Requirement to pull car from sale in Australia not issued here.

SALE of an important Suzuki model in New Zealand, the five-door Jimny, is continuing unhindered, the national distributor says.

Gary Collins, who heads Wanganui-based Suzuki New Zealand, received assurance today from head office in Japan that a ‘stop-sale’ order for the model issued in Australia is not applicable here.

There is no clarity why the car has been the subject of the instruction.

“We don’t have any detail but we have checked with our parent company and at this stage we have not been notified of any impacts on the NZ market.”

Dealers in some states of Australia have been told to cancel existing customer orders and return deposits for the popular type.

Initially a dealer bulletin had required a pause in sales.

The five-door is built exclusively by Maruti Suzuki in India, whereas the three-door edition - which is continuing on sale across the Tasman - comes from Suzuki Japan.

Suzuki Australia has also not disclosed the reason for the stop-sale order but told media there Suzuki Japan was investigating.

The model sells here from $40,990 to $45,500, depending on paint and transmission choice.