Suzuki SX4 News

It has taken Skoda a little over 100 years to populate 90 countries around the world, so its arrival here was inevitable. Even if presence fills up an already maxed out marketplace

If it comes to fruition, the Suzuki SX4 Sport, as the road car might be called, would be a direct competitor for the new Subaru WRX, which has been a dominant force in the performance small car segment for years.But the new Rex (WRX) has lost its hard performance edge and is unlikely to appeal to its traditional audience. A Suzuki hot rod could be too tantalising for keen drivers looking for a Rex replacement.It would be made in Japan, have rally cred, look the business and carry the Suzuki name which has a lot of respect.And what would be really good for Suzuki is that Nobuhiro (Monster) Tajima, one of the most dominant drivers at the frightening Pikes Peak hill climb in the US, would have direct input into the road car.It would be a finely fettled device to be sure and would quite possibly rattle the cage of good, many so-called performance models.The WRC car, is due to embark soon on its initial foray into the title challenge, which has impressive specifications.It runs a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine delivering 235kW/590Nm output. That's equivalent to a good V8 in a small car weighing 1230kg. It has a five speed sequential manual transmission and a carbon clutch. Drive is to all wheels via an electronic centre differential.The suspension is by struts using high quality adjustable dampers and the brakes are 370mm discs on the front with eight piston calipers, 355mm at the rear with four piston calipers.It's a wild looking car with a huge multi-deck rear wing protruding from the rear screen and a low centre of gravity. The wheels are 18-inch diameter and carry Michelin tyres at present.Tajima has used expertise gleaned from Pikes Peak on the WRC car so it should be able to cut it right from the outset. Tajima has built up and stored a huge knowledge base over the years and refers to it for the correct set up when racing.Obviously, any road-going version of the car wouldn't be specified to this level but it is conceivable that the SX4 Sport would be good for 150-160kW, without too much trouble and would have running gear to match, which means big brakes, firm suspension and sporty dynamics.Suzuki execs go a little bit coy when potential specification of an SX4 Sport is mentioned. They throw back the line of being more concerned about carbon dioxide emissions than sports performance. But pressure is building from many quarters within the Suzuki world, to leverage the company's involvement in motor sport and the World Rally Championship by building a road car.Otherwise, what is the point of competing?An SX4 would need to sell in the $40,000 range to be competitive and be specified to a reasonable level of luxury and safety, all of which is available from the Suzuki parts bin.Tajima would be able to tell Suzuki how to calibrate pretty well the entire car for road use while retaining a sporty flavour.The current SX4 all-wheel drive is a handy car, but lacks a hero model in the range to attract performance car buyers to Suzuki. That's where the SX4 Sport comes into the picture.It's all hypothetical right now but entirely do-able by Suzuki. Here's hoping. 

The diminutive Suzuki Splash is expected to create more than a ripple at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but Suzuki Australia has broader plans apart from this sub-Swift hatch.

Subaru is about to turn its Impreza world upside down with the arrival of the all-new model, but what are they giving up in the march of progress? We took a current model WRX hatch into the garage to refresh our memory. Debate is raging over the merits of Impreza's new softer, more middle-of-the-road style that flies in the face of the original WRX's appeal.We are yet to drive the new model, or even have the opportunity to look closely at it away from a motor show, but it is going to have to be at the top of its game to win over those who love a WRX because of its mongrel factor.The WRX hatch is not a big car but it is ample for a family of four, with reasonable luggage space in the wagon-style rear.The true joy of the car, however, is its ability to turn a drive to the shops into something more. The 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder punches well above its weight with 320Nm of torque well suited to finding gaps in city traffic.A little thirsty, certainly, but driving for economy is not something the boxer engine nor the WRX's character is well-known for.At $40,440 plus on-road costs, the WRX is not overly expensive. There is enough comfort and convenience, climate-control airconditioning, great sport seats, cruise control, airbags, good sound system, strong security to qualify it as a family car before the fun factor is even measured. Today we also farewell the first big cat in our long-term fleet. The front-wheel-drive X-Type Jaguar that has pounded the tarmac around Sydney for the past few months has grown on us.After an initial first drive found it light in the steering and seemingly skittish on the worst and busiest of Sydney's roads, we grew to like it.A sometimes uncomfortable driver's seat that wraps around your hips, an annoying noise when it reverses and the chunky key are minor concerns in a luxury car priced under $60,000. Our Sport model is priced at $56,990.The 2.1-litre V6, particularly in the sport driving mode, has surprising power. It peaks at 117kW and 200Nm. We found it simpler to let the auto transmission shift itself through its five gears rather than play around with the manual mode. Overall, at the price, we'd give it a thumbs up.The third member of our garage, the Suzuki SX4, has made itself at home for a couple of months, exploring more than 3000km around Sydney. It has proved an enjoyable small car that is easy to live with.It even likes to think big, with “mini-me” SUV looks and four-wheel-drive functioning at your fingertips. The SX4 has a slightly higher driving position and better visibility than some small cars.There's plenty of storage and boot room, it's great for shopping and you can put a couple of adults in the back seats without complaints.The wide mirrors took some getting used to and it can be noisy on Sydney's potholes. Overall, the SX4 is a good little car for around town. 

