Daihatsu hijet

The first Hijet had a 360 cc two-cylinder engine, and was classified as a kei car . The development of the Hijet car occurs with a change in Japanese laws for this class of cars, from a 550 cc engine in 1976 to a 660 cc in 1990. The external dimensions also increased slightly, from 3 × 1.3 m at the beginning to today's 3.4 × 1.475 m. Export versions were usually slightly larger, had large bumpers, and sometimes a wider body.

The first car with the name Hijet from Daihatsu appeared as a small truck in November 1960, and later, in May 1961, it was also available in the back of a van. The first Hijet has a conventional front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive. Structurally, and due to the rules, the car's carrying capacity has been reduced.

The heavier model, New-Line (L50P / L50V), appeared in January 1963. It was one and a half meters longer and had a load capacity of up to 500 kg, thanks to a larger, 800 cc engine with 41 hp. (30 kW). This car did not meet the strict standards of key cars of this time and was sold only in small quantities, until it was replaced in February 1966.

To maximize cargo capacity, while remaining in the key-car class, hoodless models appeared in 1964, offering customers the choice between a first-generation style or a hoodless version. This generation also appeared as an increase in the cab of the New Line cabless truck (S50, S50T), replacing the early L50 New Line. As for the predecessor, the car is powered by a Daihatsu Compagno engine. The New Line Cab was produced from February 1966 to March 1968.

A cabless version appeared after the 1950 Volkswagen Type 2, 1961 Ford Econoline, 1961 Chevrolet Greenbrier, and in the same year as the Dodge A100.

The first model change after the previous generation received minor improvements, including the installation of an entrance hinge door, in contrast to the rear hinged door. This generation has also been offered as an all-electric truck and wagon.

In September 1971, the fourth generation of the Hijet appeared, with a completely new sheet metal, originally available truck body. ^[1] ZM engine of 360 cubic meters, two-stroke two-cylinder, spring rear suspension. ^[2] In February 1972, a new van was introduced, called the “Slide Van,” with side compartment doors on both sides, in addition to a hinged tailgate. ^[1] In September 1974, the optics changed in front and on the rear bumper, and there was a place for yellow license plates.

In October 1976, after changing the rules, the Hijet 550 , ^{[3] appeared} with the new four-stroke 550 cc AB20 engine. Larger bumpers indicated that Hijet cars built after this date became longer. ^[4] To emphasize the new engine, the 550 received an S40 chassis code. For export, cars were sold as Daihatsu 550 Cab and Cab-Van, with 30 hp engines. (22 kW) at 5500 rpm, and a torque of 41 Nm at 4000 rpm. ^{[5] The} 550 Van had a higher payload than the 360 ​​Van, up to 350 instead of 300 kg.

Less than a year after the advent of 550, the extended and extended Hijet Wide 55 ( S60 ) appeared, but the Hijet 550 continued to be produced and even got facelift in April 1979, changing the grill. In April 1981, the S40 Hijet 550 with a four-stroke engine ended, but the two-stroke S38 continued to be available until August 1981 ^{[3] [6]} as an inexpensive version (sixth-generation Hijets had already been sold by then). Subsequent versions with the ZM engine had 24 hp. (18 kW). ^[7] The two-stroke engine model was popular in many Southeast Asian markets where emission laws were weaker and the low price had a greater impact.

In April 1977, production of fifth-generation trucks began. Named Hijet Wide 55 , it received an expanded body and an enlarged engine with a volume of 550 cc, and was also the first Hijet to enter the export markets in a serious amount. The 547 cc AB20 engine was a four-stroke, water-cooled two-cylinder unit with one overhead camshaft. Engine power 28 hp (21 kW) at 5500 rpm, a maximum torque of 39 Nm is achieved at 3500 rpm. Export versions, faced with less stringent emission requirements, produced 30 hp. (22 kW) at the same speed and 41 Nm at 4000 rpm. The only available four-speed manual transmission with floor shift lever; export versions had a top speed of 105 km / h.

The engine is located in the middle behind the driver, access to it is carried out by raising the front seats. Chassis code S60 , with the addition of one of the letters: "P" means a normal pickup; "T" onboard pickup; and "V" for vans. ^[9]

Three months after the appearance of pickups (in June 1977), two versions of the van (glazed and solid) were released. Solid vans (no glazing at the rear) were not exported. ^[9] Vans with windows or rear seats were mainly exported. A version with a low floor and side shelf appeared in December 1977, in September 1978 there was a slight facelift. Changes were limited to the appearance of various colored bumpers and headlights, and a grille with a capital “D”. All versions were available in Standard or Super DeLuxe trim levels, but in March 1979, a relatively luxurious version of Custom EX also appeared. ^[9]

In September 1979, the Hijet Wide 55 underwent a more thorough facelift: the new front with a solid grill became the most obvious change, while more comfortable seats with adjustable backs appeared inside. The two millionth Hijet was built on the S60 platform in 1980. ^[10] Production continued until the sixth generation Hijet was replaced in 1981.

