Anyone seen this?

[keith]

Found this on the global site. looks like a smaller kizashi


http://www.globalsuzuki.com/automobile/ ... index.html

[KuroNekko]

Yeah, it's a car sold in India. It's sort of like a SX4 sedan but with the styling elements borrowed from the Kizashi. It's a compact sedan while the Kizashi is technically supposed to be Suzuki's midsize.

[sx4rocious]

A buddy of mine just made a great suggestion. Import the car illegally, then when you get caught, claim it as an undocumented illegal alien and quote the executive order dissallowing deportation. Hey, you might even qualify for free insurance!

[Woodie]

Bore x Stroke 73 x 82

That's a very undersquare engine there, and it yields:

91 HP and 96 lbs/ft of torque

I like the sound of that, I need one to stuff into a Swift.

[WIKizashi]

A buddy of mine just made a great suggestion. Import the car illegally, then when you get caught, claim it as an undocumented illegal alien and quote the executive order dissallowing deportation. Hey, you might even qualify for free insurance!

Just say you accidentally ran your Kizashi through a hot car wash and it shrunk.

[Knightewolfe]

And of course we aren't gonna see that car in the US. Once again, it sucks that Suzuki left.

[Knightewolfe]

And the new idea lightbulb just smacked me in the head at a buck twenty.

A plan for Suzuki to return to the US.

1) release (or rerelease) the new Suzuki Swift with Turbo and AWD. Enter Pirelli World Challenge racing series in one of the touring car classes. And enter it in the Global Rally Cross series. Send copies to different aftermarket masters Suzuki Masters (RRM comes to mind) and have them build wickedly awesome versions using their own maginations. Price it to compete with the Yaris, Versa hatch, Fit, Mazda2, Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, etc. etc.

When it becomes famous and popular, release new version of the Kizashi with a factory Turbo engine, and the 6MT with the AWD. Build racing versions to compete in one of the GT class of the PWC , SCCA Club Racing, and any Rally series you can enter. Have production version aimed at the Accord, Camry, Dart, Sentra, Focus, etc, etc.

When all that is successful, and with GOOD ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS!!!, ntroduce the Ciaz (is that the name), and aim it at the compact car segment that has the Corolla, Sentra/Versa, Civic, VW, Subaru, and any other compacts you can think of.

Kuro, what do you think??

KW

[KuroNekko]

And the new idea lightbulb just smacked me in the head at a buck twenty.

A plan for Suzuki to return to the US.

1) release (or rerelease) the new Suzuki Swift with Turbo and AWD. Enter Pirelli World Challenge racing series in one of the touring car classes. And enter it in the Global Rally Cross series. Send copies to different aftermarket masters Suzuki Masters (RRM comes to mind) and have them build wickedly awesome versions using their own maginations. Price it to compete with the Yaris, Versa hatch, Fit, Mazda2, Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, etc. etc.

When it becomes famous and popular, release new version of the Kizashi with a factory Turbo engine, and the 6MT with the AWD. Build racing versions to compete in one of the GT class of the PWC , SCCA Club Racing, and any Rally series you can enter. Have production version aimed at the Accord, Camry, Dart, Sentra, Focus, etc, etc.

When all that is successful, and with GOOD ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS!!!, ntroduce the Ciaz (is that the name), and aim it at the compact car segment that has the Corolla, Sentra/Versa, Civic, VW, Subaru, and any other compacts you can think of.

Kuro, what do you think??

KW

While I'd like to see Suzuki return, I really don't think that's happening short of a merger with another company with strong US sales presence. Suzuki's brand image is just too weak to justify a return by themselves. In addition to that, Suzuki's niche is small cars, most of which go into the subcompact category. These cars aren't made for US crash specs nor are really made for US driving conditions like freeway driving. To me, it seems Suzuki is more and more concentrating on their small cars and giving up on their attempt at entering a larger segment. If they were to return, they should really focus on trying to sell cars like the Swift and their new CUVs/SUVs before offering something like the Kizashi again.

