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Suzuki is on track for what could be its second best-ever sales year in the UK – and held back only because a shortage of product supply.

Dale Wyatt, Director of Automobiles at Suzuki GB said that sales as of early November  stood at 34.246 against last year’s total of 35,488, and he is hopeful of hitting 39,000 by the end of November.

He said: “This will push us towards our target of 2% market share and we are currently outperforming a market which is down 7%.”

Wyatt was speaking during the UK launch of the new Jimny and updated Vitara, the brand’s core 4×4 models.

“The Jimny is a real cult model and we just can’t get enough of them. We will only get around 600 vehicles at launch and we have a demand which is twice that.”

First introduced in 2015, the Suzuki Vitara has been acclaimed for its stylish, city oriented design, compact and easy to manage dimensions, good on-road performance and genuine off-road capability.

For 2019, the Vitara recieves various styling upgrades, new engines and a higher level of technology and safety features.

For the interior, a new seat trim design is utilised for the range and suede seat fabric is fitted on SZ5 models; the upper instrument panel is upgraded to a soft touch material and the instrument cluster now features a central colour information display.

Standard equipment for all Vitara models is comprehensive and the SZ4 model includes seven airbags, alloy wheels, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control with speed limiter, auto air conditioning and front and rear electric windows.

SZ-T adds new design 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, white stitching for seat trim fabric, Smartphone link audio and navigation system.

Moving up to SZ5 adds LED Projector headlights, 17-inch polished alloy wheels, suede seat fabric, keyless entry with start button, Traffic Sign Recognition (also fitted on ALLGRIP models), blind spot monitor, Adaptive Cruise Control, Dual Sensor Brake Support and Panoramic sunroof.

After the debut of the 1.0-litre three cylinder Boosterjet in Baleno, S-Cross and Swift, this engine technology is now extended to the Vitara. Offering the same level of power and torque of a much larger capacity normally aspirated engine.

The outgoing Vitara S model launched in 2016 was the first Suzuki to utilise the Boosterjet technology petrol engine which is a 140PS 1.4-litre Direct Injection turbocharged unit (DITC). This engine has compact dimensions and offers 220Nm of torque available from just 1,500rpm through to 4,000rpm.

Suzuki’s ALLGRIP ‘Select’ system is available as an option on SZ-T and SZ5 models and incorporates four driver-selectable modes for safe, enjoyable driving on diverse surfaces. It debuted in the S-Cross model in 2013 and has since proved very successful.

Prices of the new Vitara start at £16,999

Ever since the first Jimny made its global debut in April 1970, it has established itself as an authentic off-roader that is small and lightweight. Two decades have passed since the third-generation model made its debut in 1998 and the Jimny has now evolved to its fourth generation..

It now has more functionality and practicality on both its appearance and performance with many design elements inherited from past Suzuki legends.

It incorporates the four essentials for serious off-roading — a ladder frame, the three excellent clearance angles, 3-link rigid axle suspension with coil spring and part-time 4WD with low range transfer gear.

The eight rubber body mounts positioned between the ladder frame and upper body have been redesigned to enhance both ride comfort and ride stability. The diameter of the front stabiliser has been increased for improved ride comfort and less body roll during cornering.

The new Jimny is one of the few authentic off-roaders equipped with a rigid axle for both front and rear. The front axle housing is now constructed of more robust high tensile steel and the rear axle housing is larger diameter with 30% higher flexural strength for greater durability.

Prices start at £15,499.

 

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