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| Suzuki's pack donkey to take on those of Daihatsu, Tata |
THE bakkie fans on the staff became all excited when they heard news of homologation tests for a
Suzuki bakkie.
When these payload nuts then also noticed that six Jimny bakkie
were sold in South Africa last month, they made the usual ass out of you and me,
assuming the much-wanted Jimny bakkie has finally crossed from Namibia’s Suzuki
dealers to South Africa’s keenly anticipating buyers.
But it was not the fun Jimny play bakkie, but the Super Carry that
landed on our shores, imported from the Suzuki plant, India.
This
cab-over-engine bakkie carries 750 kg and features a cab-over design with a
large load bay measuring 2,18x1,49 metres.
A ground clearance of 175 mm and a turning circle of 8,6 metres
enable it to work in building sites.
Ford Ranger bakkie owners will not call the following numbers power
specs, but the work rate and torque from the little Super Carry is sufficient,
considering a no-nonsense little 1,2-litre petrol engine makes the 54 kW and
101 Nm. Power goes to the front via a five-speed manual transmission powering
the rear wheels. There the load is carried by leaf springs and coils over oils.
Nothing new, in other words.
It retails at an introductory price of less than R130 000, which
includes a three-year or 100 000 km warranty to pit the Suzuki Super Carry
against Tata’s all new turbo-diesel Super Ace and Daihatsu’s Gran Max.
Buyers who don’t mind used can also have a look at a well-serviced
bakkie from either of the Korean stables. A Hyundai H100 these days lists from
R119 000 on OLX, for example, and these proven bakkies can carry quite a bit
more payload and are a lot more comfy on long roads.
Prices and competitors
R129 900 Suzuki Super Carry (54 kW/101 Nm)
R154 995 Daihatsu Gran Max (71 kW/134 Nm)
R159 990 Tata Super Ace (52 kW/135 Nm)