Personally, I think a small true SUV like a new version of the Jimny would be ideal too. This is because most automakers are killing off their true SUVs and focusing on CUVs with AWD for efficiency. For example, Nissan made their once venerable Pathfinder into a horrid CUV with a CVT and AWD. The only path those are now finding are to the dealer for CVT replacements. Sadly, they are killing off the Xterra this year to make the market further void of real offroaders. Toyota has the 4Runner, but it's rather large and expensive. It's even offered with 3rd row seats to show you how big it is. Ford has gone to CUVs and GM too. In fact, Suzuki used to make the small 4x4s for GM as Geo/Chevy Trackers.
The Jeep Wrangler near stands alone as a true offroader of a decent size, but it's still relatively big and expensive. It's also only offered with a V6 making it not very fuel-efficient. FCA's execs announced a diesel 6 cylinder mated to an 8 speed auto for the Wrangler in the future, but again, this car won't be cheap. If Suzuki was to offer a small but fuel-efficient 4 or turbo 3 cylinder SUV with a ladder frame, solid axles, and low range 4x4, I think some folks would be on to that given the void in the market. Even the new Jeep Renegade is car-based and technically a CUV. Even then, it seems to stand alone as a small, off-road capable compact CUV. I personally think the Renegade will sell well mostly thanks to the image the Wrangler gives the brand.
However, imagine if Suzuki offered a vehicle based off this with near-Wrangler capabilities:
(Oh, that old man is Suzuki's CEO by the way.)


In all honesty though, I don't think Suzuki is coming back. With the cheaper gas prices enticing Americans to buy larger vehicles, Suzuki's core models don't currently have a demand that would justify a return. In fact, I'm rooting for Mitsubishi to stick around given I actually like their vehicles. Much like Suzuki, their management needs a kick in the head.

[Sluggo]

Suzuki will never be back for US sales for the reasons you posted. I too hope that
Mitsubishi stays in the US if for no other reason than my Suzuki dealer started selling them after Suzuki pulled out. With the Mitsubishi Dealership open I can get my Kizashi serviced.

The one thing that Mitsubishi is doing right is concentrating on selling just SUVs. The Lancer is getting old and it seems that no one buys them. Will it be updated or replaced? I don't think anyone cares. Oh, and the other stuff it sells, the funny electric car and the what is it...
Mirage, who buys them?
They don't even try to sell a mid-size. Remember the Galant. Neither does anyone else.

On the plus side people are buying the Outlander and Outlander Sport. I was looking at the
Outlander Sport and it did seem like a nice vehicle.

[KuroNekko]

Suzuki will never be back for US sales for the reasons you posted. I too hope that
Mitsubishi stays in the US if for no other reason than my Suzuki dealer started selling them after Suzuki pulled out. With the Mitsubishi Dealership open I can get my Kizashi serviced.

The one thing that Mitsubishi is doing right is concentrating on selling just SUVs. The Lancer is getting old and it seems that no one buys them. Will it be updated or replaced? I don't think anyone cares. Oh, and the other stuff it sells, the funny electric car and the what is it...
Mirage, who buys them?
They don't even try to sell a mid-size. Remember the Galant. Neither does anyone else.

On the plus side people are buying the Outlander and Outlander Sport. I was looking at the Outlander Sport and it did seem like a nice vehicle.

The Outlander and especially the Outlander Sport are quite decent. My coworker has an Outlander Sport that I recommended for her when she was in the market for a small CUV. She got a used fully loaded AWD model. I must say it's quite nice with its factory nav, HIDs, LED interior, and a full glass roof among other neat features.

It does seem like Mitsubishi has given up on cars. The Lancer is dated to the point of oblivion. I read that Mitsubishi was joining up with Renault for their cars, but not sure if it's going to happen. It seems like all they care about now are CUVs and SUVs. They are supposedly bringing back the Montero and the Outlander PHEV is supposed to finally come to the US this year or next. Maybe it will work, but maybe it's too little too late. Their demise is quite shocking given they used to sell some hot cars back in the day like the turbo Eclipses, 3000GT, and of course, the Lan Evo. That being said, I like the idea of a PHEV SUV with 4x4.