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Suzuki LJ 80 - Smiling monster - hard to take and hard to give

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Created on October 15, 2015

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

40

Werk / Suzuki

6

Daniel Reinhard

40

Werk / Suzuki

6

Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the "Camel Trophy" mood immediately comes to mind here

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - good traction on gravel thanks to all-wheel drive

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - less than 1.4 meters wide

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - at home on rough roads

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - 41 hp was easily enough on bad roads

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the off-roader weighs only around 800 kg

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the little one was not allowed to pull much, max. 600 kg braked

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - even lean angles are no problem

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - some modern off-road vehicles can't get through where the little Suzuki drives through with ease

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - unbeatable in the forest thanks to its low weight and compact dimensions

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - hardly bigger than an Ur-Mini

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - sympathetic face

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the spare wheel at the rear saves space in the interior

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - is much more compact than it looks

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - a small car for the rough stuff

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the simple canvas top produces significant wind noise

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - drove under a good star ...

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - rough tires help off-road

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - only around 3.2 meters long

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - do the bees like the Suzuku too?

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - lots of unclad sheet metal inside

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - simple instruments, but informative

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - uncovered handbrake

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - two gearshifts, the rear one is used to engage the four-wheel drive and the off-road gear reduction

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - simple ventilation flaps (closed)

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - simple ventilation flaps (open)

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - robust switches

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the small engine completely fills the engine compartment - by the way, the hood catch is in the glove compartment

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - longitudinally mounted four-cylinder with just under 800 cm3

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - Changeover from summer to winter operation at the air filter

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - typical off-road vehicle attributes

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the rougher, the better (off-road)

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - a bumper protects the windshield wipers and windshield when opening the hood

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - Valve openings on the bodywork

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - everything visible

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - external door hinges

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - the window is of course rolled up by hand

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - hanging pedals

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - solid rubber bands hold the door in place

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Suzuki LJ 80 (1981) - unusual - vertical door handles

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - off-road

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - as convertible

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - the closed convertible

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - as a closed panel van

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - the likeable little off-roader

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Suzuki LJ80 (1978) - on the road off-road

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Summary

From 1980 to 1982, it was possible to buy an extremely compact Suzuki LJ 80 off-roader built in the traditional style for just under five figures in DM/CHF. Within a short space of time, the small off-roader gained considerable market share and at the same time established the still young car manufacturer in the local market. Why the LJ 80 was so popular and what still characterizes it today is shown in this driving report with many photos and a sound sample.

This article contains the following chapters

Smiling monster?
Clever advertising
Evolutionary theory
An honest off-road vehicle
Bonsai Jeep
Patience required
Niche success
Airy, fun
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

If you wanted to buy an affordable off-road vehicle in 1981, you didn't have much choice. The majority of the market was in the hands of the Americans, British and Japanese, who were still mostly selling classic off-roaders with a separate chassis and rigid axles. Only the Lada Niva and the Suzuki LJ 80, which soon outstripped the Russian and became a popular choice, were really affordable. It also looked really likeable, the little Japanese off-roader, with its round saucer eyes and upright stature. It was also extremely compact and had room even in the smallest of spaces. The Suzuki LJ 80 was just 3.17 meters long and 1.32 meters wide, making it barely larger than an original Mini.

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