SUZUKI Australia is taking measures to mitigate the “overwhelming demand” for its pint-sized Jimny off-roader, together with the affirmation of a brand new entry-level variant.
Referred to as Jimny Lite, the brand new providing can be a manual-only affair when it arrives right here in August using on 15-inch metal wheels and providing clients an much more back-to-basics method to motoring and off-roading.
Whereas the native pricing and specs particulars are but to be revealed in full, the Jimny Lite will greater than stay as much as its identify, Suzuki revealing to date that the brand new variant is ready to forgo lots of the creature comforts the market has turn into accustomed to.
The metal wheels would be the first giveaway of the Lite’s id, with different cues being the plastic wing mirror covers, halogen projector headlights and a scarcity of foglights.
Contained in the cabin, the usual Jimny’s 7.0-inch infotainment system has been ditched in favour of a standard in-dash radio/CD participant, though Bluetooth connectivity will nonetheless be included for music streaming and hands-free voice calls.
The local weather management system has been thrown out too, changed by a manually adjusted heater and air-conditioner.
No modifications have been made beneath the pores and skin or beneath the bonnet, that means the Lite will share the common model’s 75kW/130Nm outputs courtesy of the acquainted 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
Though solely out there with a handbook transmission, the Lite will nonetheless embrace a low-range switch case in addition to hill descent management.
Suzuki Automotive normal supervisor Michael Pachota mentioned the Lite’s affirmation was the model “giving folks what they need”.
“With demand constantly growing for this mannequin, we’re so happy to have the ability to add one other variant within the line-up and proceed to develop our Jimny group with this incremental provide alternative,” he mentioned.
“We may even keep the truthful allocation course of based mostly on buyer orders with a queue system as now we have carried out with the present Jimny in 2021, ensuring the following order within the queue will get the following automobile to hit Australian soil, each time.”
Suzuki has bought 993 Jimnys to the top of Could this yr, accounting for a modest 4.2 per cent of the sunshine SUV section with greater than 2000 models at the moment on back-order.
The model says it is going to be launching a devoted touchdown web page on its web site as of July 1 with extra info on the Lite earlier than costs are revealed on August 1 – the identical day it goes on sale.
Given the common model’s present $28,490 plus on-roads beginning worth, a price ticket within the area of $24,000-$26,000 is anticipated.
