Bring a Trailer
- The Suzuki Samurai was a pocket-size SUV that was as capable off-road as a mountain goat.
- This one got a Swift GT engine upgrade for a bit more punch.
- You can’t get the Samurai’s modern equivalent, the Jimny, in the U.S., but you can get this well-sorted original.
You can still buy a motorcycle or outboard motor from Suzuki but not a new car, and that’s kind of a bummer. Never a market leader in the U.S., the company nonetheless produced some fun and thrifty products, fuel-sipping little buzz bombs with wallet-friendly pricing. Mexico still gets some of Suzuki’s best, including the nimble Swift hatchback and the tough but tiny Jimny off-roader.The Samurai was the Jimny’s ancestor, and this 1987 hardtop is up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). The Samurai is a sort of lower-case Jeep Wrangler; some also see a baby Mercedes G-wagen in its ultra-boxy and purposeful design. This example is very tidy with some tasty off-roading upgrades and comes with an engine swap out of a Swift GT.Bring a TrailerThe Samurai came with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine originally, and it was bog slow. Critically, this one has had an engine transplant: a 1.6-liter with 16 valves and dual overhead cams, it’s good for about 100 horsepower. With a five-speed manual, that’s plenty for getting to the trailhead in a reasonable time, and the extra torque should keep this Samurai from being an obstruction in traffic.Bring a TrailerDynamically, the Samurai took a bit of a beating due to its risk of rollover, but that’s partly because it was a genuine SUV on an ultra-short wheelbase. You weren’t supposed to fling it into a corner like a Honda Civic.This one has a winch, tough-looking bumpers, and auxiliary LED lighting. The chunky tires are 30-inch Falken Wildpeaks on 15-inch wheels, with a modified coil-spring suspension to clear the bodywork. It has a dual-range transfer case with locking front and rear differentials, and manual locking front hubs.Bring a TrailerOn the trail, being a Gimli son of Glòin off-road machine has all kinds of advantages. You can pick a narrow trail that bigger machines can’t follow, get down those tight forested animal tracks, and go where only side-by-sides could ordinarily follow.Bring a TrailerRelated Stories
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To make the trek to the outdoors a little more civilized, this Samurai comes with comfortable bucket seats out of a Swift GT, extra sound-deadening material, and air conditioning. The rear seats have been removed, but any friends wanting to ride in the back would need to be pretty Lilliputian anyway. Better to have a little more room for camping gear.Who says you need to have the bulk of an F-150 Raptor to go explore the great outdoors? This Samurai might carry the name of a mighty feudal Japanese warrior, but it treads softly and doesn’t cast a long shadow. It’s the next best thing to being able to get a brand-new Jimny at your local Suzuki dealership.The auction ends on August 26.Other Recent BaT Auctions
- Honest and Unpretentious: 1986 Ford Ranger on BaT
- 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia Camper on BaT
Brendan McAleerContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Source: caranddriver.com
