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Is this the coolest ute? Suzuki Jimny ute gets turbo engine!

The Golden Queen is a one-off turbocharged version of the Z.Mode Next Jimny ute.

There's a new version of the Suzuki Jimny, which turns it into a tough little off-roading ute, complete with all the gear to tackle the wilds.

The Suzuki Jimny ‘Next’ by Italian tuning company Z.Mode is a limited run of the model, which has also spawned a one-off turbocharged version, called the Golden Queen.

Built as a dedication to Z.Mode founder Giuseppe Quintavalli, the Golden Queen is a Jimny ute rocking a modified version of the stock Suzuki 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with new manifold, injectors, and an intercooler to keep temperatures low, while a Garrett T25 turbocharger boosts outputs up to 125kW and 270Nm.

It doesn’t sound like much, but given the Jimny’s factory 75kW and 130Nm paired with its normal kerb weight of 1095kg, it’s a fairly hefty upgrade.

The bodywork and chassis has also been the target of significant modifications, with the Golden Queen receiving the ‘level 2’ kit treatment as with the series of Next utes by Z.Mode, which aside from the obvious ute modification, features hand-moulded and welded body panels, chassis stiffening bars, a 75mm lift, anti-roll bars, LED light bars, 15-inch off-road wheels with 30mm spacers and all-terrain tyres, among a series of other accessories.

Specific to the Golden Queen, other than its engine, is the ‘golden black’ wrap with gold decals and its stitched leather seating with ‘GQ’ headrests. It even has a Queen Elizabeth II bobble head in the cabin.

The standard version of the Next ute, which takes its inspiration from the Suzuki Samurai, is available in only 22 units, of which a handful have already been spoken for.

The ones that are available are only able to be created by Z.Mode in Italy, with a full price tag of 62,222 Euros, or about AUD$97,100. Compare that to the Jimny’s current asking prices between $26,990 and $29,990, and it’s suddenly starting to seem like finding a modification company closer to home is the best move.

Chris Thompson
Journalist
Racing video games, car-spotting on road trips, and helping wash the family VL Calais Turbo as a kid were all early indicators that an interest in cars would stay present in Chris’ life, but loading up his 1990 VW Golf GTI Mk2 and moving from hometown Brisbane to work in automotive publishing in Melbourne ensured cars would be a constant. With a few years as MOTOR Magazine’s first digital journalist under his belt, followed by a stint as a staff journalist for Wheels Magazine, Chris’ career already speaks to a passion for anything with four wheels, especially the 1989 Mazda MX-5 he currently owns. From spending entire weeks dissecting the dynamic abilities of sports cars to weighing up the practical options for car buyers from all walks of life, Chris’ love for writing and talking about cars means if you’ve got a motoring question, he can give you an answer.
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