Autoretro - Couple times ago, Suzuki released the fourth generation Jimny in Japan. Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) has a fairly long history. Here's Suzuki Jimny's journey from generation to generation.
First Generation (1970-1981)
Jimny was first introduced in 1970. This car is made by a small car manufacturer named Hope Motor Company named HopeStar ON360. A small 4x4 driven jeep equipped with a Mitsubishi Colt 1000 engine displacement of 359 ccs. After Hope Motor Company purchased Suzuki, the car was refined and labeled Jimny. The engine replaced Suzuki with a capacity of 359 ccs as well but with air conditioning.
Wanting to maintain Kei car status for tax relief and other incentives, spare tires were placed in the car and made it a 3-seater. Because the dimensions are not more than 3 meters long. This uniqueness makes the LJ10-coded car the first four-wheel-drive Kei car.
Within two years, the LJ10 was revised to LJ20. The change was felt from the original horizontal front grille design to the vertical. The engine was replaced with water cooling technology and the power increased to 28 PS which was able to bring this car to touch 80 kpj.
In 1976, Jimny has rejuvenated again despite changing the chassis to SJ10. This car began to be exported under the name LJ50 which uses a larger engine, 539 ccs. The engine turns into a 3-cylinder but still has 2-stroke technology. The spare tire was moved to the back. In Australia, the car is available in soft-top options. In the same year, LJ50 with longer body dimensions began to be produced for the export market.
Jimny's first-generation final refinement, the LJ80, has been on sale since 1977. For the first time, this car has a real metal door. The car ceased production in 1981, being replaced by the second generation.