Indian Army general service vehicle

Twinblade

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Is it the end of the road for the Gypsy?
Maruti Gypsy's sales to the Indian army may dry up after it fails to meet criteria for the latest contract
Amrit Raj
First Published: Tue, Apr 02 2013. 10 43 PM IST


When it was launched in 1985, the sleek but still rugged lines of the Gypsy made it an instant hit, although that popularity never really translated into massive sales figures.
The numbers and the ubiquity came when law-enforcement agencies around the country and the armed forces began adding the sports utility vehicle (SUV), originally based on the Suzuki Jimny, to their fleets. The more agile, petrol-driven Gypsy was preferred over the slower, diesel-driven vehicles that had until then proliferated within the ranks of the police and the services.
But the sales of the Gypsy to the armed forces may dry up, according to five people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified.
Will this be the end of the road for the vehicle, given that its biggest customer, the Indian Army, wants a sturdier vehicle with more modern features?
When the Indian Army sought bids for the 800kg general service vehicle category, Maruti didn't participate as it doesn't have one that meets the requirements. Maruti's Gypsy sells in the 500kg general service vehicle category.

Rivals such as Tata Motors Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and Nissan Motor Co. have bid for the contract for 30,000 vehicles valued at Rs.3,000 crore, according to the people cited above.
These people said that once an 800kg vehicle is selected, it will start replacing the Gypsy.
Features being sought include airbags, anti-lock braking systems, air-conditioning, power windows, five doors and central locking—specifications absent in the Gypsy, which pretty much still looks the way it did in 1985.
While Mahindra is said to be sending a prototype based on its Scorpio SUV, the Tata Motors's prototype will be based on the Safari platform. Nissan, participating in a defence procurement bid for the first time in India, will send a prototype based on its X-Trail SUV. There is an old Indian Army connection with the Japanese company, however, through the P60 SUV"ƒthat Nissan introduced in the 1960s. It was modified into the Jabalpur Ordnance and Guncarriage Assembly—Jonga for short.
Price bids for the Indian Army vehicle tender will be opened after technical clearance is given to the prototypes. Testing will begin by the end of this month after the companies submit their sample vehicles by 15 April.
"The tender will be awarded to the lowest bidder," said one of the people cited above. "It will be a phase-wise purchase and the army will replace its entire fleet of Gypsys in some years. However, the new general service vehicles will only be a part of the army from 2017 as the process of bidding and placing orders normally takes three-four years."
The army will gradually stop procuring Gypsy SUVs and the vehicle will eventually be phased out, the person said.
http://www.livemint.com/Industry/lvTMk1u5ravrN6uqauLm7O/Is-it-the-end-of-the-road-for-the-Gypsy.html
 

SajeevJino

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"The tender will be awarded to the
lowest bidder,"
So Performance is not a Qualification of this

If Scorpio and Mahindra X500 passed the field trails The Lowest bidder wins so Scorpio


where our Leaders And MinistersTraveling in BMW and Benz ..The Army Officers are in Maruti Gypsy



Match HUMVEE Vs Cadillac one
 

W.G.Ewald

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Is the subject of this thread a tactical vehicle or a "Staff car"?
 

Ray

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When it was launched in 1985, the sleek but still rugged lines of the Gypsy made it an instant hit, although that popularity never really translated into massive sales figures.
It was popular as far as riding and driving comfort was concerned.

It was no patch on the Mahindra Jeep ot Nissan Jonga when it came to rough terrain and high altitude.
 

Payeng

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Current Army officials seems to prefer Toyota Innova or TATA Aria for their transport.
 

Payeng

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So Performance is not a Qualification of this

If Scorpio and Mahindra X500 passed the field trails The Lowest bidder wins so Scorpio


where our Leaders And MinistersTraveling in BMW and Benz ..The Army Officers are in Maruti Gypsy



Match HUMVEE Vs Cadillac one
I dont think a standard Scorpio would be projected for trails but the company will use its chassis and other related parts to design a high mobility vehicle prototype for the cause.

I think a XUV500 is a direct disqualification as it is based on monocoque chasy in body design, while real off-road vehicle sports a ladder frame chassis.

Instead of Power Windows, I would have preferred a central tyre inflation system, and I wonder if Airbags and Air Conditioning are standard requirements, more over I can think of specification like foldable windshield, soft top/hard top convertibility, minimum ground clearance,tyre flat run capability, vertical steep and gradability.

Maybe the writer put it wrong or it is not a Tactical vehicle requirement tender ( read as general purpose vehicle ).
 
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W.G.Ewald

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The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is a United States military (specifically U.S. Army, USSOCOM, and U.S. Marine Corps) program to replace the Humvee that is currently in service[1] with a family of more survivable vehicles with greater payload. In particular, the Humvee was not designed to be an armored combat and scout vehicle but has been employed as one, whereas the JLTV will be designed from the ground up for this role.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Light_Tactical_Vehicle#Payload_Category_A
 

EXPERT

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Hey ,i have here in pune that IAF officers were using scorpio . What about that.
 

arnabmit

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Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari set to crash Maruti Gypsy party in Indian Army

The Indian Army has decided to phase-out Maruti Gypsy from its inventory with Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari in the race to replace the vehicle under a project expected to cost the force more than Rs 3,000 crore.

The Indian Army is the biggest customer of the Maruti Gypsy utility vehicles with more than 25,000 such vehicles in service and uses them in all light vehicle operations including counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations.

The summer trials of military versions of Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari will be held in Jodhpur in Rajasthan next week and the winter trials will be held in Sikkim by the end of this year, defence officials said here.

One of the reasons for the Army's plans to phase out the petrol-run Gypsy with the diesel engine cars is the rising prices of petrol.

The Army has a requirement of around 30,000 new light utility 4X4 cars and has plans to initiate the phase-out of Gypsys by 2017.

The induction of these 30,000 new vehicles would be in a phased manner and the process is expected to be completed by the force in next 15-20 years.

In its tender floated for the procurement, the Army has stated that it wants general service vehicles weighing around 800 kg powered by a diesel engine, which should be Bharat Stage III and IV compliant.
 

JBH22

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The induction of these 30,000 new vehicles would be in a phased manner and the process is expected to be completed by the force in next 15-20 years.
Is this a joke? by that time the Scorpio and Mahindra contenders will be obsolete. Why the hell we are always running behind.
 

Kunal Biswas

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TATA Safari seen on Road >>





There should be version with open back, And cover of canvas..

In its tender floated for the procurement, the Army has stated that it wants general service vehicles weighing around 800 kg powered by a diesel engine, which should be Bharat Stage III and IV compliant.
 

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