Recently, Maruti Suzuki handed over 60 Jimnys to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), marking the vehicle’s official induction to the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). The Marui Suzuki Jimny, although small, will play a big role in the Defence. The Jimny is small and has a tiny engine compared to its rivals like the Thar or Gurkha, but why is the vehicle preferred by the Army?
Maruti Suzuki Jimny — Big things come in small packages
The Jimny replaces the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, a bareboned off-roader that was more comfortable off the road than on it. The Gypsy had a small petrol engine that made around 80bhp. However, the Gypsy’s trump card was its part-time four-wheel-drive system, which was what added to the vehicle’s success in tough terrains — a feature the Jimny now offers.
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny weighs 1200kg, giving it a superior weight advantage over its competitors like the Thar or Gurkha, while its simple electronics means fewer things go wrong. This is crucial given the terrain the Jimny will be patrolling — glaciers, snow-covered mountains and rugged landscapes.
Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “The Maruti Suzuki Gypsy has been a trusted companion for the Armed Forces for decades, and now with the Jimny, we take ahead this legacy to support our soldiers at the frontiers. With its internationally acclaimed all-terrain capability, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny represents our commitment to go above and beyond to assist the heroes who protect our great nation.”
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny measures 3985mm in length, 1645mm in width, 1720mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2590mm while it stands 210mm off the ground. Powering the Jimny is a 103bhp four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a manual or an automatic gearbox. The Jimny features a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-ratio gearbox, which multiplies the torque several times to help overcome difficult terrain.