What makes the new Suzuki Jimny so amusing to look at is the way it combines the adorable with the capable. It's a slightly unassuming, cute, weird little vehicle on the surface that has the potential to climb mountains and leave many more expensive SUVs in its off-roading wake.
So, what happens when you take that position on the 'adorable vs capable' axis, and slide it closer to the latter?
Well, you potentially wind up with something like this. German tuning firm Delta 4x4 have shown off their latest creation; a lifted Jimny that raises a glass to its Paris-Dakar Rally past.
Back in 1982, a tiny LJ80-generation Jimny took on the Paris-Dakar Rally in the hands of drivers Josef Loder and Alois Schneck. Loder eventually went on to be an owner of Delta 4x4, and now the company have gone full circle.
Incredibly, Loder's 1982 beast still stands today; its stickers worn and grime caked into the panels. Delta 4x4's throwback effort features all the same sticker-work, from the same door numbers, to the covered-in rear window panels, and the requisite sponsor decals.
But, as you can see, the changes extend much further than a few stickers.
The little Suzuki has been fitted with a 50mm lift kit, with the option of an additional 30mm spacer package on top. Wider fenders accommodate beefed up 285/75 Micky Thompson Baja STZ off-road rubber. Each tyre is wrapped around a 16in Legacy Forged alloy wheel.
There's also an additional PIAA light, mounted in front of the driver for additional night-time visibility. There's also a nudge bar, roof rack, and two-ton winch in the options list.
Inevitably, the whole shooting box isn't merely a twee love letter to a past project. Delta 4x4 are selling each of these upgrades as part of a pick-your-flavour kit for European off-road enthusiasts.
Opt to have everything added onto your Jimny, and you'll pay more than €8,500 ($14,600). That's half the price of the donor vehicle. Just want the wheels, tyres, and 50mm lift-kit? That'll be €4,790 ($8,68).
Don't hold your breath if you're wanting the Delta 4x4 kit to become available here. But, it's also not worth despairing either. With the amount of aftermarket interest in Japan and elsewhere in the South Pacific region, modification options tailored specifically to the little Jimny should become quite accessible.
