Autoblog

A production Suzuki Equator has been snapped while hanging out in California, and the nose job looks successful. The Equator is virtually pure Nissan Frontier, besides the front sheetmetal, but that's not a bad thing. The Frontier is a handsome 2/3rds scale Titan, probably the most attractive of the "compact" pickups. Configurations will mirror the Frontier, too, with 2wd and 4wd models motivated by Nissan's big 2.5-liter four or 4.0-liter V6. Both extended and crew cab setups will be on offer for buyers needing space, and we're waiting for the 'Zuki pickup to hit stores this fall so we can check out interior fitment and prices.

[Source: Automobile]

Click above for two high-res shots of the new Suzuki Alto

Suzuki will bring its seventh-generation Alto to the Paris Motor Show this October, featuring stylistic and powertrain upgrades to compete with the best and brightest from the budget-oriented, compact class. Based on the A-Star concept introduced at last year's New Delhi Motor Show, the new model will be built in India by Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant, and will likely packing a 1.0-liter engine which should make Euro V emissions regulations a breeze to exceed. Expect the new Alto to find its largest market in India, along with limited sales throughout Europe. For an economy car, it's a pretty decent looker from what we can tell from the two shots Suzuki's released ahead of the show, and we expect it will find plenty of buyers looking for a relatively cheap way to get around. Check the press release after the break for more.


[Source: Suzuki]

Suzuki has teased us with three separate Kizashi concept cars and finally told us that a production vehicle based on the last concept would be coming to America in 2010. Work is apparently underway on the new Camcord competitor, and proof of Suzuki's efforts have appeared in a Southern California parking lot. Although the entire car is covered in camo, a few subtle details, including the grille and profile, appear to keep with the original concept, which garnered a substantial amount of acclaim when it was originally unveiled.

As pointed out by Autofiends, the Kizashi sedan looks a bit smaller than the vehicles it will be competing against, particularly when you consider that the Honda Accord has grown so large that it's now classified as a full-size car, akin to the Toyota Avalon and Buick Lucerne. We welcome the idea of a smaller and sportier option, especially one equipped with an offshoot of GM's 3.6-liter V6, which is expected to join Suzuki's Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive when the production Kizashi debuts next year.


[Source: Autofiends]

As Autoblog's resident kei car fanboy, I like to share news and links about the diminutive forbidden-fruit rides whenever something interesting pops on the radar, like yesterday. Today, it's just a photo, courtesy of the gang at Speedhunters. The tiny kei pickup is a Suzuki Carry, which, in the hands of a normal business owner, does precisely that. This one's obviously a wee bit more specialized though, as the rear wing and roll bar suggest. This little work truck's job is drifting. It might look wrong, but there's something so right about it. Who says you need triple-digit horsepower to have fun?

[Source: Speedhunters]

As previously reported, Suzuki has decided to include navigation on its SX4 Sport and Crossover before you make the first mark on the options list. That will make the $15,999 car the lowest priced car in America to come standard with talking maps. And now they're set to arrive in the SX4 Special Editions that arrive in Suzuki showrooms this month.

To recap, the nav system is called TRIP -- Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play -- and incorporates several Microsoft features. Drivers can get traffic info, weather reports, headline news, stock quotes, movie listings, the lowest priced gas in the area, and directions to 500 nationwide Suzuki dealerships. If buyers go for the expansion module, they'll also get Fodor guide reviews of eateries and nightlife spots. It sounds like an awful lot to do in such a little car, but that's the march of progress.

[Source: Suzuki]

Porsche and Suzuki rarely come up in the same breath, but here is something they both share: neither will be in Cobo Hall when the Detroit Auto Show opens in January. Joining the Stuttgart sportscar/SUV/SUS maker in skipping the show, Suzuki has said that they are pulling out for a slightly different reason. Whereas Porsche had said that Detroit wasn't a very important market for them, Suzuki is saying they didn't like the space they were offered. Here, Suzuki is hitting closer to what many people feel is the real problem with Cobo, there just isn't enough room. It's a fine hall with a storied past, and as a journalist it's nice to be able to get to any press conference within a minute from the media center, but it's not very big compared to the other halls around the world. With a name like "2009 North American International Auto Show" it needs more square-footage. It's still the most important auto show in the country, if not the world, and maybe losing Suzuki and Porsche don't hurt it too much, but this move by Suzuki could be marking a trend that can only be stopped with a major expansion. Back in January, we mentioned that a plan is being formulated to expand Cobo Hall, but the project is still in the financing stage as far as we know. Hopefully something can be done before long to save this great show's reputation.

[Source: Detroit News]

Although it is undoubtedly toned down a bit, Suzuki has been able to create what appears to be a nearly production-ready version of the A-Star concept it showed at the last New Delhi Motor Show just six months ago. The Indian release of the new car indicates just how important the emerging markets are to automakers, though the A-Star is likely to be available in most every country besides North America. Looking over the shots, evidence of cost-cutting is rather obvious, especially in the hard plastic interior. Still, for its intended market, the low price and relatively good looks will likely be more than enough to make this a successful platform for Suzuki.

[Source: Team BHP via Jalopnik]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Suzuki SX4 WRC Edition.

While we haven't driven the boosted Suzuki SX4t, we hear it's a scream. So when we caught wind of a special edition SX4 inspired by the automaker's participation in the World Rally Championship, our happy balloon was on its way to reaching capacity. It deflated quickly. No, the SX4 WRC isn't turbocharged, doesn't have any trick all-wheel-drive programming and is little more than a wannabe racer of the lamest variety. Think the OZ-edition Mitsubishi Lancer, but with half the cred and none of the good stuff.

Instead, Suzuki Germany is attempting to cash in on the SX4's minimal rallying cred with the stock, 107-hp 1.6-liter four-pot, "rally design" 16-inch wheels wrapped in 205/60 R16 rubber, a body kit that includes a new front bumper and rear bumper and side skirts, and with a mesh grille and "carbon-look" detailing. Inside, Suzuki's German arm is all about budget bling with a leather shift knob, faux carbon fiber trim, navigation and privacy glass, plus keyless entry and starting. Thankfully, you won't be able to pick up the Suzuki SX4 WRC in the States, and for 19,500 euro, we somehow doubt the rally-ravens in Deutschland will be running to dealers with loans in tow.


[Source: Suzuki via World Car Fans]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Suzuki Wagon R and Stingray Limited

In Japan, Suzuki expects the Wagon R to eclipse the 3,000,000 units sold milestone this month. To commemorate, it has launched Limited versions of both the Wagon R and its Stingray variant (whose front-end styling looks very similar to the old Toyota bB). The new limited edition variants give Japanese drivers slightly flashier boxes in which to transport themselves. Among the features included in the cars' special packages are new grilles and foglamps, Alcantara-covered seats, leather-wrapped steering wheels with silver contrast stitching, and rearview mirrors with LED turn indicators. The 660cc kei-spec engine is untouched, and the cars can be ordered beginning today. Prices range from ¥1,115,000 for the 2WD Wagon R to ¥1,314,600 for the 4WD Stingray. Needless to say, we want both.


[Source: Suzuki]

Suzuki's swapped the ladder frame architecture of the past to create a more civilized XL7, a welcome change from the Vitara roots of the original. The XL7's unitized Theta II platform, on loan from General Motors, also serves as the basis for the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. Suzuki also borrows the General's 3.6 liter V6, trying its very best in this application. The XL in the name is an apt descriptor, this is a lot of vehicle, and the price makes it a lot of value. So, what had to be sacrificed to bring such family friendly acreage in for the $22,000 of our trial unit?


Photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.