Simola success for Suzuki as Jimny walks away with podium
Significant weight reduction techniques, all within regulations, yielded a step on the rostrum for Hamamatsu's off-roader.
Long-time Simola Hillclimb sponsor Suzuki capped off an event marred by tragedy to post a podium finish out of its three vehicles entered in the 15th running of the event outside Knysna.
Team Suzuki
Competing in the standard road car or A1 class, the entry list for 2025 involved the familiar sight of the now previous generation Swift Sport, but also the all-new fourth generation Swift and in the SUV class, the three-door Jimny.
ALSO READ: Simola crowns Zeelie king amidst tragic final day
While the former pair, driven by television personality, racing driver and commentator Ernest Page and former Group N track star and Wiele2Wiele host Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger were never considered for outright victory, both still impressed.
The same, however, didn't apply to the Jimny campaigned by AutoTrader journalist and reigning Toyota GR Cup media champion Sean Nurse, whose entry into the A9 class assured a certain podium place as only two other vehicles of a similar type made it into the final.
Jimny wins
With a time of 1.06:404, the blue MotoGP-livered Jimny of Nurse finished third behind the other class competitors, a standard Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q and a supercharged Nissan Patrol.
Sean Nurse eventually took a podium in the A9 class for off-road vehicles. Image: Charl Bosch
Stripped of its headrests, rear seats, toolkit and affixed spare wheel to reduce weight, all within the legal limits, the Jimny, equipped with the five-speed manual gearbox, bettered Nurse's self-set time by four seconds to finish on the podium.
'I think the Jimny surprised a lot of people with the times it's managed up the hill. I was here to compete against myself and to have a little bit of fun; and to show people that the Jimny is more dynamic than most people probably expect,' Nurse said afterwards.
Just out of reach
Out of the pair of Swifts, the 1 min 04 second run saw Page failing to make the final run in the A1 class.
For former woman's land speed record Jeanette, the opposite was true as the yellow Swift Sport regularly topped the class time sheets, with an eventual third place being on the cards at one stage.
Ernest Page about to start his final run up the hill in the new Swift. Image: Charl Bosch
Her eventual time of 56.538 seconds didn't, however, lead to an entry finals, but did net a fourth place overall.
'I think they've put on a really good show. The Jimny reached the class final by default, inheriting third place, but I think to be just over 10 seconds off second place with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder was a great result,' Suzuki Auto South Africa Brand Marketing Manager, Brendon Carpenter, said.
Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger about to drop the clutch at the annual pre-event parade held in the centre of Knysna. Image: Charl Bosch
'The rest of the drivers said that they had a lot of fun, and I think for us that is what it's all about, and that's the win in our case. For Suzuki, we are very, very proud of the team, of the participation, but then also of the success of the event.'
NOW READ: New king awaits crowning as Knysna readies for Simola Hillclimb
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