The Suzuki Samurai was a pocket-size SUV that was as capable off-road as a mountain goat.
This one got a Swift GT engine upgrade for a bit more punch.
You can't get the Samurai's modern equivalent, the Jimny, in the U.S., but you can get this well-sorted original.
You can still buy a motorcycle or outboard motor from Suzuki but not a new car, and that's kind of a bummer. Never a market leader in the U.S., the company nonetheless produced some fun and thrifty products, fuel-sipping little buzz bombs with wallet-friendly pricing. Mexico still gets some of Suzuki's best, including the nimble Swift hatchback and the tough but tiny Jimny off-roader.
The Samurai was the Jimny's ancestor, and this 1987 hardtop is up for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). The Samurai is a sort of lower-case Jeep Wrangler; some also see a baby Mercedes G-wagen in its ultra-boxy and purposeful design. This example is very tidy with some tasty off-roading upgrades and comes with an engine swap out of a Swift GT.
The Samurai came with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine originally, and it was bog slow. Critically, this one has had an engine transplant: a 1.6-liter with 16 valves and dual overhead cams, it's good for about 100 horsepower. With a five-speed manual, that's plenty for getting to the trailhead in a reasonable time, and the extra torque should keep this Samurai from being an obstruction in traffic.
Dynamically, the Samurai took a bit of a beating due to its risk of rollover, but that's partly because it was a genuine SUV on an ultra-short wheelbase. You weren't supposed to fling it into a corner like a Honda Civic.
This one has a winch, tough-looking bumpers, and auxiliary LED lighting. The chunky tires are 30-inch Falken Wildpeaks on 15-inch wheels, with a modified coil-spring suspension to clear the bodywork. It has a dual-range transfer case with locking front and rear differentials, and manual locking front hubs.
On the trail, being a Gimli son of Glòin off-road machine has all kinds of advantages. You can pick a narrow trail that bigger machines can't follow, get down those tight forested animal tracks, and go where only side-by-sides could ordinarily follow.
To make the trek to the outdoors a little more civilized, this Samurai comes with comfortable bucket seats out of a Swift GT, extra sound-deadening material, and air conditioning. The rear seats have been removed, but any friends wanting to ride in the back would need to be pretty Lilliputian anyway. Better to have a little more room for camping gear.
Who says you need to have the bulk of an F-150 Raptor to go explore the great outdoors? This Samurai might carry the name of a mighty feudal Japanese warrior, but it treads softly and doesn't cast a long shadow. It's the next best thing to being able to get a brand-new Jimny at your local Suzuki dealership.
The auction ends on August 26.
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