As far as modified Suzuki Jimnys go, this is probably the most over-the-top. This modified Jimny is done by Chinese automotive website Yiche, and the design is drawn heavily from the Chinese brand Tank.
If you’ve never heard of Tank before, the brand is a sub-brand under Great Wall Motor (GWM). It was originally part of another GWM sub-brand known as Wey, they decided to split the two brands so Wey can focus on luxury models while Tank will focus on rugged Jeep-like models.
Tank currently has five models under its stable, the Tank 300, 400, 500, 700, and 800. The smallest of which is the Tank 300. As of yet, the brand does not have a vehicle smaller than the 300, so when Yiche introduced its modified Jimny, it understandably created a bit of confusion.
Not only does the modified Jimny bear the same façade as the Tank 300, but Yiche also named the car “tan ke 100” which is a play on the Tank name only the word used is “Detective” and pronounced differently in Chinese.
Tank 300
When several media reported leaked Powerpoint slides detailing a small size rugged SUV named Tank 100 earlier this year, car enthusiasts understandably got very excited about a new Suzuki Jimny competitor.
Tank had to quickly release a statement clarifying that they do not have any plans to launch a vehicle smaller than the Tank 300. So, to avoid any confusion in case Tank decided to really launch a Tank 100, let’s just call Yiche’s modified Jimny Detective 100 for now.
As mentioned, the Detective 100 is a one-of-a-kind creation that took its front fascia from the Tank 300. So, the headlights and front grille are completely the same as the 300. The Detective 100 even has the Wey logo on the side of its headlights!
The biggest change that Yiche has done to the car is to chop off its roof. It’s basically a topless Jimny. We wouldn’t call it convertible considering there is no roof, according to reviewers, the designers had initially added a soft top but changed their minds as it was too difficult to use.
They also changed the bumper to one made of carbon fibre and even added carbon fibre wheel fenders. At the rear, the SUV gets a steel bumper as well as Tank 300 taillights to fit with the theme.
Though the SUV doesn’t have a roof and is meant to go off-road, Yiche has gone bold on the interior with white leather seats, door cards, and even a white steering wheel.
Now we all know that the Jimny was intentionally designed to be simple with the use of hard plastics so you can hose it down if mud gets on the surface, having white trim just defeats the purpose.
Firepower comes from a 1.5-litre engine that produces 101 PS and 130 Nm. The engine is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.
Despite its looks, it is still a Suzuki Jimny underneath it all, so it is still a capable off-roader. Various Chinese media have taken the Detective 100 off-road and proven that it is still a perfectly capable car despite missing its roof.
However, the SUV is not perfect. As the car wasn’t originally a topless vehicle, chopping off the roof has left some repercussions like the wobbly windows that have become a joke amongst the Chinese media.
In case you need proof it’s a Jimny underneath
The door steps are also a wobbly affair after a good off-road shakedown as they were added aftermarket and not originally from the factory.
Yiche spent a total of USD 120,000 (~RM 567,000) on the car. USD 60,000 to import the car into the country and USD 60,000 to turn the car into what you see now. That’s a lot of cash.
All-in-all, we believe that Tank, and Suzuki as well, should take note of this little vehicle. Judging by the attention the SUV has garnered, the two brands should seriously consider introducing a topless small rugged SUV don’t you think?
Keyword: This topless SUV is not from the Chinese brand Tank, but a heavily modified Suzuki Jimny by a Chinese media