The pint-sizeJimny is Suzuki Australia’s best-selling mannequin, and the Japanese model’s native boss says he desires to increase the boxy little off-road SUV’s vary to incorporate industrial autos like utes, panel vans, and even small vans.
“A Jimny ute could be superior in Australia. A Jimmy something is superior in Australia,” Suzuki Australia normal supervisor Michael Pachota advised CarExpert on the nationwide launch of the brand new Fronx Hybrid mild SUV.
“As I’ve talked about, Jimmy three-door and Jimny XL gross sales are persistently rising and, with that stated, if I simply added to that product lineup, whether or not or not it’s a utility, or a panel van, or no matter it could be, I’ll take it.”
Because it stands, the Jimny vary includes solely a small wagon out there in both three-door or five-door XL physique kinds. No industrial variations of the present fourth-generation Jimny are in manufacturing, although Suzuki New Zealand has supplied an aftermarket ute conversion since 2020.
Suzuki additionally has a protracted historical past of compact utes, together with the Nineties Caribian Sporty from Thailand and the Mighty Boy offered in Japan and Australia within the Nineteen Eighties, and potential consumers have been stored interested in ideas just like the Jimny Sierra Choose Up Fashion of 2019 (pictured above).
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ABOVE: Second-generation 1981 Suzuki Jimny 1000 cab-chassis
This can be a far cry from the three previous Jimny generations, which had been populated by a number of completely different physique kinds, together with the third-generation Canvas Prime in Europe and the second-generation SJ40 pickup, which was additionally offered because the cab-chassis Holden Drover.
Suzuki’s tiny first-generation Jimny Gentle Prime, which resembled the utilitarian Willys Jeep, was additionally offered in Australia because the Suzuki Stockman.
Many of those fashions had been constructed to Japan’s diminutive kei automobile engine and measurement specs, very like the present Japanese-market three-door Jimny – completely different bumpers and wider fender flares are added for export markets.
Consequently, Australian-market three-door Jimnys measure 3480mm in size, 1645mm in width, and 1720mm in top. The five-door Jimny XL provides 340mm in size, which remains to be practically 2m shorter than a Ford Rangerwhereas being roughly 250mm narrower.
After all, Australia’s love for utes is dominated by bigger autos just like the Ranger and Toyota HiLuxhowever that hasn’t stopped Mr Pachota from predicting a powerful following for a Jimny ute, echoing the SUV’s passionate fanbase.
ABOVE: First-generation 1972 Suzuki Jimny Gentle Prime
“I’ve my fingers crossed and hope and pray that Suzuki Motor Company appears down that path, as a result of there’s an enormous market right here for Australia,” he advised CarExpert.
Mr Pachota additionally urged the small dimensions of a possible Jimny ute would swimsuit many purposes the place extra conventional pickups are too massive, drawing inspiration from Victoria’s Goulburn Valley wine area, the place Suzuki hosted the aforementioned Fronx launch.
“We’re sitting in a vineyard proper now, and you may simply see the width of these winery strains. A Jimmy ute would match down that line completely,” he added.
“So the agricultural want in Australia… I wouldn’t be stunned if there’s one on the property primarily based on the outdated Jimny Stockman, as a result of there was once a utility.
“So with that stated, if there was once one thing, possibly there can be one thing once more sooner or later. We haven’t been advised. Suzuki retains their product growth pretty near their chest… however I’d positively welcome one.”
