Suzuki has been spied testing a long wheelbase version of the new generation Jimny in Southern Europe. The front doors appear to be roughly the same size, but the rear quarter panels and side windows are noticeably longer. Strangely enough, the camouflaged Jimny had three doors, and according to spy photographers, no rear seats. That’s we’re inclined to think. Moreover, a LWB derivative could also serve as the basis for the rumored five-door model, or perhaps a pickup.
The front and rear ends appear identical
to the production model’s, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Suzuki decides to
revise the lighting units and bumpers at both ends when it goes official,
probably before the end of the year. That’s an assumption based on the fact that
the current Jimny will celebrate its third anniversary this summer so it’s
possible it might get a refresh.
We have yet to find out what will power
the Jimny LWB, but it will likely retain the 1.5-liter naturally aspirated
four-cylinder in the global version, perhaps with a few upgrades that will cut
down on fuel consumption and emissions. In the current Jimny, it pumps out a
modest 101 HP and 130 Nm of torque, and can be
hooked up to a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.
