Rumors
of a new up market 4x4 from Suzuki proved to be true, when the 3-door hard and soft top
Sidekick appeared in the United States in 1989. Built in the new joint
Suzuki/GM CAMI factory in Canada,
they were briefly powered by the Samurai's 1.3-liter engine, but were soon
equipped with a stroked version of that engine, displacing 1590cc and producing
80 horsepower with 8 valves and throttle body fuel injection.
Also sold as the
Suzuki Escudo in Asia, the Suzuki Vitara in Europe and Australia, the Suzuki
Sidekick, Chevrolet, Geo, and GM Tracker in North America, and the Asuna
Sunrunner in the South Pacific and Canada, the new Suzuki proved to be another
very popular vehicle. A little larger than the Samurai, it made use of
independent front suspension, coil-sprung rear suspension, an available
automatic transmission, and a much nicer interior. With little to no sacrifice
in off-road abilities, this new truck enhanced Suzuki's reputation as a builder
of serious 4-wheel-drives.
1990
brought further enhancements to the Samurai. Throttle body fuel injection led
the list of changes. Horsepower was increased by only 2 ponies to 66, but
improved tractability of the engine improved on and off-road drivability. The
engine's displacement dropped from 1324cc (81 cubic inches) to 1298cc (79 cubic
inches). Two of the
four spider gears in the front differential were removed, and new sealed
transfer case and transmission bearings were installed.
In
1991, Suzuki introduced the long-wheelbase, 5-door hardtop version of the
Sidekick, expanding the model lineup into even more upscale territory. To
motivate its additional weight, a 95 horsepower, 16-valve multi-port fuel
injected version of the 1600 was installed. With so many new factories
supplementing the main plants in Japan, Canada, and Spain, Suzuki was able to
supply their vehicles to every corner of the world.
The
changes for the 1993 Samurai consisted of only a change in the grille design,
incorporating the Suzuki "S" in the center of the grille. The
following year was the last year for Samurais in California, the only change
being the removal of the rear seat due to new safety regulations. Sadly the rest
of the country and Canada lost the truck in 1995.
To
make up for that loss, 1995 was the introduction for the decidedly more upscale
and sporty Sidekick Sport. Available in the U.S. with an all-new 1.8-liter, 120
horsepower DOHC inline-4, the new engine begged for some unique bodywork. Wide
16-inch wheels were offset by tough-looking fender flares, a bold grille and
hood, and a luxuriously restyled interior were all unavailable with the standard
engine. But Europe, Asia, and Australia were given an even better version,
dubbed the Vitara LWB V6. Its 2.0-liter 24-valve 4-cam V-6 was Suzuki's largest
and most powerful engine yet, producing a smooth 134 hp and a broad torque
curve.
1996: "Coily" Samurai
For
the rest of the world, 1996 brought the biggest changes for the SJ series. The
new "Coily" Samurai was most easily identified from beneath, where the
all-new coil springs suspended the same live axles, which now housed 3.909 gears
instead of the 3.727s. The transfer case ratios were raised from 1.409 high to
1.320 high, and 2.268 low to 2.123 low.
A
lot of attention was paid to making the Samurai a much more comfortable vehicle.
Engine bay insulation, new transmission and body mounts, totally redesigned
dashboard, steering wheel, doors, console, and front and rear seats along with
additional luxury items, and of course the improved suspension, made it a much
higher-class vehicle. Upgraded brakes, power steering, engine fan, ignition
coil, clutch cable, and a new exhaust system squeeze out higher performance.
Fuel and radiator capacities were increased slightly and chassis strength was
improved though the use of additional bracing and side-impact beams.
Outside, a
tough looking hood, fenders, grille, and bumpers smooth out the looks while
recalling the style of the LJ series with the twin marker and turn signal lights
on each front corner, making this the best-looking SJ series yet. Not all Suzuki
factories switched to the coil sprung chassis with the 1996 redesign of the
Samurai and not all factories installed the same engines. Japan still used the
narrow-track 1.0-liter 550cc 12-valve turbo 3-cylinder, in addition to the
updated 16-valve MPFI twin cam 1300.
1996 found a 2.0-liter Mazda turbo diesel inline four
introduced to the Vitara destined for the Asian and Australian
markets. The following year an intercooler was added to the engine, extracting
23% more power and 29% more torque to the already powerful, tractable engine and
further increasing the diesel's fuel economy. For the European markets, the
Santana and others factories installed a Peugeot 1.9-liter inter-cooled turbo diesel
into the Samurai and the Vitara.
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