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Suzuki Jimny Lite is a blank canvas for off-road enthusiasts

One of the most desirable new vehicles for sale right now is the Suzuki Jimny. The compact 4x4 was developed with a "less is more" philosophy, giving off-roaders everything they need to traverse harsh terrain, but with an affordable price and none of the luxo-fluff that many modern trucks come with. Now, Suzuki has announced an even more bare-bones Jimny Lite that delivers exactly what four-wheelers want in a no-nonsense, affordable package. First and foremost, the Jimny Lite will still offer the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 101 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque, along with the same low-range four-wheel-drive and ladder frame construction that make the original such a great little off-roading machine. However, while regular Jimnys have a four-speed automatic option, the Jimny Lite will be offered with only one transmission choice, a five-speed manual.  Rather than alloys, the rig — called the "Diet Jimny" in an image filename on Suzuki Australia's website — will come with 15-inch steel wheels, tougher and cheaper than aluminum. Other exterior changes include halogen headlights rather than LED projectors, deleted fog lamps, and the subtle substitute of plastic textured side mirrors instead of the current gloss black units. Cabin wise, the infotainment touchscreen that includes satellite navigation as standard will be replaced with a old-school in-dash radio and CD player. Bluetooth is still included, though, so you can still stream navigation and digital music from your phone. Additionally, the digital climate controls will be chucked for a manually operated system. This sounds like a dream come true for enthusiasts, who tend to enjoy using their own aftermarket wheels, auxiliary lighting, and stereo options. Though pricing hasn't been announced, the Suzuki Jimny Lite will presumably be even more affordable, giving wrenchers a blank canvas to build their own rigs without paying up front for stuff they don't need. It's like when Toyota offered the 86 RC, a steel-wheeled, unpainted-bumper version of the 86 for race car builds. Unfortunately, like the 86 RC, the Jimny's sale area does not include the United States. The Jimny is available in its native Japan, south of our border, in Europe, Australia, as well as several other markets around the world. We don't see it coming stateside anytime soon, but that hasn't stopped us from longing for a Jimny from afar. With the Jimny Lite, our desire grows even stronger.

Japan's Suzuki, SkyDrive sign deal to develop, market 'flying cars'

TOKYO — Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp and 'flying car' firm SkyDrive Inc said on Tuesday they have signed a deal to team up in research, development and marketing of electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. In a joint statement, the two companies said they will also work to open up new markets with an initial focus on India, where Suzuki has a roughly half share of the auto market. Suzuki announced on Sunday it plans to invest 104.4 billion rupees ($1.37 billion) in its India factory to produce electric vehicles and batteries. The companies didn't disclose details of investments in their partnership, nor outline any production timetable or target. Founded in 2018, Tokyo-headquartered SkyDrive counts big Japan businesses like trading house Itochu Corp, tech firm NEC Corp and a unit of energy company Eneos Holdings Inc among its main shareholders. In 2020 it raised 5.1 billion yen ($42 million) in total in Series B funds, according to its website. SkyDrive is currently engaged in the development of a compact, two-seating electric-powered flying car with plans for full-scale production. The statement did not say whether Suzuki would be working on this specific vehicle. The company, which is also developing cargo drones, aims to launch a 'flying car' service in Osaka in 2025 when the Japanese city hosts the World Expo. For Suzuki, the partnership will add 'flying cars' as a fourth mobility business, in addition to automobiles, motorcycles and outboard motors, the statement said. ($1 = 120.4500 yen) (Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The Suzuki Jimny pickup truck might be the best Jimny

Suzuki showed off a Jimny pickup truck concept at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, and it garnered more positive hype for the already beloved new-generation 4x4. But more than a year later, there are no signs that a production version is coming in the immediate future, if at all. So, members of the aftermarket are building their own. Shropshire Quads out of the United Kingdom takes regular Jimny SUVs and converts them into pickups by lifting the vehicle and adding a metal tub to the rear. Shropshire Quads has been building Jimny pickups for years. The company started doing the conversions on used models but has since grown to add the new Jimny to the operation, as well. Here's how it all started:  We are a small family run business based near Cleobury Mortimer in South Shropshire. We are main agents for Arctic Cat and Kymco ATVs. We felt that there was a niche gap in the agriculture/land management sector for a small lightweight pickup with more creature comforts and reliability than your usual UTVs. We went in search, and following lots of research, we decided that the Suzuki Jimny would be the ideal base vehicle. We now convert quality, low mileage Suzuki Jimny's to pickups using the best quality, factory designed and manufactured components. We hope you agree that we offer the best Suzuki Jimny Pickup on the market. The blue example seen here is the shop's first conversion on a new Jimny. According to Farmer's Weekly, Shropshire Quads orders the factory-manufactured kit that was designed for Suzuki from Austria and is the sole distributor and installer in the United Kingdom. Somebody in New Zealand is running a similar operation. As seen in the photos, the kit can only be installed once the rear portion of the Jimny is chopped off. The kit includes a metal rear bulkhead panel that is equipped with a heated rear screen. Plastic side moldings smooth out the conversion into the bed, which is made of stainless steel and aluminum. The rear tailgate is removable, and Shropshire Quads says the kit uses strong high-quality latches. A recessed fuel filler is mounted with cast aluminum and found on the driver's side. As this is a conversion intended for labor, it can be ordered with a one-inch lift or a three-inch lift. For added utility, the Jimny can be fitted with flotation tires or smaller all-terrain tires. The Jimny was already cool, and having one on the farm sounds like a fun way to do chores.