FOREVER FUN

Two machines that might get old, but won’t be forgotten

- Janak Sorap

When was the last time you spotted one of these machines? In the case of the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, only if you live in a locality that is associated with the armed forces will you come across one often; otherwise, it is more like a unicorn sighting. And the Hero Impulse is like Halley’s Comet, which requires the alignment of the cosmos to spot. Okay, I probably went a bit overboard with that one, but you get the drift, right? The reason why these two machines are here together is not only because of their rarity but also because of the common things they share. It’s a story of ageing but never forgotten machines that hold a special place in the heart of every automotive enthusiast.

The Gypsy’s origins can be traced back to the Suzuki Jimny that was sold in Japan as a kei car or Japanese city car. The one that India received was the long-wheelbase version which, apart from making its way to our shores, was sold in most export markets. Wikipedia enlightened me that the Gypsy is known by 11 other names across the globe, how cool is that? The first series of Gypsys sold here featured a 1.0-litre carburetted motor paired to a 4-speed tranny with selectable 4WD, drum brakes all around and no power-assisted steering.