From the Archive: 1986 SuzukiCarsUK Samurai JX tested:
Underneath its skin, the Samurai is basically a compact copy of the Jeep. The front and rear suspensions each consist of a rigid axle located by leaf springs. An anti-roll bar is used only in front. An unassisted recirculating-ball steering gear directs the front wheels. The major components are bolted to a full-length ladder frame, which also supports the steel body with rubber mounts. All in all, the Samurai chassis couldn't be more conventional.
Under the hood, however, the Samurai departs from Jeep practice. Instead of a large-displacement, slow-turning, cast-iron pushrod engine, the Suzuki is powered by an all-aluminum, 1.3-liter four-cylinder version of the Chevrolet Sprint's 1.0-liter triple, complete with a belt-driven overhead camshaft. This modern engine develops 61 hp at 6000 rpm and 71 pounds-feet of torque at 3500 rpm, and it revs to a lofty 6500-rpm redline.
We took the Samurai off-road and were impressed by its pulling power. On a dirt road, climbing a hill that got steeper as we went, the Samurai ran out of traction long before it would have run out of power—and it didn't lose its grip until we were so far up the grade that backing down was our only option. Going downhill, the low range provided a reassuring brake on the Samurai's speed.
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