Five things you probably didn’t know about Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki Jimny has been around for a long time, probably longer than most people think. While originally from Japan, the Jimny quickly gained popularity around the globe as a vigorous, compact yet rugged utility vehicle. Now, with its latest reincarnation set to hit the roads soon, it only fits that we take a look at five things you probably didn’t know about Suzuki Jimny:

50-year-old legacy

The Suzuki Jimny might be rebranded as a modern utility vehicle, but it was birthed a long time ago. Formerly under the parenthood of Hope Motor Company (HMC), the Jimny is the descendant of 359 CC, air-cooled, two-stroke, inline twin engine bearing cars called Light Jeep 10 (LJ10). But by the time Jimny came into development, HMC had been taken over by Suzuki in 1960, and the first gen Jimny, named LJ80, received a robust 800CC, four-stroke, inline four-cylinder engine in 1970.

Influence on Maruti Gypsy

December 1985 saw the launch of one of India’s most iconic UVs, the Maruti Gypsy. It was based initially on Suzuki Jimny, as Suzuki had collaborated with Maruti at that time, and shared the same wheelbase. However, as Gypsy’s generations passed, the resemblance to the Jimny diminished, and the current gen Maruti Gypsy King shares more of a cosmetic resemblance to the Jimny than any actual components.

Off-road competition

Being a rugged UV in nature, it is evident that the Jimny is about to face some fierce competition, both in the market and on the terrain. However, with the fourth-gen Jimny expected to be getting an all-new 660cc RA06 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 64PS and 95Nm, it has gained enough power to lock horns with the likes of Mercedes Benz G-Class, among other UVs, regarding off-road credentials. Jimny boasts the highest departure angle among the lot, which means the maximum angle at which the rear of the car can hold.

Purposeful colour options

The neat and compact looking UV is charming enough already, but Suzuki’s idea of coming up with its colour schemes was very different. While at first glance the Jimny looks like any other vibrant, peppy car; but the colours are made with a purpose. The Kinetic Yellow, for instance, allows the teeny tiny Jimny to stand out in adverse weather conditions like dense fog or other similarly harsh off-road conditions. Even the Jungle Green colour, reportedly, is supposed to help it merge with the surrounding better. Talk about camouflage!

Modern amenities

Though the Jimny carries a half-century old legacy and a retro SUV look, it is in no way technologically primitive. Expected to carry a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with automatic climate control and others, the Jimny will surely be a modern force to reckon with

This was a list of things you didn’t know about Suzuki Jimny. We will have to wait for its launch in India to know more about it.