Kizashi no longer a teaser

The Kizashi teaser has been shown as a sporty hatchback and a four-wheel-drive crossover, following the unveiling of the Kizashi 2 at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The second body over the Kizashi mechanical package is less aggressive than the European hatch, but shows Suzuki's thinking on the development of a four-door urban all-wheel-drive.

The program is running parallel to the SX4 family, which is a compact wagon and a four-door sedan in Australia, as the Japanese carmaker accelerates its plan to become a global force.

“This one is more like the production car. It's a fair bit closer,” says Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers at the Suzuki stand in Tokyo. “The current thinking is that it's coming in late 2009 or early 2010.”

The styling of Kizashi 2 is less extreme than the hatchback original, but it has the aggressive frontal treatment that is expected to be translated into a production look when Suzuki goes up against the mid-sized frontrunners, including the Ford Mondeo and Toyota Camry. The biggest change is a roofline that has been cut by 100mm.

The concept car is fitted with a Suzuki 3.6-litre V6 engine, the biggest from the company, with a six-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive.

The car can take a hybrid drive system, rolls on 22-inch alloy wheels and has a five-seater cabin.

“It is the biggest passenger car Suzuki has ever done,” Devers says. “It is aimed at Europe and also for the prestige segment of the car market. We think it will work well in Australia."

“It's interesting that they have chosen Kizashi as the name, because it means `prelude' in Japanese and the concept cars are obviously pointing to the production future.”