The car industry uses a web of alliances to survive.Lust, affairs, one-night stands, engagements, marriages and divorces — it can be hard sharing your love. It can also be expensive, especially if the human analogy is applied to the car business.DaimlerChrysler's recent divorce cost the now-solo Daimler AG a cool $33 billion.Daimler and its former partner, now known by her maiden name of Chrysler Group, still share the kids.These include shared components and manufacturing, including the Chrysler Crossfire (based on the previous Mercedes-Benz SLK) and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which uses Mercedes' V6 diesel engine and transmission.Daimler-Benz and Chrysler courted in the late 1990s, sealing their association in 1998 with a new name, DaimlerChrysler.The marriage was mutually beneficial. Daimler gained economies of scale and a new customer for engines, transmissions and an outlet for its old platforms. The previous Mercedes E-Class shares the same platform as the Chrysler 300C.Chrysler gained unprecedented, cost-effective access to the drivetrains used to power its distinctively styled cars.Of the divorce, shareholders of Daimler- Chrysler spitefully said “I knew it wouldn't work”.Marriages may be difficult, but alliances are what keep many car companies afloat.All these inter-relationships are spurred by one goal — profit. So competitive is the car industry that every dollar counts.Making cars cheaper improves profits, even if that means relocating factories to countries with low labour costs, non-existent unions and tax-free government incentives.Few would know that 10 models on the Australian market are made in Thailand. South Africa makes five, there's one from the Czech Republic, three from Slovakia, one from Poland, four from Malaysia and one from Indonesia.Build quality in most cases is as good as you'd expect from a country-of-origin factory.The biggest difference is manufacturing costs. Building a Volkswagen Golf in Germany, for example, costs substantially more than building the same car in South Africa. Sharing components such as engines, transmissions, platforms and bodies with a rival company — or at least one perceived as being a rival — is big business.The platform of the Mazda3 is similar to the Volvo S40 and Ford Focus. Ford has a big chunk of Mazda's shares and owns Volvo outright.The Toyota Aygo, a one-litre hatch soon to be sold in Australia, is built in the Czech Republic with the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107. The only differences are interior trim, grilles, head and tail lights. Everything else, except the badge, is identical.General Motors has a giant web of ownership, component sharing and minor shareholdings. It owns Saab and Hummer, and rebadges cars including the Daewoo Matiz as Chevrolets.GM owned 20 per cent of Fiat until it dissolved the relationship in 2005. But retains component sharing deals and owns 50 per cent of Fiat's JTD diesel engine technology.GM also has 3 per cent of Suzuki (it had 20 per cent until selling down in March 2006) and 7.9 per cent of Isuzu.This relationship crosses with Fiat. Suzuki buys Fiat diesel engines for its European cars but also buys diesels from the PSA group (owner of Peugeot and Citroen) and Renault. Fiat this year will also supply diesel engine's to Saab.The Suzuki Splash, to be launched in Europe later this year is based on the Swift/SX4 platform, but will be rebadged the Opel/Vauxhall Agila for European sales.Fiat sells the Suzuki SX4 as the Sedici in Europe.Suzuki also owns 11 per cent of GM-DAT, the Korean-based company that makes the Holden Epica, Captiva, Viva and Barina.GM sold its 20 per cent of Subaru parent, Fuji Heavy Industries, in 2005. Fuji bought back most of the shares, though Toyota bought in and now owns 8.7 per cent of the company.Toyota also owns Daihatsu and has a big stake in Yamaha. Yamaha has an engineering alliance with Toyota — twin-cam engine and multi-valve heads included — and recently created the V8 engine for Ford-owned Volvo.GM also gets its Saab plant in Sweden to make the Cadillac BLS mid-size car, alongside its Saab 9-3 and 9-5.The Hyundai Sonata's 2.4-litre engine is shared with the Jeep Compass, Dodge Caliber, Chrysler Sebring and Mitsubishi Outlander.Renault has an alliance with Nissan and owns Samsung (Korea) and has a joint venture with Mahindra (India).Porsche's Cayenne SUV is built in Volkswagen's factory in Slovakia alongside the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7. Porsche's Cayman is built in Finland. That's just the tip of iceberg.Peyton Place has nothing on these guys. 

