The grille might have eight instead of seven slits but other than that, Damd’s Hustler Carabina looks like a kei car from Jeep
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2 hours ago
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by Thanos Pappas
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Japanese tuner Damd, known for its fancy bodykits for the Suzuki Jimny, has a special tuning kit for the Suzuki Hustler that is inspired by the Jeep Wrangler. The Hustler Carabina has been around for a while, but the tuner recently upgraded it with additional parts, bringing it to our attention.
The “Carabina” (Spanish and Italian for riffle) is based on the second-gen Suzuki Hustler that was introduced in 2020 in Japan. The round headlights and the boxy shape of the kei car made it a good candidate for a Jeep transformation without the need for many bespoke panels.
Read: Damd Puts A Land Rover Defender Face On The Suzuki Every Van
The highlight is the Jeep-style grille at the front, with eight vertical slits instead of seven. The grille is combined with an add-on for the bonnet and a redesigned bumper featuring simple horizontal lines and a sturdy-looking skidplate. The profile remains unchanged setting aside the addition of the retro-flavored 15-inch wheels which are shod in grippy tires.
Starting this year, Damd is offering a matching kit for the tail, completing the Jeep-inspired looks. This includes new taillights with black covers poking out of the bodywork like in the genuine Jeep Wrangler, and a black trim piece bolted on the tailgate with “Carabina” lettering. Those are combined with a tiny but rugged-looking rear bumper which was already part of Damd’s “Country” bodykit for the Hustler.
Those who will buy a Hustler Carabina will likely be adventure-driven people. Thus, Damd is offering a roof rack for carrying extra gear, replenishing the lack of space in the tiny boot of the kei car. Last but not least, the interior can be upgraded with retro-flavored seat covers in beige color featuring a houndstooth pattern.
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The most expensive of the aforementioned parts is the cool-looking set of wheels priced at ¥341,000 ($2,533). According to Damd’s official website, Hustler owners that want all of the upgrades will have to pay ¥173,800 ($1,291) for the Jeep face (grille, bumper, bonnet add-on), ¥31,900 ($237) for the taillight covers, ¥42,900 ($319) for the tailgate trim, up to ¥75,900 ($564) for the roof rack, ¥63,800 ($474) for the seat covers, and some extra for the military-style decal set.
If you ask us, buying a Jeep impersonator requires a suspension lift kit. The conversion would also be better suited with the Turbo 4×4 variant of the Suzuki Hustler which comes with the strongest available 600cc mild-hybrid motor producing 63 hp (47 kW / 64 PS), mated to a CVT and a 4WD system. Note that Suzuki is working on a fully electric Hustler set to debut in Japan sometime in the next few years.
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