In March 1981, the completely updated S65 Hijet appeared, with a slightly longer wheelbase, but with the same AB20 engine. The new flat floor on vans, as well as a high roof, has become new. Engine power 28 hp (21 kW) at 5500 rpm, maximum torque 41 Nm at 3500 rpm. Technically, nothing has changed, but in March 1982, a new all-wheel drive model S66 appeared. ^[11] Since 1982, export versions have received the 843 cc three-cylinder engine (CD20), and were called the Daihatsu 850 Cab. In 1983, a liter version was also produced. ^[12]

Also in 1983, the Hijet Jumbo, an extended high-roofed pickup truck, appeared. So, in the back of the cabin appeared a small luggage compartment and a folding passenger seat. ^{[13] A} two-wheel-drive Jumbo was available in fifth gear, as were some versions of the Atria passenger van. There was also the Hijet Climber series (with 2 and 4 wheel drive) equipped with large off-road tires and a limited-slip differential . ^[14]

The S65 has also been marketed as the Hijet Atrai Van since September 1981, and was a version specifically designed for passengers. Since October 1983, the car received a separate nameplate in the Japanese market, and Atrai separated from Hijet. ^[11] A version of the Hijet S65V was also available, with space for a folding wheelchair. ^[15] The most surprising was probably the appearance of a turbocharged version in February 1984, also available with all-wheel drive.

A subsidiary of FAW Tianjin began production of the S65 Hijet in 1984, initially as the Tianjin TJ110, later as the Huali Dafa . ^[16] Chinese-made cars were available with two drive wheels and an 843-cc, three-cylinder CD engine with 41 horsepower. (30 kW) at 5500 rpm. A high roof was also available in China. ^[17]

The seventh generation Hijet ( S80 ) was the development of its predecessor, appearing in May 1986. The biggest change was the transition to a more modern three-cylinder EB engine, although its volume remained just under 550 cc. It has also been built in South Korea since 1992, by Asia Motors , as a Towner . This version was later called the “Kia Towner,” adopted by Kia . Vans were exported only to certain markets (such as Malta and Chile ), in accordance with a licensing agreement. Since 1992, Innocenti has also built this car for the European market as the “ Porter ”, to circumvent restrictions on Japanese imports in some markets like Italy. This version survived the original Hijet and is still in production. Unlike Hijet, Porter was also optionally available with a diesel engine .

In the Japanese market, Hijet continued to be available in a Jumbo Cab configuration, but a new Deck Van appeared - a version of a four-door van with a short loading bay at the rear. This version was also sold as the Daihatsu Atrai Deck. Hijet in the export markets, as a rule, received a Daihatsu three-cylinder engine with a capacity of 993 cc, when the 550-cc engine remained in the domestic market due to restrictions on the rules for key cars. With the introduction of the new rules in early 1990, changes were made to Hijet. Like all brothers, he received 10 cm to the full length and 110 cubes to the volume. That was enough for the new chassis code, S82 . This version continued into production until it was replaced by the eighth generation in 1994.

In May 1987, a 44 hp supercharger version (32 kW) appeared on the basis of the Hijet truck. It remained in production until the advent of the larger 660 cc engine in March 1990. ^{[18] The} supercharger provided excellent torque at low engine speeds. On the other hand, versions of the Atrai passenger car were available from the very beginning with a more powerful turbocharged engine.

The eighth generation of the Hijet hit the market in January 1994, after being introduced at the 30th Tokyo Motor Show in October 1993, and was built before the ninth generation in 1999. S100 had two driving wheels, the all-wheel drive chassis had code S110 . The letter P spoke of the truck model, C for closed vans, and V for windows with vans. Passenger Atrai used chassis codes S120 and S130 . In May, the Hijet EV , an all-electric version of the wagon - replaced the EV version of the seventh-generation Hijet. ^[19] Injection, SOHC 6-valve EF-ES 44 hp engine (32 kW) was standard for cars with an automatic and five-speed manual, but there was also a carburetor engine of lower power. Since January 1996, cars with automatic transmission have received a DOHC carburetor 12-valve version of the EF engine (EF-GS) of the same power.

In 1995, the Hijet EV Truck appeared, supplementing the van version. Introduced in October 1997, Hijet is a youth model with sporty design features, including a darkened front panel and various body and trim elements. The name "is" consisted of "Idol" and "Stylish."

The new Atrai was more focused on passenger comfort than previous generations, and has a three-link independent rear suspension , instead of spring. That is why Atrai has its own chassis numbers (S120 / 130). The Atrai passenger van was available with more powerful turbocharged engines such as the SOHC 6-valve EF-TS and the DOHC 12-valve EF-RS (since January 1997). Both of these engines had power within 64 hp. (47 kW), limited by Japanese rules for key cars - but with a 13.6% increase in torque compared to a single-cam engine. It was also known that the EF-RS had more power than claimed. Turbo SR (and later RT) models had an anti-lock system as standard. In October 1997, Atrai Classic appeared; this model had a leather interior and a remote key, among other changes.