As Australia's new car juggernaut rolls on towards the magic million sales mark, the number of available models continues to swell. Already recognised as one of the most diverse and competitive car markets in the world, Australian importers continue to add to the mix.With half the year nearly gone, buyers have taken almost 500,000 new vehicles into their garages with some of the traditional biggest selling months still to come.At least three new marques will arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of  the year; Hummer, Mahindra and Skoda,  testament to the vibrancy of what is, in world terms, a minor market.However, it is the expanding model range within existing brands that will drive the Aussie market over the million mark for the first time.Over the next six months more than 50 new or revised models will arrive in Australian new car showrooms. Here's a look at what's coming soon:ASTON MARTINDip your lid in style in September with the V8 Roadster, a gorgeous extension of the Vantage. AUDI Audi starts its end-of-year program in September with the R8, the biggest, baddest Audi in the garage The Supercar looks with enough performance to keep most on their toes. Also on the cards for October is the A5, Audi's first coupe since the TT. An all-new platform which comes as a front-wheel-drive and quattro. In November the V8 4.2 TDi may answer some questions for the Q7, including on fuel economy. BMW You'll have to wait until October for the new M3, but the latest offering from the M garage has something special. It's the first V8 for an M3. CHRYSLER A Sebring convertible, topless cousin of the sedan launched in early 2007, arrives in December. DODGE The Nitro SUV joins the Caliber for Dodge next month and the US marque backs that up with its Avenger sedan in August. FIAT The baby Ritmo, sold as the Bravo in Europe, will be Fiat's second passenger offering in Australia when it lands in October. Expect petrol and diesel. FORD The rush to oil-burners continues with the Focus getting the honour of being Ford's first passenger diesel next month before the Focus CC, the drop-top concept that set hearts aflutter at Frankfurt two years ago lands in October. The other big news for Ford is the return in November of the Mondeo for a third tilt at Australia. HOLDEN The key second-half model from the General is the VE Ute, bringing all the developments in the VE sedan to the working man's Holden. HONDA The Civic Type-R is razor-sharp styling built around a high-revving fun package. Next month. HUMMER The iconic offroader from the land of the large truck opens its Aussie account in October, a couple of months later than anticipated as a result of production delays for the H3. Surprisingly agile with real offroad ability. HYUNDAI An important second-half for the Korean marque. It starts with the popular Santa Fe SUV finally getting the 3.3-litre V6 from the Sonata to give it some extra punch. In October, the new Elantra hatch joins the sedan in the Aussie line-up after a wait of almost 12 months. JAGUAR An October styling refresh for the marque's luxury sedan, the XJ, is all from the Big Cat this year before a big 2008. JEEP The second of Jeep's non-Rubicon Trail-rated soft-roaders arrives in August to join the Compass for duty around town. KIA The Carens compact people mover has never really taken off here. The new generation is a little bigger and more stylish. It will be powered by a four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with five- or seven-seat capacity. On sale in October. LAND ROVERThe baby Freelander gets a complete makeover for this generational change. New engines and a new family look all go on show in July. MAHINDRAIndia's