- The five-door version of the Suzuki Jimny served as a base for an interesting camper project.
- The pop-up roof by the Japanese company White House Camper can sleep two adults.
- A working prototype will debut at the Tokyo Camper Show on July 20.
The Suzuki Jimny is not the first vehicle that comes to mind when you’re thinking about a camper conversion. Still, that didn’t stop Japanese company White House Camper from adding a pop-up roof to the off-roader, using the longer five-door bodystyle as a base.
The project was previewed in blueprints before the actual prototype debuts at the Tokyo Camper Show 2024 on July 20. This is believed to be the first Suzuki Jimny with an integrated pop-up roof mechanism, making it one of the highlights of the show.
More: Suzuki Considers Jimny Pickup, Hybrid, And EV Variants
The renderings suggest that the conversion adds 145-150 mm (5.7-5.9 inches) to the height of the Suzuki, and likely requires cutting out the original roof. This setup allows occupants to enter and exit the roof-mounted tent from the inside of the vehicle, instead of the the traditional way of using a ladder.
When deployed, the pop-up roof significantly increases the interior height of the Jimny, making it easier to move freely into the cabin. The tent can sleep two adults, while the electric mechanism makes it easier to operate whenever the Jimny reaches the desired camping ground. White House Camper also mentions that sleeping inside vehicles can be beneficial in the case of a natural disaster and an emergency evacuation.
The company has yet to decide whether it will offer the pop-up roof option in Japan. However, the fact they built a working prototype makes us believe that the conversion could be offered in markets where the five-door Jimny is being sold – like India, or Australia.
The five-door version of the Suzuki Jimny was originally introduced in January 2023, as a more practical option compared to its shorter sibling. The longer Jimny measures 3,985 mm (156.9 inches) long, or 340 mm (13.4 inches) extra over the short-wheelbase model.
Suzuki plans on importing the five-door Jimny to Japan in the future, although this sounds more likely to happen after a mid-lifecycle update. The upcoming facelift is expected to include a hybrid powertrain, set to be joined by a fully electric Jimny sometime before the end of the decade. Besides the three-door and five-door SUVs, Suzuki is reportedly considering the expansion of the Jimny lineup with a much-anticipated pickup.
