Stopped at the traffic lights somewhere near downtown Machida in Tokyo prefecture, there’s a pause for consideration. There’s really no getting away from it: from a dynamic point of view, the Suzuki Jimny is... rubbish. The steering has a yawning dead spot from centre to about a quarter turn, presumably to prevent people hoofing them into a corner and immediately flipping onto the roof, the ride is choppy, the ‘handling’ mildly alarming and the brakes mediocre. It probably doesn’t help that this is a four-speed auto taped to the back of a 658cc three-pot petrol, and the beam axles have the ride comfort and spinal sympathy of a paving slab. And I love it. I really, genuinely love it. Which makes zero sense, until you see the outside.
This Jimny is not special because of how it drives, but because of how it looks. It’s been modified by Japanese company Damd Inc, and it’s a kind of chunky homage to the original Renault 5, as bizarre as that sounds.
There’s the flat front and slightly right-handed trapezoidal headlamps, the grille, the bumper – soft-focus cues that stretch all the way back to when the 5 was launched back in 1972. Then there are the arches and graphics that sort of resemble 1985’s GT Turbo – although you have to get close to see the ‘non’ above the big ‘TURBO’ lettering – and the motorsport wheels. It’s blatantly obvious what this is, and also what it isn’t. A beautiful, weird, original remix.
This story is from the Annual Issue 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Annual Issue 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Next Great Family MPV?
“Whoa, that’s a nice-looking Minivan!” Said no one ever.
MG COMET
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD THOUGHT THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY useless when it came out.
BMW i7
WHEN THE i7 PULLED INTO MY GARAGE AND PARKED ITSELF next to the Mercedes EQA and the MG Comet, it just struck me that this is how the future will be.
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
McLaren's finest faces off Corvette's nat-asp swansong as the Brits and the Americans square up... in a Spanish playground. Expect fireworks
NEXT LEVEL
Thought the 750S was fast? The McLaren P1's successor - the W1 is ready to spread its wings
MANUAL LABOUR
Two cars from opposite ends of the performance spectrum with one crucial thing in common...
PRO VS SLOW
At last, we have our hands on the Valkyrie. But is its performance only accessible for the pros... or can anyone enjoy it?
THE OUTBURST OF OFFROADING
The high-volume market is a point of interest for all manufacturers here in India.
THE BATTLE OF CRUISER-COMMUTERS
WHO DOES THE BEST COMMUTER WORK WHILE NOT BEING A TRUE COMMUTER MOTORCYCLE?
LEAVING EVERYTHING ON THE TRACK
FT. YMRP ROUND 3 From being second, I DNF'd from the race on the last corner