With the advent of the ninth generation Hijet in 1999, there was a discrepancy between versions of pickups and vans (Cargo). The wagons received the front-engine layout “semicab”, instead of the mid-engine layout, preserved for pickups. Since then, the tenth generation of Hijet Cargo has appeared, but the ninth generation of pickups continued to be produced. A similar discrepancy occurred with the Suzuki Carry line , caused by new safety laws adopted for cars. Since Hijet Cargo also serves as the basis for the passenger Atrai, it also received a front engine layout.

There was a seven-seat version with a 1.3-liter engine (S221G), sold as the "Daihatsu Atrai 7". He had big bumpers and did not qualify as a key car. Under an OEM contract, this car was also marketed as Toyota Sparky .

The tenth generation was available only in the back of the van, with the ninth generation pickups. In Japan, the Hijet passenger car was called the Daihatsu Atrai , and had a 660 cc turbo engine with 64 hp. (47 kW). For 2006, engines equipped with DVVT were also available: EF-VE with a capacity of 660 cc and 53 hp. (39 kW) at 7000 rpm and a torque of 63 Nm at 4000 rpm, and an EF-SE with a volume of 660 cc and a power of 45 hp (33 kW) at 5900 rpm and a torque of 57 Nm at 3600 rpm. The base model had a mid-engine and rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive models were also available.

The tenth generation of vans in Japan was sold by Toyota as the ninth generation of pickups since December 2011. These cars were named Toyota Pixis Van and Truck respectively. Like the Hijet, they had a new KF engine with a capacity of 660 cc. ^[20]

There are also Hijet versions sold outside of Japan, available with 1.0 and 1.3 liter engines. They are not considered key-cars, as they have become wider and longer. Hijet Maxx / Hijet Jumbo is a pickup truck. Daihatsu Zebra (also known as Daihatsu Citivan , Daihatsu Devan and Daihatsu Zebra Espass ) is a version of the Hijet Maxx Wagon. Zebra initially had a liter engine, but later became available with 1.3 and 1.6 liter engines. The 1.6 was replaced by a new 1.5-liter model in January 2002. ^[21] Perodua Rusa is a renamed Zebra sold by Malaysian partner Daihatsu, Perodua . There is also a large ninth-generation version of the Hijet on the Japanese market, marketed as the Hijet Gran Cargo . This car is exported to other markets, for example, right-hand drive Extol .

Piaggio Porter

Piaggio Porter is a licensed version manufactured in Italy since 1992 (originally known as the Innocenti Porter ), also available with diesel, LPG, CNG or electric motor. Initially equipped with a 1.0-liter gasoline or 1.2-liter diesel engine, later cars received a 1269 cc gasoline / LPG engine or 1371 cc diesel. The 1.3-liter version had a capacity of 65 liters. with. (48 kW), and the 1.4-liter diesel engine is only 38 liters. with. (28 kW). ^[22] All of these Porter variants are based on the seventh generation Hijet after facelift (S82) in which the front wheel is located under the front door and the engine is centrally located.

Daihatsu Gran Max

In 2007, Daihatsu Indonesia introduced the new Daihatsu Gran Max based on the new Hijet (“semicab”). It had 1300 and 1500 cc engines, and was both wider and longer than the original Hijet. He replaced the early Daihatsu Zebra in similar dimensions. The Gran Max was available in minivan and pickup bodies and since February 2008 it has been exported to Japan, where it was sold as the Toyota LiteAce (S402) and Toyota Town Ace as a pickup or minivan. Gran Max used parts from the Daihatsu Xenia / Toyota Avanza , Indonesia's most popular minivan.

Daihatsu Luxio

Astra Daihatsu introduced the new Daihatsu Luxio in 2009, based on the Daihatsu Gran Max. It was supposed to be a luxurious version of the Gran Max minivan. Currently only sold in Indonesia.

In 2002, Daihatsu introduced the Hijet Cargo Hybrid hybrid van concept car , which used a 660cc engine in Japan. The car is based on the existing non-hybrid Hijet Cargo. The design of the car (called Daihatsu as the Mild Hybrid System or DMHS based on Toyota hybrid technologies) is quite different from many existing hybrid designs, where the gas and electric power components are assembled together. An electric motor is located between the gasoline engine and the gearbox. This car is 30% more efficient than its gasoline counterpart.

Hybrid mini-cars (named FEV and Atrai Hybrid-IV) debuted in 2002 as mini-car concepts. ^[23] Production was announced in October 2004, but it never started, as Daihatsu decided to release hybrid versions of the new models.

• Daijatsu Hijet on the official website (Japanese)