Maruti Suzuki Gypsy's journey comes to an end; showrooms stop accepting bookings

Maruti Gypsy, the open top 4x4 has been the trusted weapon of choice for the Indian police and armed forces and the rally drivers. But, after over 3 decades, Maruti Suzuki has decided to finally shut the engine down for the iconic Gypsy SUV in India. Launched in the year 1985, Gypsy carried the tag of 'longest running model' in production. However, putting the final nail in the Gypsy's coffin, Suzuki has asked showrooms to stop accepting bookings for the off-roader.

Gypsy was Maruti Suzuki's third vehicle in India after Maruti 800 and Omni. The SUV was initially offered in 1.0 litre petrol engine which was later upgraded to 1.3 litre petrol engine and later received fuel injection system as the emission norms in the country got stricter.  The 1.3 litre petrol engine generated 80 BHP and 104 Nm of torque. Built around a ladder-frame type chassis, Gypsy had a four wheel drive option with higher ground clearance ensuring better handling and control. The five-speed manual gearbox, disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear made Gypsy the most loved off-roader in the country.

Maruti Suzuki Gypsy came with features like removable canvas top, windshield washer and three speed wiper, vanity mirror on left sunvisor, reclining and sliding front seats, adjustable head restraints, front package tray, lockable glove compartment and many more. Prices for the Gypsy start at Rs 6.22 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

However, all good things must come to an end. The declining demand and Gypsy's inability to meet the existing emission norms and passing the crash test have led Maruti Suzuki deciding to stop the production of the iconic vehicle. Armed forces too have moved on to vehicles like Safari Storme as a preferred vehicle in 2017. Some of the other vehicles that could replace Maruti Gypsy are Mahindra Thar and the Force Gurkha, which is set to receive a BSVI-compliant engine soon.

Edited By: Udit Verma

Also Read: Oppo F11 Pro launch set for today in India; here're the details