Special return
The second Suzuki Alto ran for a long time in the Netherlands, but much longer elsewhere in the world. In China, the second Alto was built under license until no less than 2018 by Jiangnan Automobile, which later went bankrupt several times. But now the Jiangnan folks are back, with an electric hatchback clearly inspired by that old Alto!
You could buy the second generation Suzuki Alto in the Netherlands until at least the mid-1990s, but it lasted much longer outside the European borders. The model was sold as Maruti 800 until 2014, but it lasted a few years longer in China. From the early 1990s, the Alto rolled off the line under license in various Chinese factories. For example, Changan and Suzuki sold the Alto until at least 2007, including versions with names such as City Baby, Little Prince and Happy Prince. The Chinese Jiangnan Auto also built the Alto and sold it as JN Auto. Jiangnan Auto was taken over by the Russian Zotye in 2010, but continued to screw up the Alto. This time as Jiangnan TT. For a long time it was the cheapest car in China, but now Zotye – which you may know from the Fiat Multiplan – is no longer among us. Jiangnan Auto is back through an as yet somewhat unclear construction and has not forgotten its old success number.
The second generation Suzuki Alto that the U2 is somewhat inspired by.
Jiangnan Auto is making itself heard with an electric hatchback in which we see a clear nod to the Alootjes of yesteryear, especially at the front. The U2 electric hatchback has a short snout with a steeply sloping bonnet. Just like the second Suzuki Alto, the Jiangnan U2 has square headlights, although these are more modern ones with LED technology.
The cuddly U2 is sprayed in two colors and has a panoramic glass roof. With its length of 3.84 meters, it is about 65 centimeters taller than the Alto to which it winks. The same applies to the wheelbase. That of the U2 measures 2.62 meters, that of the second generation Suzuki Alto only 2.18 meters. The Jiangnan U2 comes on the market with a 75 hp and 120 Nm strong electric motor and also gets a more powerful variant that kicks it up to 109 hp and 160 Nm. The reborn Jiangnan also intends to supply the car with two different battery packs. With the smallest copy, the U2 should be able to cover more than 300 kilometers, with the larger package about 400 kilometers.
Does this help the Dutch consumer? No, but for the enthusiast of automotive curiosities it is undoubtedly a nice fact that the second generation Alto lives on elsewhere in the world. Even if it is only in (design) thought. Even more Alto worth knowing: Based on the Alto, Jiangnan produced a downright bizarre-looking hatchback with a Mercedes-like front.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl