Next-gen Suzuki Jimny to be made in India; to share platform of Baleno, Ignis

Despite India being the leading market for Suzuki, the Japanese car maker has never showed interest in launching the Jimny compact SUV in the country. Now, emerging reports indicate that the next generation of the vehicle will be manufactured in India. 

The Jimny is the younger sibling of the Gypsy SUV, which is on sale in India. It is currently in its third generation, which was unveiled in 1998.

The next generation of the Jimny will based on the platform that also underpins the Baleno and the soon-to-be launched Ignis compact SUV, reported NDTV Auto. It is expected to be manufactured at Suzuki's upcoming Gujarat facility. The move puts forth the possibility that the new Jimny would be launched in the country too.

It is expected come with the four-wheel-drive system, similar to the upcoming Ignis, as standard. The compact SUV will be powered by a 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo petrol engine. A diesel engine may not be offered. However, Maruti Suzuki may consider a more powerful 1.4-litre BoosterJet engine that does duty on Suzuki Vitara in European markets. The new-gen Jimny's powertrains are expected to couple with either five-speed manual or a new automatic gearbox. Maruti Suzuki will either sell the compact SUV with the Jimny nameplate or it will be positioned as the successor of Gypsy to capitalise on the latter's demand in the country.

The first generation of the Jimny was launched way back in 1970. The second generation was introduced in 1981 and continued until the third generation's debut in 1998. The third generation has been continuing for over 17 years without major changes. The fourth generation is expected to make a debut in the second half of next year.