Suzuki might launch a second body style of
the new generation Jimny, one with better legroom for rear-seat occupants and
improved boot space. Citing a Suzuki insider, AutocarIndia claims a five-door
Jimny is in development and will launch in India and other surrounding markets
from December this year. It probably won’t make it to Europe, though. The
vehicle will be put together at the Maruti Suzuki Hansalpur factory in Gujarat,
approximately six-months after the three-door model enters production there in
June.
The key features will be the two added
doors and longer wheelbase, with everything else expected to carry over with no
changes whatsoever. The five-door Jimny will benefit from the same ladder-frame
chassis, suspension setup, four-wheel drive system and low-range transfer case
as the three-door model. This will will help it retain the tiny SUV’s very good
off-road credentials.
No changes will be performed in the engine
compartment either, as the model is expected to employ the same 1.5-liter K15B
four-cylinder petrol unit. Producing 102 PS and 138 Nm of torque, the engine can be paired to a five-speed manual or four-speed
automatic transmission in the three-door Jimny. Both gearboxes should soldier
on in the five-door variant.
This is the engine of choice worldwide for
the new Jimny, except for Japan, where it’s offered also as a kei car with a 64
PS 0.66-liter turbocharged three-cylinder power unit. Pricing
in India is expected to start at under one million rupees, which equals to US$ 13,355 at the current exchange rates.
