Maruti Suzuki Considering Exporting 5 Door Jimny to Japan

The Jimny has been extremely popular across the globe ever since it was first launched in 1970. It is loved by people who require hardcore off-roader but one that doesn't break the bank. Did you know that Suzuki originally developed the Jimny to comply with the kei class, Japan's light automobile tax/legal class? But the Jimny was always sold only in the three-door guise since it was first launched until now.

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The Japanese automaker has heavily reworked the compact SUV and recently introduced the 5-door version of the Jimny for the Indian market. Furthermore, during a conversation with car&bike at the media drive of the Jimny, CV Raman, CTO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., hinted at the fact that the brand plans to sell the 5-door version of the compact SUV in Japan.

Suzuki has stated that India could be the largest market for the 5-door Jimny, and hence the development has taken place to make it as compliant for India as possible. The brand says that other counties, such as Japan, are also interested in a larger version of the Jimny that is developed for India. At present, Maruti Suzuki already manufactures the 3-door version of the Jimny that is then exported to African markets and countries in the Middle East.

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For the global market, the Jimny is shipped a 1.5-litre petrol engine that comes with 5-speed manual and 4-speed torque converter gearbox options, and it is the same engine option that is sold in India as well. The 1.5-litre K15B engine produces a peak power of 105 bhp and 134.2 Nm of peak torque. The car is built on a ladder-frame chassis and gets rigid axle suspension. As standard, the Jimny packs Suzuki's AllGrip Pro 4WD system with a manual transfer case and a low-range gearbox with 2WD-high, 4WD-high, and 4WD-low modes.