Suzuki Jimny Concept
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Remember the old Samurai?
It was sold in the US for 10 years starting in 1985.
It was usually called the Jimny in other markets, and still is today. Except it had been redesigned since.
Suzuki is now getting ready to show a concept version of the next generation.
Which already looks quite weird. Especially the headlights.
Will it ever come back to the US?
Would you like to see an all new Suzuki Samurai over here?
Samurai was the best vehicle I have ever had, except that it didn't have any safety feature. It literally saved my life once, thanks to it's rigid rollbar. Simplistic interior, potent (for it's size) engine… what else I can possibly ask for? Oh, and reliability was way beyond modern day cars.
I would love to see the new samurai over here.
Honestly, that would be the best idea American Suzuki has had in years.. especially if the new one is as useful as the first, but more modern and safe.
There's a need for a small "real" SUV. The base Wrangler gets 16 MPG combined and weighs 1.7 tonnes, so there's a whole market that's ignored in the US.
Of course, Suzuki would make the same mistake as for the Grand Vitara. Offer just the automatic, and try to sell the best small offroader in the market as if it was just a crappy CR-V copy.
I swear, it's hard to understand how Suzuki US stays in business. Suzuki's got some good products in other markets, but the US branch only offers the 1990's version of the Swift, a rebadged Nissan pickup that can only ever be sold at a large discount, and a now-outdated SX-4. That last one handles well enough compared to a Matrix, but they missed their shot at promoting it when it was new and gas prices were high. Lost opportunity.
They've got a mid-size on their web site, but I've never noticed one on the road.
How about this, we'll take the Samurai and send back the Suzuki US sales team?
I never liked seeing the old eyesores on the road. Thank god most of them wound up in the junk yard before ever hitting 100k miles! (And no, re-badging Suzuki's as Honda's–like they've done in the US–doesn't cut it either.)
What Suzuki was ever sold as a Honda? Honda did sell Isuzus (the Passport and Acura SLX) and Isuzu sold rebadged Hondas (the Oasis and Gemini) but never Suzukis. Suzuki was selling rebadged Daewoos in the US though (the Verona, Reno and Forenza), an ill-fated move which likely ruined their reputation.
"There's a need for a small "real" SUV. The base Wrangler gets 16 MPG combined"
CORRECTION the '12 Wrangler gets 21HWY (19 combined) and the Patriot & NEW Compass are both 29 HWY (25 combined) in the most fuel-efficent versions. With Authentic "Trail-rated" Jeeps doing that well, who needs a Suzuki Knockoff (or imitation Jeep)??? In fact you can BUY a Patriot or Compass for $21kbase-$29k Loaded.
January 2, 2012 11:03 AM
The Patroit, Compass, and Liberty are pieces of garbage. That's why you wouldn't buy one, loaded or not.
Stop being an ignorant fanboy.
In todays car market, it would be a mistake for Suzuki to attempt to sell a reborn Samurai in the U.S. Focus/research groups would decide it had to have 4 doors, low step-in height, V6 engine. Suddenly it wouldn't be a small, light off-roader any more. It would be a Patriot, Compass, Liberty.
CORRECTION: Patriot starts at $15,900 even with the new upscale interior. Compass is $19k+. Liberty is a whole different class of vehicle alltogether and wouldn't compete with any of the others.
This would have been a knock-out in the Soviet Union in the 1980s.