The off-road 4WD are cars that are made to run in harsh environments such as unpaved roads, snowy roads and the likes. This crossover SUV belongs to that type, but the specifications, performance, durability of this SUV makes it seems like it is not. There are various 4WD models in Japan, but among them the most beloved one is the SUZUKI’s 4WD “Jimny”.
ust because it is a light car, do not think that its performance is low. Be it driving in the mountain areas filled with trees, or snowy zones where the snow stack up to 1m, or other rough terrains in Japan, the crowd’s favourite 4WD is the Jimny. This July, the Jimny has underwent a full body change which hasn’t happen in 20 year and this has attracted attention from many Japanese users.
The off-road design is very popular
In Japan, a phenomenon where the younger generation are not actively purchasing cars is a very troubling thing to the car makers. But after the announcement of the release of the new Jimny, it has garnered a lot of support from the young people right away. The biggest reason for that is the styling of the Jimny which expresses the sturdiness of the Jimny very well.
The body of the new Jimny is almost composed of flat surfaces only. The sides of the minicar version are pretty much perpendicular to the ground. The normal version “Jimny Sierra” is equipped with over fenders on each side, but the body itself is the same as the minicar version
There is a big space between the base of the car and the floor, so much so that if you bend a little you can see through to the other side. The distance between the base of the car and the ground is 205mm at least. Although this difference is more than enough for all type of roads, with dirt roads and snowy road in mind, the Jimny is not equipped with spoilers. With this, the floor might look a little higher than it should.
The practical design of the cross-country SUV has garnered the support of the enthusiastic users who are bored with the impractical designed SUV that emphasizes on fashion. The annual sales target for the minicar version “Jimny” is 15,000 cars and 1200 for the normal version “Jimny Sierra”. But the car will not arrive until next year even if you order it now.
JIMNY is JIMNY. Never changing concept ever since its first appearance which is half a century ago.
Image: The first to the third generation.
During the presentation of the new Jimny, Toshihiro Suzuki read a memorial story contributed to Mr. Osamu Suzuki. “I heard from Mr. Ono from the Hope Motors Company that he has made a 360-cc car that can climb up the Mt. Fuji up to the 8th checkpoint. When I saw the video, it was really a small car climbing up the steep slope of Mt. Fuji. Touched by the power and performance of the car, I received the idea from Mr. Ono and with the development of SUZUKI, managed to present Jimny to the world.
JIMNY is a powerful but small car
In order to realize the concept of a car climbing up the Mt. Fuji, which is the mountain representing Japan, while retaining its light body, they used a strong chassis used by Jeep’s Wrangler and Mercedes Benz’s G-Wagen, the ladder frame. Jimny became the only means of transport in snowy areas, unpaved roads, and forestry areas after its release.
The new fourth generation Jimny is equipped with ladder frame, part time 4WD, robust 3-link rigid suspension and more, truly a full-fledged cross country 4WD that succeeds its predecessor.
There are also features unique to the Jimny which is its small size. Due to having a minicar’s body, the full width is only 1480mm. The Sierra with a 60mm over fender on each side is only 1600mm in width. The weight of either models is only 1000kg. This lightness and size are something other robust 4WD cannot copy, which is now something that is unique to the Jimny. From that, the phrase “roads that only the Jimny can cross” was born.
The new Jimny which is already super popular in Japan will soon be released in ASEAN, South Asia and the rest of the world as well. The day you can see this car in your country will come soon.
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