The legendary Maruti Gypsy is back in production, but for a limited run only! The SUV was shelved last year in March, as it did not meet the upcoming safety and emission norms, and also due to mediocre sales. Now, however, the Indian Army has sought a waiver from the Ministry of Defence to bypass the above-mentioned norms, seeking a total of 3051 units to add to the Army fleet. 70 Gypsy units have already been dispatched by the carmaker, with production now in full swing, albeit temporarily.
Maruti restarts production of the Gypsy for the Indian Army
While production has resumed for the Gypsy, as the new models are only being produced under special circumstances for the Army, the company shall not be accepting any private bookings for the vehicle via its extensive dealership network in India. Bookings had closed back in December 2018, and shall remain that way. This is because the SUV does not meet the BSIV emission norms, which will come into effect next month, and the safety norms, which came into effect in October last year.
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Maruti Gypsy had been the de facto vehicle for the Indian army for many years. The reason is simple; the rugged chassis, tried and tested engine, and the easily customised body, all make the Gypsy an easy vehicle to work on and work with. The last order by the Army for the vehicle was for a whopping 2,017 units, which were delivered back in 2015.
Maruti Gypsy is the most-affordable production off-roader in the country
The Maruti Gypsy was first introduced in India back in 1985, and had a production run of nearly 33 years, before it was discontinued in 2019. It is powered by a BSIV compliant, 1.3-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol engine. It is capable of generating a maximum power of 81 PS and a peak torque of 103 Nm. There is just one transmission option available, a 5-speed manual gearbox. Apart from that, the car offered a full-time four-wheel-drive system and a low-range gearbox as standard, which enhances the off-roading quotient of the vehicle.