Army.
The India Army appears to have received a waiver from the Defence Ministry to pass through the existing safety and emission regulations. The Gypsy went on sale in 1985 and it was one of the much-loved supple off-roaders of its time. Its ruggedness and the ability to tackle uneven surfaces have been well-received among customers.
Despite its popularity for several years, Maruti Suzuki Gypsy aged too well and the sales numbers have gone down drastically. The Indian Army has recently given importance to Tata Safari Storme with a bulk deal as the availability of only the petrol engine in Gypsy could be cited as one of the main reasons for its dismissal.
However, the Indian Army does seem to have intents and purposes for the Maruti Suzuki Gyspy and wants more of it. The SUV derives power from a 1.3-litre petrol powertrain that is BSIV compliant. It is good enough to generate a maximum power output of 80 bhp and 103 Nm of peak torque.
It gets four-wheel-drive system as standard alongside a low range transmission. The lightness and agility of the Gypsy have proven to be its biggest assets and the no-frills interior and design make it an obvious choice for the needs of the Indian Army for manoeuvring to the toughest of places.