The pint-sizeJimny is Suzuki Australia’s best-selling mannequin, and the Japanese model’s native boss says he desires to develop 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 common 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 it’s a utility, or a panel van, or no matter it might be, I’ll take it.”
Because it stands, the Jimny vary contains solely a small wagon out there in both three-door or five-door XL physique types. 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 an extended historical past of compact utes, together with the Nineteen Nineties Caribian Sporty from Thailand and the Mighty Boy bought in Japan and Australia within the Eighties, and potential consumers have been stored inquisitive about ideas just like the Jimny Sierra Decide 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 totally different physique types, together with the third-generation Canvas High in Europe and the second-generation SJ40 pickup, which was additionally bought because the cab-chassis Holden Drover.
Suzuki’s tiny first-generation Jimny Tender High, which resembled the utilitarian Willys Jeep, was additionally bought in Australia because the Suzuki Stockman.
Many of those fashions had been constructed to Japan’s diminutive kei automotive engine and dimension specs, very like the present Japanese-market three-door Jimny – totally different bumpers and wider fender flares are added for export markets.
Because of this, 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 almost 2m shorter than a Ford Ranger, whereas being roughly 250mm narrower.
In fact, Australia’s love for utes is dominated by bigger autos just like the Ranger and Toyota HiLux, however 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 Tender High
“I’ve my fingers crossed and hope and pray that Suzuki Motor Company appears to be like down that path, as a result of there’s an enormous market right here for Australia,” he advised CarExpert.
Mr Pachota additionally advised the small dimensions of a possible Jimny ute would swimsuit many functions 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 shocked if there’s one on the property based mostly on the outdated Jimny Stockman, as a result of there was a utility.
“So with that stated, if there was one thing, perhaps 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 might positively welcome one.”
