Maruti Suzuki Gypsy production to be restarted to meet Indian Army requirements
The Maruti Suzuki Gypsy 4X4 is back in production after the firm stopped making the off-roader in October 2018. This was because the Gypsy would not have been able to meet the new emission and safety norms that have been put in place. But a new 3,051 unit order from the Indian Army has allowed the Gypsy to receive a waiver on these norms from the Ministry of Defence, although civilians won't be able to get their hands on any of them.
The Army had selected the Tata Safari Storme to replace the Gypsy as its main mode of transport but has been forced to go back to the Maruti Suzuki due to a few operational requirements. It needs a vehicle that is narrow to be able to function on mountainous terrain that the Army needs to negotiate in the North. Further, the Army needed a soft-top to be able to mount auxiliary systems on these cars, and the Safari Storme is not available with this feature.
The Safari Storme was chosen after trials were conducted over five years. A similarly long time frame was expected if the Army had to look for a more direct replacement to the Gypsy, hence the decision to reorder the Maruti 4x4. The Gypsy is powered by a 1.3-litre petrol four-cylinder which makes 80PS at 6,000rpm and 103Nm at 4,500rpm. This is paired with a rugged 4WD system and low-range.
Source: New Indian Express