workhorse ute, the Pik-Up, starts to roll out to Australia in July. MAZDA A new generation and a new look for the little Mazda2. Sharper styling is the key to this one's October debut. At the same time Mazda will add a diesel option to its top-selling Mazda3 range. MERCEDES-BENZThe key model for Mercedes this year is the meat-and-potatoes C-Class. Bigger, brighter and ready to meet the masses it is available from July. Also on Mercedes' new-model list is an upgraded ML500 and R-Class in September, both getting the 285kW V8 engine. October is a big month for the three-pointed star with the crackingCL65 AMG (a bi-turbo V12 with 450kW and 1000Nm) and the more sociable S320 CDi, which marries diesel with uber-luxury. MITSUBISHI You have to love a fighter. Australia's “other” family car, the 380, wins a minor refresh with some interior updates from next month. In August the automatic turbo diesel, traditionally the model's top seller, completes the Triton range while in October the point guard for the red-hot Evo X (due late in the year), the new Lancer, promises look-at-me-styling and more punch than the current model. NISSANThe baby Micra finally gets the green light for Australia with an October date with sales. In November the X-Trail, a core model for Nissan and the compact SUV that set the benchmark for those who actually can go off-road, gets a full generational change. The Dualis arrives in December. A softer option to the X-Trail, it sits on a similar platform but is more plush. PEUGEOT It's all about size for the French manufacturer. In July the 207CC, the previous generation of which set the standard for accessorising small cars, is back and promising to reclaim the crown. Its far more focused and athletic sibling, the GTi arrives in August with its turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. The station wagon derivative of the base 207 goes on sale in October. PORSCHEThe 911 turbo cabriolet proves Porsche's belief that if you can go fast in a sedan you should be able to go just as fast in a cabriolet. In September you can prove it for yourself. RENAULT August sees the Megane diesel join the Renault fleet, while the Clio Sport returns in November in an all-new guise. SAAB The new 9-3 will highlight Saab's first all-wheel-drive system in a completely renewed model range. All models arrive in November. SKODA Launches into Australia with a two-pronged attack in October. The Octavia medium-sized hatch and the quaintly named Roomster compact MPV will carry the flag initially. SMARTIn September the next next-generation smart ForTwo arrives, a little bigger and a little smarter. SUBARU The new Impreza is one of the most polarising styling departures of the year. In basic and WRX fettle the hatch arrives in September. A cult car heads mainstream and the jury is out. SUZUKIIf it ain't broke ... A freshen-up for the car that put punch back in Suzuki's local range, the brilliant Swift is in showrooms in October with the sedan version of the SX4 “tall hatch” joining the stable in September. TOYOTA The first product from Toyota's new “hot shop”, the Aurion TRD, arrives in August with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with sports manners and a load of plastic kit. Also in August is the generational change for Kluger with the SUV getting a substantial facelift and the 3.5-litre V6 from the Aurion. November brings the Landcruiser 200 Series and a TRD version of the HiLux. VOLVO The highlight for the Swedes in the second half of the year is the all-new generation of the XC70 due in November. About the same time the C30 will get the in-line five-cylinder diesel. VW A hot version of the Passat, the R36, is heading Down Under in November. 

