Jun 16, 2005 03:44 PM
11527 Views
(Updated Jun 16, 2005 04:26 PM)
NEED A CHANGE? - JUMP IN
----------------------------------------
THE MARUTI SUZUKI GYPSY
----------------------------------------
Hi guys! I am back. It's been two days since I have been on mouthshut. Sorry, but I was having a very good adventure holiday. I had a driving license; my friend had the vehicle, three guys, and three girls. Destination: Ponmudi hill resort. Vehicle: THE MARUTI SUZUKI GYPSY . It was an adventure of a lifetime.
Well, I needed a change too. A vacation to freshen up my spirit of adventure. It was the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy that provided my the rush I was looking for, and although in the company of three beautiful girls, I was in the driving seat enjoying the vehicle as it roared up the hilly terrain. So all you lazy bones stay here. This one is for adventure max.
There is no need for me to introduce the Gypsy. It has been the ultimate off-roader and police vehicle for the past two decades. But then, do you know what it has in it?
O.k. let me start with the technical specifications. You are welcome to skip the section if you find it too boring.
The heart of a vehicle is the engine, and the Gypsy has a very good one and it is a 1298 cc, 4 CYLINDER, 16 VALVE PETROL ENGINE WITH MULTI POINT FUEL INJECTION. Or should I say MPFI. Now, this is quite funny, BUT THE SAME 1298 cc ENGINE IS SEEN IN THE ESTEEM, AND THE MODIFIED VERSION IN THE NEW SWIFT. So, you guys have an idea what the vehicle is capable of. But then, the Swift has the upper hand in that it produces 87 bhp@ 600 rpm, while the gypsy has 80 bhp @ 6000 rpm. The car also delivers good torque of 103 Nm@ 4500 rpm . MPFI is a very cool customer and does its job nice and efficiently.
The transmission is also just like in a car. It has a 5 SPEED, ALL SYNCHROMESH gearbox . But the gear ratios are so arranged that the vehicle gives a better acceleration. The suspension is all rear leaf spring with double action damper . I have driven even the recently released Swift, but could no problem in the handling of the Gypsy. 4 WHEEL DRIVE makes it a pleasure off- road.
The 5-speed gearbox ensures that you can cruise on the highways. You know, the girls who came with us were really very beautiful and these guys tried to show off by revving up their esteem. I knew I had to show them that we meant business. So I took the car of the main road and into a very bad surface. They had no option but to slow down. The Gypsy has a good speed even in the main road.
But then what about safety? Oh ya! It is all taken care of. The vehicle has DISC BRAKES in the front and drum brakes in the rear for that screeching halt.
Coming to the MILEAGE. Sorry to disappoint you. This vehicle is not designed to give the maximum kilometers to a litre. It has a mileage of around 10 kmpl only. I can't say the figure for sure. Cause we took it to some of the worst roads on earth. May be, you may get some better figures on the highway. But that is not the idea, is it?
Yes. The whole idea with the Gypsy is the OFF- ROAD capabilities. And of course the multi purpose utility. I tested out the vehicle off- road and so my review is going to be limited to that.
The rods are really bad in kerala, be it in the cities or the highways. Then, just think about the state of affairs in a remote hill station. The road was treacherous. What anybody can associate with the off-road conditions. The road has itna bada depressions and I thought I was going to damage the fuel lines and stuff under the vehicle. But surprisingly, the vehicle just went over them. A GROUND CLEARANCE OF 210 mm is more than one could ever want.
The vehicle has a 1.3 L PETROL ENGINE, so there is no lack of power to climb up a road. Also this is a petrol engine unlike in the Sumo and the Safari, for that matter. So you don't have to wait for the turbocharger to kick in to deliver you the power of wanted. I am not mentioning the Scorpio because it is just a beast of a machine when it comes to power of the engine. Also, I read from the official site that the vehicle has the best power to weight ratio among the vehicles in the class.
Forgot to mention one very important thing. It has got 4 WHEEL DRIVE . This gives better control and the difference to an ordinary vehicle is felt once you leave the highways and on to a poor road. The vehicle is also very light. And though it had six people in it, I was having a galla time driving.
Now, if you are planning to get into a Gypsy, make sure that it is a soft top vehicle. My personal opinion is that the hard- top model really stinks. The beauty of the vehicle is the basic soft- top with the bars seen. Like in the movies when the hero drives and the friends sit in the back, or should I say stand, and holding to the bars, they dance and sing. Or even the police vehicle look is great.
A very good thing is that there are ONLY A FEW COLOURS to choose from. So there is no tension in that department. Just kidding.
The comfort of the vehicle is also nothing much to mention about. It is just an off- roader and not a luxury SUV
But it is also a good option to MODIFY the vehicle. My uncle did that just before his wedding, he had this new headlamps from the lancer and new taillight from the wagon r. It totally rocked. It was used as the couple's transport. The modified vehicle was the cynosure of all eyes. We were all hanging round it even when the wedding ceremony was on.
Now, all these could leave your pocket empty. Well! Not really! The gypsy soft- top is available at the price of around 5 lakhs. Modify it for another 1 lakh and you have your very own brand new exclusive custom vehicle. But the neighbours are going to be very jealous. Don't say I didn't warn you.
NEED A CHANGE?
Thank you for reading.
Please rate and comment on the review.
