What a big wheelbase you have! Short 4x4s that grew

Big news today is that the long-rumoured long-wheelbase Suzuki Jimny has been spotted testing.

The diminutive little three-door off-roader has won hearts worldwide, but a stretched version should make the Jimny even more appealing to buyers who want (or need) a bit more space.

It's not the first time a short-wheelbase off-roader has grown though. Here's a list of some of the most successful, and one that didn't quite work out.

The second-generation Suzuki Sierra was sold as a long-wheelbase ute called the Stockman with either an enclosed cab or full-length convertible canopy. It was popular with rural buyers, and could even be had, badged as a Holden Drover, as a long-wheelbase cab-chassis ute.

In India, the Sierra is sold as a Maruti Gypsy and is still manufactured as a long-wheelbase three-door wagon for law enforcement and military use. A customised five-door wagon has been created for specific government use.

Staying with Suzuki, a five-door Vitara was added to the already popular 4x4 range in 1990, two years after the model was first introduced. Sold along side the two-door wagon and convertible, the longer Vitara appealed to family buyers with all subsequent generations supported by the five-door model from launch.

The short wheelbase Vitara was retired in 1998 (10 years after it launched) and was replaced by the larger Grand Vitara. The new model was never as popular as the original but remained on sale through to 2018.

The iconic Jeep Wrangler was born from the even more iconic CJ Jeep and was launched as a two-door model in 1986.

A long-wheelbase (but still two-door) Jeep had been offered for some time (as a CJ-6 and CJ-8) and while the Wrangler scored this option in some markets in 2004 (as part of the TJ generation) it wasn't until 2006 with the launch of the overhauled YJ series that a four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was on the cards.

The Unlimited maintains the open-air appeal of the Wrangler while offering more room and flexibility for owners. Like the Vitara, the longer Jeep is now far and away the more popular seller.

Where would this list be without the original Land Rover?

Launched in 1948 on an 80-inch (2032mm) wheelbase, it wasn't until 1954 when the Landy grew to 86-inches as a shorty and 107-inches (2718mm) as a long-wheelbase wagon and ute. Hence the commonly used '90 and '110 monickers applied to the three and five door Land Rovers even today.

Toyota's groundbreaking SUV existed exclusively as a three-door for just under a year when it was launched in 1994, with the five-door arriving in May 1995.

A convertible was offered between 1998 and 2000 with the shorter RAV4 persevering until 2005 in the second-generation model.

A fan favourite, and still in production after 47 years as a three-door, the Niva waited for 16-years to score a five-door variant in 1993.

Unlike all the other examples though, the five-door proved to be underpowered and less capable off-road and was deleted from the lineup in December 2021.

Is there something else that started short and extended to long? Let us know in the comments below.