Fifty up for Jimny as Suzuki’s faith in proven recipe pays off

During family gatherings the next generation is usually an integral part of the festivities as they are set to carry the torch of traditions forward. But the true character at these get-togethers are not provided by the tech-savvy youngsters parading around with the latest gadgets, but rather by the more wrinkled variety.

The ones that can enlighten you with a tale or two from a bygone era. This was exactly the case when Suzuki Auto South Africa last week celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic little Jimny, a name that derived from the concept of a “Jeep mini”.

The primitive interior of the LJ50

To make this unique event really special, Suzuki showcased five Jimny models spanning across its four generations not only for the media to have a look at, but to take a spin in too around a proper off-road course. An rare LJ50 represented the first generation which spanned from 1970 to 1981, the second generation (1981 to 1998) was represented by a SJ410 and SJ413 while the JB43 was the sole model of the third generation (1998-2018) and the current generation being represented by the JB74.

While the JB74 got the job done in the greatest comfort, the star of the day was undoubtedly the LJ50 from the late 1970s. Bereft of door handles (it uses top latches to secure the doors), seats belts, seat adjusters, radio, air vents and any kind of storage panel to speak of and a prehistoric instrument cluster, the LJ50 features a 539 cc two-stroke, three-cylinder engine producing a whopping 24 kW of power and 52 Nm of torque with a top speed of 70 km/h! And this world championship-winning motorcycle engine was already a huge upgrade from the very first Jimny, the LJ10 in 1970, which featured a 359 cc engine produced 18 kW.

The LJ50’s motorcycle engine produced 24 kW.

But in all its primitivity, the LJ50 does exactly what Suzuki set out to do in the late 1960s: to produce a smaller and more affordable version of the Jeep that is every bit as capable. With the two-stroke engine producing magnificent puffs of white smoke as it tackled the toughest obstacles, the LJ50 kept up with the younger models over the course of the route, providing priceless thrills which included a door flinging open on a steap hill descent!

The SJ410 (970cc/33kW) and SJ413 (1.3-litre/45kW), the first two Jimnys sold locally with the latter under the Samurai nomenclature in the 1980s, kept a rugged appearance before the JB43 (1.3-litre/63kW) up the refinement levels by a considerable margin. After making its global debut in 1998 for the first under the Jimny badge, it was only available locally from 2008 when Suzuki re-entered the market, but was nonetheless sold for another decade before the JB74 (1.5-litre/75kW) was introduced.

The interior of the JB74 has come a long way.

While the comfort and connectivity levels in the latest reincarnation meet the demands of our time, the core concept of the Jimny has been kept intact. It’s a tough little go-anywhere bugger that, starting at R307 900, won’t break the bank. And judging by its almost fanatical fanbase and popularity the world over, the Jimny will make a strong case for another 50 years.

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