Tuned: Custom made Maruti Suzuki Jimny

One of the fondest memories of my childhood is visiting a car accessories shop. This ritual was partly a necessity back in the day, as cars were not as well-equipped as they are today. So my dad and I would happily spend a few hours picking out a new stereo system, seat covers and a new reverse horn too if we were being particularly indulgent. A good thing about any car is that it can be a blank canvas for you to express your personality on. But there are some cars that lend themselves better to the task of being customised – and one prime example is the Maruti Suzuki Jimny.

Of course, the car you see here is no run-of-the-mill Jimny that you might pick up from the nearest Nexa dealership. Usually the way to identify a car is by the grille or the headlamps. And without those visual cues, the onlookers on the way to our shoot location did look very puzzled when they saw this outlandish-looking vehicle roll towards them. That’s because this is a Jimny that has been customised to look like a vintage Ford Bronco. A host of visual updates have been made to this Jimny to make it look like the iconic American off-roader from the late sixties and early seventies, and we had a chat with Mehreen Gandhi, who made this build into a reality along with Daljit Mehta and D.A.D Designs in Mumbai.

A client had come to her with a very specific build in mind, says Mehreen about the conceptualisation process behind this Jimny. “The car was being built as a visual delight to match a property the client was building in Goa, and the car was supposed to ferry people from the airport to his property,” says Mehreen. “He wanted something with a vintage Bronco feel, a convertible vibe, something retro,” she adds. Keeping these requirements in mind, the Jimny was chosen as the vehicle for this build, thanks to its compact and boxy design which mimicked that of the Bronco’s. Mehreen adds that the sheer availability of parts for the Jimny, it being a Suzuki after all, also influenced the decision to use it as the base for this build.

After the basic design was approved by the client, the Jimny was sent for 3D scanning – so that the 3D parts for it could be created, which would help the cosmetic transformation towards the Jimny becoming a Bronco. Sometimes there would be alterations made in the design of the part due to the restriction posed by the car’s dimensions or measurements. Once the final renders of the design were approved, the 3D parts went off for printing. These included the front grille of the Jimny and the vintage style wheel caps along with a frame which mimics the white wall tyre effect. To ensure there were no changes required, the 3D printed parts were first bolted onto the Jimny to check the fitment. Once this process was completed without any snags, the final parts were manufactured. The custom front and rear bumpers were also installed, along with the custom made fenders. The Jimny was then sent off to the paint booth, from where it would emerge in a colour scheme called Desert Beige.

It was not just the outside of the Jimny that received a full makeover. On the inside, the entirety of the interior was done up in PU leather upholstery from Autoform. The company branding for the client’s property was also integrated in various places inside the Jimny, such as the steering wheel boss and the seat headrests. The branding logo has also been integrated on the grille. The dash and its elements such as the centre console, the air con vents have also been customised to be in line with the materials used in the interior and the colours used as well.

The biggest change however is that you now get a convertible fabric roof on this Jimny, as opposed to a conventional metal roof. The fabric roof features two parts – the rear windshield and the actual top part which takes the place of the roof. The fabric roof also makes use of both straps and zippers to ensure the passengers are sealed better from the elements. But given that this cool-looking off-roader is going to spend most of its time in the sunny climes of Goa, you can expect to see it rolling around with the top down most of the time. And to ensure that the safety of the vehicle is not compromised, a roll cage has also been integrated into the Jimny’s interior.

When I first saw the Jimny being introduced at the Auto Expo a few years ago, I was hooked by how cool the SUV’s design was. However, seeing it in a customised form now makes the Jimny look even cooler. It does emulate the looks of a vintage Bronco pretty well. And given that the Bronco was never sold here on our shores, on-lookers do turn their heads when trying to identify what kind of vehicle this is. That’s the beauty of a vehicle lending itself to being a blank canvas – it allows you to turn it into something that is much cooler than what came out of the factory! Mehreen tells us that the transformation of this Jimny into a Bronco took four months, and the result of it is this being one of the most unique Jimny builds in India. And if you’re really curious to see how this build came to life, it will be showcased in a show streaming on Mehreen Gandhi’s YouTube channel – quite fittingly called, Custom Made.