Its new baby car, Splash, is aimed straight at Europe and Asia and will also be coming to Australia in a worldwide move which will see production spread through Hungary, Japan and India.The Splash was previewed as a concept car at the Paris motor show last year and follows the successful introduction of the Euro-style Swift and SX-4 wagon.An SX-4 sedan is coming later in the year and Suzuki is also expected to unveil at least two other all-new models before the end of 2007, including the Camry-sized car, which company executives spoke about to CARSguide in Japan last year.“Over the next three years we will have a half-dozen new models in segments where we don't currently participate,” the general manager of Suzuki Australia, Tony Devers, says.“We'll have the mini-car segment with Splash and further down the track we'll have the mid-sized car. And then other products that I don't want to talk about at present.“It's a big push for Suzuki.”The Splash is based on the same mechanical package as the Swift, a former winner of the CARSguide Car of the Year award, but is significantly smaller. It is only 3.7m long but stands 1.6m tall.The safety package includes six airbags and electronic stability control.The Splash will be sold in Europe with both 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre petrol engines, as well as a 1.3-litre diesel — and Suzuki has forecast sales of some 60,000 cars a year from its factory in Hungary.However, sales will not begin until early in 2008 and the final production car will not be unveiled until Germany's Frankfurt motor show in September.Suzuki will not confirm the Splash for Australia, but senior Japanese executives have already said it will be imported.The only likely change is that local deliveries will be of Japanese-made cars, rather than from the new Splash production line being established in India.“We are evaluating it, but we would only get it out of Japan,” Devers says. “It will probably come in around 18 months to two years.”Devers says there is real potential for the Splash, which would be a sub-$15,000 car and smaller than most of the existing cars in the light-car category, such as the Hyundai Getz and Kia Rio.“It's positioned under Swift and that's a segment that's starting to grow,” Devers says.“The cars are quite small but large inside. For Australia, the whole trend in the industry is towards fuel efficiency and smaller cars.“There has been a trend for five to 10 years. If you look at Corolla ... it is not a small car these days. Swift is the size that Corolla and Civic were five years ago, and the Splash will be in the new mini segment. Our consumers are moving towards where Europe has already gone. The light segment is going to boom and this is probably under that.”Devers says the Splash is also a sign of Suzuki's commitment to its globalisation, moving away from the super-small Japanese Kei-class cars it has built for decades.“Suzuki has made a strategic decision,” he says. “It has been the mini-car leader in Japan for 15 years but is now looking to build bigger cars for a global push.“It's a big, big decision. But it's being done so they can tune the production for larger cars and a worldwide push.“Suzuki already sells more cars than Honda, Mazda and Subaru in Europe. It's only Australia and America where it lags.“There is an American focus, but Australia is important too, because we're now a million-vehicle market.”

To the end of March, the Australian new car market was up 8.7 per cent while Queensland was up 10.5 per cent.However, Suzuki sales in Queensland were up 18.24 per cent.It follows record growth over the past five years for Suzuki Auto Co which imports vehicles for Queensland and is a separate company from Suzuki Australia which handles imports for the rest of the nation.Suzuki Auto Co general manager Keith Carroll said Queensland was the strongest performing state, selling 42 per cent of all Suzukis in Australia.“The strength of the product line-up and its relevance to the Queensland market is eagerly being matched by the commitment of the dealer network to the consumer,” he said.Carroll said growth had been across the product range with 16.5 per cent sales increase in the Swift small car, 9.6 per cent growth in Grand Vitara sports utility vehicle, 70 per cent growth in the APV (All-Purpose Van) and 4 per cent for Jimny all-wheel drive.He predicted further growth this year with more model variants becoming available.A base model of the SX4 all-wheel-drive small car will be available in June with about a $1500 discount on the $24,390 vehicle.It will be stripped down to two airbags, no fog lights, steel wheels, and no keyless entry.A 2-litre two-wheel-drive SX4 sedan and hatch will arrive at the end of the year.The sedan will replace the Liana. However, Carroll said that with demand for the Liana still high and supply limited, there would be no discounting of the $18,990 drive-away runout model.Carroll said Suzuki would start importing frugal diesel-powered cars in about 18 months, probably starting with the Grand Vitara and SX4.“We would have liked diesel in the SX4 from day one,” he said.“It would be good to have a passenger car diesel at the same time as a four-wheel drive.”Carroll said it would be a 2 or 2.3-litre diesel engine and the cars would have a higher level of trim.“We have to show that you get a little bit more wow for your dollar,” he said.Supply continued to be the limiting factor on sales growth.However, Carroll said Suzuki was building new plants in Japan, Hungary and India increasing production by 33 per cent.

