Another off-road capable Suzuki Jimny debuts in Japan

Soon after the premiere, the Suzuki Jimny became the crowd favorite, prompting many customization shops worldwide to release mods and accessories for it. Today, Japanese tuner JAOS joins the club with its own contribution.

The JAOS Excel JX3 depicted here boasts a suspension lift kit, a special radiator grille, a power winch tucked under the left part of the front bumper, and BF Goodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 tires. In contrast, the 16-inch matte-grey wheels are a factory option, rather than a third-party offering.

The tuner also makes sure to strip the Jimny of its badges, replacing those with “JAOS”, and installs a new steering wheel with a quick-release function. The most unusual part of the project is a manual transmission that comes to replace the usual automatic. In Japan, most drivers have driven nothing but automatic over the past twenty years or so. That said, manual shift and AWD are a much better combo for frequent off-road driving, given the car’s relatively low-end 1.5-liter non-turbo engine good for 102 hp (76 kW) and 130 Nm (96 lb-ft) of torque.