Ah, the Suzuki Jimny – what an iconic little vehicle. A few days ago, we found this short video on youtube and thought some fans of the car might enjoy it. The first generation Jimny (the LJ10) was powered by a 359cc (0.3L!) 2-stroke, 2-cylinder engine and had a 4-speed manual. Though a little low on power (25PS), its low weight of 590kg meant it was capable of handling itself offroad, and could even get up to 75km/h on the road. It was initially air cooled, but water cooling was later integrated.
But then we also realise that the 1st generation of the Suzuki Jimny wasn’t a significant part of Malaysian automotive history. In the early 70s, Japanese cars were still looked down upon. Finding one of these first-generation Jimnys on used car listings is difficult. The car either wasn’t brought in big enough numbers or wasn’t looked at as a viable alternative to the existing off-roaders.
The second generation and third generation Jimny were popular here though. You can still find these (especially variants of the 2nd generation) running in small towns, estates and on off-road courses. We’ve even heard stories from experienced Malaysian off-roaders like Paul Si of the Jimny’s prowess off the beaten path. Where more powerful, luxurious, and expensive vehicles would get bogged down in the mud, the Jimny would simply skip over the surface with ease.
You can see this demonstrated in this video by Autocar. Fast forward to minute mark 6:30 on the video below.
We hope you now appreciate just how significant simplicity can be, enjoy this short video on the Jimny’s history:
Let’s hope Suzuki reopens in Malaysia in time for the launch of the 4th generation!
