PARIS - Suzuki broadens its line-up of small sport-utilities with the launch at the Paris auto show of the three-door 1.3-liter gasoline Jimny. Priced around $13,000 before tax, the Jimny will go on sale in UK on 20 October and in major mainland European markets through November.
The Jimny is priced halfway between the Wagon R+ and Vitara. Suzuki will try to market it as a lifestyle vehicle that does not fit exactly into an existing category, although its combination of urban and off-road abilities is familiar enough. The name was the code-name of Suzuki's first off-roader 30 years ago, which reached the market as the LJ10.
The Jimny defers to off-road tastes with a chunky Jeep-derived appearance, a three-section ladder-type frame chassis, rigid front and rear axles with long-travel coil suspension, and short overhang at both ends.
The drivetrain offers a choice of two-wheel drive or two-wheel/four-wheel drive switchable at up to 100kph. The all-aluminum engine is a 79hp 16-valve design.
Top speeds are a modest 140kph for the manual and 135kph for the automatic.
Though the Jimny is a blunt vehicle, careful shaping of panel detail like the combined hood and grille contributes to a drag coefficient of 0.28, unusually low for this type of profile and a clear contributor to the quiet ride.
Options will include ABS, alloy wheels, air conditioning and audio. A choice of accessories will allow owners to dress their vehicles both cosmetically and practically.