With new SUVs, it's a case of four wheels good, but two wheels good enough.They cost less, weigh less, drink less and are more popular — and more such models are on their way to showrooms for buyers who want to look adventurous but have no intention of going off-road.Sales of two-wheel-drive sports utility vehicles such as Ford's Territory (which started the trend locally) and the Korean-made Hyundai Tucson exceed their 4WD equivalents.Toyota will introduce a 2WD version of its Kluger wagon when a second-generation model is released in August. Suzuki will import a 2WD version of its existing SX4 wagon. Presently both models come with an all-wheel-drive function.Because of the success of the Tucson, Hyundai also plans to add another two-wheel-drive SUV to its range, but is tight-lipped about which.Car companies have found the typical macho look of a 4WD is a strong selling point, though the majority of these wagons serve as cars and never use their off-road capability.In the Ford Territory range, 2WD versions are $4800-$5350 less than their all-wheel-drive counterparts, and account for 55 per cent of total Territory sales.In the smaller Hyundai Tucson, the difference is $4000, and the 2WD model, called the City, makes up 60 per cent of sales.Ford Territory Ghia owner Sandra Cameron bought a rear-wheel-drive version of the Ford Territory Ghia (list price $52,090) three weeks ago, and said she was never interested in the all-wheel-drive version.“I totally love it because it's like a car — I'm not about to go off-road,” she says.Sandra has three sons, and said her priority was to get a roomy wagon. “I got a seven-seater because my children will always want to bring friends along,” she said. “In the Territory you're raised a bit, so you can see out better, but getting in and out is no problem at all.”Hyundai spokesman Richard Power said: “People like SUVs for the high-riding stance and the convenience.“In the case of the City, it's popular because it's lighter, with a smaller engine, so it saves fuel. There are plenty of people who like the style of SUVs but have no intention of ever going off-road.”The four-cylinder Tucson City weighs 158kg less than its six-cylinder, all-wheel-drive equivalent, and averages 9.2 litres per 100km, compared with 11 litres per 100km for the all-wheel-drive model. Even the petrol tank has been made smaller in order to cut weight.In the Territory, the weight saving is 80kg and the official fuel economy rating is 12.2 litres per 100km for the 2WD, compared with 12.8 litres per 100km for the all-wheel-drive.

And more "fake 4WDs" are on the way as buyers, who want to look adventurous but have no intention of going off-road, embrace the idea of two-wheel drive sport-utility vehicles (SUVs).Sales are booming for the Australian-made Ford Territory, which started the trend, and the Korean-made Hyundai Tucson that followed.Toyota will introduce a 2WD version of its Kluger wagon when a second-generation model is released in August, and Suzuki will import a 2WD version of its existing SX4 wagon.Both Kluger and SX4 have all-wheel-drive at present. Because of the success of the Tucson, Hyundai also plans to add another two-wheel-drive SUV to its range, but so far is tight-lipped about which model it will be based on.Car companies have found the typical macho look of a 4WD is a strong selling point, though the majority of these wagons serve as cars and never use their off-road capability.In the Ford Territory range, 2WD versions are $4800-$5350 less than their all-wheel-drive counterparts, and account for 55 per cent of total Territory sales.In the smaller Hyundai Tucson, the difference is $4000, and the 2WD model, called the City, makes up 60 per cent of sales.Ford Territory Ghia owner Sandra Cameron, of Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, bought a rear-wheel-drive version of the Ford Territory Ghia (list price $52,090) three weeks ago, and said she was never interested in the all-wheel-drive version."I totally love it because it's like a car – I'm not about to go off-road," she said. She has three sons, and said her priority was to get a roomy wagon."I got a seven-seater because my children will always want to bring friends along," she said."In the Territory you're raised a bit, so you get good visibility, but getting in and out is no problem whatsoever."Hyundai spokesman Richard Power said: "People like SUVs for the high-riding stance and the convenience. "In the case of the City, it's popular because it is lighter, with a smaller engine, so saves fuel. There are plenty of people who like the style of SUVs, but have no intention of ever going off-road."The four-cylinder Tucson City weighs 158kg less than its six-cylinder, all-wheel-drive equivalent, and averages 9.2 litres per 100km, compared with 11 litres per 100km for the all-wheel-drive model.Even the petrol tank has been made smaller, in order to cut weight. In the Ford Territory, the weight saving is 80kg and the official fuel economy rating is 12.2 litres per 100km for the 2WD, compared with 12.8 litres per 100km for the all-wheel-drive.