Cars - Suzuki SJ

	Cars - Suzuki SJ

The Suzuki SJ410 and SJ413 was a small SUV produced in the 1980s. It was sold as the Suzuki Samurai in North America, the Suzuki Sierra and Holden Drover in Australia, and the Maruti Gypsy in India. The 410 came first in 1982, with a 1.0 L engine, and the 1.3 L 413 joined it in 1984.

The Sierra was sold in Australia as the Holden Drover between 1985 and 1987. The Australian Sierra was replaced by the Suzuki Jimny
.

In recent years the SJ413, SJ410, and the newer Suzuki Sidekick and Geo/Chevrolet Tracker have been seen more often in off-road situations, as their small size,relatively cheap price and off road ability have made them an alternative to the American Jeep.

SJ410

The SJ410, introduced in 1982, was an updated version of the LJ80. It used a larger version of that truck's straight-4 engine at 1.0 L (970 cc/59 in³). This engine produced 45 hp (34 kW), limiting the performance of the SJ. Top speed was just 68 mph (109 km/h), but off-road ability was impressive.

A 4-speed manual transmission was standard, as were non-power assisted drum brakes front and rear. The SJ-410 came as a half-door convertible, pickup truck, 2-door hardtop, raised-roof hardtop, and no-glass hardtop.

The SJ was produced in Spain by Land Rover Santana and sold as a domestic vehicle in Europe due to its 60% native content.

Long wheelbase

The wheelbase was stretched by 13.5 in (343 mm) in 1983 for a long-wheelbase model. This was 23 in (584 mm) longer overall, allowing for 4- or 6-seat versions and possibly even a four-door model.

SJ413

In 1984 the SJ was revamped with the launch of the SJ413 series. This included a larger 1.3 L (1324 cc/80 in³) engine, a 5-speed manual, a 3 in (76 mm) wider axle width, and power brakes all around with discs in front. The body and interior were also redesigned, with a new dashboard, seats, and grille. The SJ-410 remained in production through 1985 with the old specifications.

Samurai

Unofficial imports of the SJ series into North America caused Suzuki to prepare a version for official sales. This was introduced in 1985 as a 1986 model as the Samurai and incorporated many updates from the plain SJ. It was priced at just $6200, and 47,000 were sold in the first year alone.

The 1988.5 model Samurai was retuned for on-road use in North America. This included softer suspension settings and a larger anti-sway bar to reduce body roll. A taller 5th gear reduced engine speed on the highway, and improved dashboard and seats made the Samurai more comfortable.

A new 1.3 L (1298 cc/79 in³) engine with throttle-body fuel injection was used from 1990, but power was still low at 66 hp (49 kW). The Samurai was withdrawn from the United States market in 1995 after a disputed rollover report by Consumer Reports.

1996

The Samurai continued for sale outside the United States, with a substantial update in 1996. This included a coil spring suspension, though the live axles were retained. The rest of the truck was redesigned as well, with new seats, dashboard, steering wheel, and doors joining a macho exterior.

Not all SJ models were updated however, with the original narrow SJ410 still in production in some areas. Even after the Suzuki Jimny replaced the SJ in most markets after 1998, the SJ remains in production today.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Suzuki SJ ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Suzuki SJ; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.