Suzuki to pull Jimny from sale in Europe, claims new report…

By: CAR magazine

A new report claims Suzuki will pull its in-demand Jimny from sale in Europe before stricter emissions regulations take effect in 2021.

According to Autocar India, the Japanese firm has already instructed its dealer network in Europe to stop accepting orders for the plucky little off-roader.

As the report points out, new EU legislation will restrict each automaker to a passenger-vehicle fleet CO2 average of 95 g/km (or face hefty fines). And it seems the Jimny’s naturally aspirated 1,5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine thus finds itself on the European chopping block.

The publication says Suzuki is planning to apply some sort of electrification to all other vehicles it sells in Europe in order to lower its fleet CO2 average.

Autocar India furthermore claims the Jimny is set to make a return to select markets in Europe “sometime in 2021” as a commercial vehicle without rear seats and featuring “minor interior tweaks”. In addition, unnamed sources told the publication the passenger-vehicle version could be revived at a later stage thanks to the adoption of an updated, cleaner engine.

What does all this mean for South Africa? Well, if the report turns out to be accurate, local waiting periods for the Jimny may well improve with a market as large as Europe removed from the equation.

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