The Maruti Gypsy is a four-wheel-drive vehicle based on the long wheelbase Suzuki
Jimny SJ40/410 series. It is primarily an off-road vehicle, or a vehicle for rough unprepared
roads. It was sold in New Zealand as the Suzuki Farm Worker. It was assembled at the Maruti
Suzuki's Gurgaon plant in India.
Contents
1History
o 1.1New Zealand
2Technical data
3References
4External links
History[edit]
It is manufactured in India by Maruti Suzuki. It was introduced in the Indian market in December
1985 with the 970 cc F10A Suzuki engine and while sales were never very high it became very
popular with law enforcement. It was codenamed MG410, which stood for "Maruti Gypsy 4-
cylinder 1.0-litre engine". Initially, it was only available as a soft-top; but a bolt on hardtop was
later introduced to the public after the aftermarket hardtops became popular. It instantly
replaced Premier Padmini as the quintessential Indian rally car due to its performance, reliability,
tunability and the go-anywhere capability.[1] The carburetted F10A engine made 45 bhp (34 kW;
46 PS) and was mated to a four-speed gearbox. The 4WD transfer case had two speeds. It had
a freewheeling mechanism[2] on the front axles made by Aisin to unlock the front axles from the
hub when 4WD is not used; It reduced rolling resistance, thereby improving fuel efficiency.
However, many owners of the Gypsy who constantly complained about the poor fuel
consumption never knew about this novel feature.
Six times INRC rally champion N. Leelakrishnan in a rally modified Maruti Gypsy in 1993
The two major complaints of the vehicle in the civilian market were poor fuel consumption and
poor ride quality especially in the rear seats. The suspension was indeed harsh with live axles
and leaf springs all around. It features almost no creature comforts, like power-windows and
power-assisted steering.
In July 1993, Maruti introduced the "widetrack Gypsy" codenamed "MG410W" replacing the
MG410. Both front and rear track of the wheels are increased by 90mm (from 1,210 mm (47.6 in)
to 1,300 mm (51.2 in) for front wheels and from 1,220 mm (48.0 in) to 1,310 mm (51.6 in) for rear
wheels) and these Gypsys are instantly recognizable by the pronounced painted fender flares.
This is to mitigate an international allegation that Suzuki SUVs are very susceptible to rollover.
Maruti eliminated the Aisin freewheeling hub on this model since it was sparingly used by MG410
owners. In April 1995, a catalytic converter was fitted to the Gypsys sold in the metro cities to
comply with newly introduced emission standards.
In June 1996, Maruti added the engine from the Esteem. The new engine was the all-aluminium
eight-valve G13BA engine displacing 1.3L and made 60 bhp (45 kW; 61 PS). This engine was
carburetted unlike the US market G13BA engine. It was mated to a new five-speed gearbox. It
was codenamed "MG413W" and called the "Gypsy King". The F10A-engined regular Gypsy
continued in production until 2000 at least. The visual differences of the Gypsy King compared to
the MG410W are the pronounced bulge on the hood and a completely different grille design with
horizontal slats à la the 1.3L Suzuki Jimny/Samurai JA51.[3] Front seats received head restraints
and fabric upholstery. In March 2000, Maruti introduced the 16-Valve MPFI G13BB engine and
power was increased to 80 bhp (60 kW; 81 PS). The MPFI Gypsy King received a brake booster
as well.[4]
Maruti Gypsy King of the Indian Army
The Gypsy was exported to countries like Chile and Kenya. Within Europe, it is most often found
in Malta and Hungary. In contrast to Suzuki Jimny, the Gypsy is available either with four bucket
seats or rear bench seats and a sizable trunk. Currently, the Gypsy is available as a "soft top",
"hard top" and as an "ambulance car". In India, it is widely used by the police and military forces.
In fact, the MG413W model is now the mainstay of the Indian Army. In civilian use, the Gypsy is
a popular choice as a low-cost SUV and is a common sight at rally and autocross events.
