CD Speak: 5-door Maruti Jimny Could Still Get A Gypsy Badge For India

The upcoming off-roader’s moniker was confirmed in the latest spy shots

The Suzuki Jimny is nearly ready in its five-door avatar that is slated to make its debut in India in January 2023. Recently spotted with no camouflage during the filming of its commercial, the off-roader still had its Jimny badge on the rear, confirming that it will not be renamed as the Gypsy after all. However, there is still one way that Maruti could bring back the iconic moniker with the new Jimny.

Global Jimny gets special variants

The internationally available fourth-gen three-door Jimny gets various market-specific special editions such as the Sierra 4SPORT in Brazil. In fact, the Sierra suffix is also a variant distinction for the Jimny. Since we expect Maruti to offer the five-door Jimny with the option of both 2WD and 4WD, a first for the model, it might market one of the variants as the Jimny ‘Gypsy Edition’ in India, paying homage to its off-roading predecessor.

Other brands that tried the same

The tactic of bringing back iconic monikers as special editions is nothing new either. Back in 2020, Tata showcased the Hexa Safari Edition for its 4WD variant with a unique shade and interior. While the brand eventually brought back the Safari name for a new model, without AWD or 4WD, the special version of the Hexa also got a fair bit of love and attention from fans of the brand.

Another brand that keeps an iconic badge in the lineup for the most rugged variants of its models - Jeep. The most off-road capable variants of its SUVs with some cosmetic differences and 4WD features get the Trailhawk moniker. Maruti could similarly offer a kitted-out version of the five-door Jimny with 4WD, special tyres and cosmetic tweaks as the Jimny’s Gypsy Edition.

Five-door Jimny reveal

Maruti will take the covers off the five-door Jimny at Auto Expo 2023 with the launch expected soon after. It could remain a sub-four metre offering and have a starting price of Rs 10 lakh with the off-roading variants priced at a premium. It would rival 5-door iterations of bigger off-roaders like the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha.