Just as Suzuki prepares to wrap things up in the North American market, their global product line is set to be revamped entirely, with a focus on vehicles like the Nissan Juke.
AutoExpress is reporting that no less than five new cars will debut in the Suzuki lineup, including
- A new three-cylinder city car to replace the Splash
- A four-wheel drive version of the highly acclaimed Swift
- A new B-segment crossover
- A production version of the Suzuki G70 concept car using Fiat’s TwinAir two-cylinder engine
- An MPV-type vehicle slotting above the Swift
Right now, the last two are under consideration with the others being given a green light. Given that none of those products would really fly in North America, save for the Swift (and that’s a longshot at best) it’s easy to see why the decision to close up shop was made, rather than invest in North American-specific product.
Coming up next: a Mitsubishi rebadge of Swift. Not as far-fetched as you might think, they do rebandge an Infiniti already.
I like Suzuki.
They make dependable cars that work well in second world countries.
I saw one excel in rural Pennsylvania. It took a lot of punishment and still worked.
The Excel was a Hyundai ;)
My daughter’s first car was a 2001 Esteem. She got in two collisions; one was being rear-ended by a Chrysler minivan. The minivan came out much worst; the Esteem was only slightly damaged.
I then bought it from her, and drove it 120 a day back and forth to work for several years. One time, in the worst part of Dallas; the fan belt broke. As I was trying to pull over; I noticed that the airflow over the engine was enough to keep it cool, so I drove it another 15 miles closer to home before pulling over.
It had 225,000 miles on it before I gave to my son as his first car. The A/C held up for 12 years before going out. That car really earned my respect; I sometimes wish I bought two of them.
“A four-wheel drive version of the highly acclaimed Swift”
Don’t they have the SX4 for that? That G70 concepts just bizarre.
I heard it was made on a stretched swift platform, but in all fairness the SX4 was built also by fiat. My understanding is that the next SX4 will be a suzuki only car….
The Swift and the SX4 share many parts already.
The SX4 was not built *by* Fiat, but *for* Fiat by Suzuki (in Hungary, I believe), the Fiat version being called the Sedici (which means 16, i.e. 4×4).
What model is the little black 2-door SUV next to the Swift?
Probably the Suzuki Jimny. It was forbidden fruit before the pull-out.
:-(
The 5-corner window is Jimny’s trademark
http://www.suzuki.co.jp/car/jimny_sierra/
Guess they’re a fan of GMC names, eh?
It is the Jimny, I have to look to see if I can get one of those imported here in canada (15 year rule), They started making that model in 1998!!!
By the way the Jimny was sold in north america as the samurai, but that was the 2nd generation the Jimny is now in it’s 3rd generation.
That’s what I wanted when I bought my SX4 in 2010, but had to settle for the SX4 AWD
That Jimny is one of the most cutesy SUV’s I have ever seen. But it’s utilitarian, and I like it. Want.
Surely, it’s always a good idea to pull out of forbidden fruit.
“with a focus on vehicles like the Nissan Juke”
So “Suzuki Death Watch” *was* an appropriate title after all, not only for the NA market? Honestly, Suzuki *deserves* to go belly-up if it launches an abomination such as the Juke.
What do the Wolfsburg overlords have to say about Suzuki having the audacity to launch new models without using VW technology, by the way?
One would hope Suzuki would focus on the “market segment” and not the aesthetics of the Juke. You’re right, it’s fugly like the Aztek before it.
The Swift looks rather cute though. I hope they survive.
If I recall correctly, Suzuki and VW are no longer together. Suzuki can do as they wish and VW has no say. Suzukis are still sold in Mexico and as far as I know, there is no plan to change.
I am so thrilled by this news. I shall hold my breath until I see pictures. Suzukis are very, very exciting. Really. They are not all bought by pensioners as a “last car” at all.
I know it probably wouldn’t have been a particularly good investment for Suzuki, but I really wish I could’ve seen the Swift make it to the US. It sounds like it could’ve been a genuinely fun small car. A Mini competitor without so much.. character.
” So “Suzuki Death Watch” *was* an appropriate title after all, not only for the NA market? Honestly, Suzuki *deserves* to go belly-up if it launches an abomination such as the Juke.”
I won’t miss them at all after seeing the Swift pic above. That would have never sold well. Sorry purists, tiny, tiny A & B class cars aren’t going to “make America like Europe” as you wish.
very good looking car. Priced right it sell a ton in Brazil, which is something they’ve never got right here
Is it really a product onslaught if the only approved vehciles basically replace aging ones in the lineup? Best of luck to them and their shareholders to make profit on small vehicles while ditching the NA market (lets see how well you do in Europe).