Australia: Importer reveals Kizashi and other model future powertrains 

By: Glenn Brooks, Wednesday, September 03, 2008, AutomotiveWorld.com

The general manager of Suzuki Australia, Tony Devers, has revealed that the brand's future rival for the Mazda6, its first entry into this segment anywhere in the world, will be powered by a 2.4-litre I4 engine as well as a V6. The latter is likely to have a capacity of 3.6-litres. Both engines will be Suzuki units.

Speaking to GoAutoNews.com, Devers further states that the local importer hopes to badge the car by its concept name but is awaiting the Japanese parent company's approval. The vehicle will be ready for a November 2009 launch in the local market but Suzuki Australia might choose to wait until 2010 for unstated reasons. This is the first time any Suzuki division has named a specific month for the launch of production versions of the former sedan, hatchback and crossover concepts.

In related news, the portal, which has interviewed Toshihiro Suzuki, the firm's executive general manager for global marketing, says the OEM is pressing ahead on hydrogen fuel cell vehicle R&D activities in partnership with General Motors but that there had been some major challenges to overcome.

"While GM's hybrid powertrain is designed for a large car, Suzuki has to arrange the hybrid to suit a small car," the executive told GoAutoNews, noting that Suzuki's prototype is based on the SX4 crossover.

Suzuki will reveal both the SX4 FCV and another concept, the latter to be badged Crosscage, at the Paris motor show on 2 October.

Finally, Suzuki, like its rival Toyota, appears to be realising that not offering automatic transmission in combination with diesel engines is losing it sales in many markets.

"In the future, automatic transmission (in the diesel) will be used, but at the moment it has to be developed. It depends on the market conditions," Suzuki states, answering a question on why there continues to be no automatic option for diesel versions of the Grand Vitara (Escudo) SUV.

The portal also asked the board member why the new 2.4-litre I4 Grand Vitara's automatic transmission has only four ratios.

"To achieve good fuel efficiency, sometime in the future Suzuki will have to consider a six-speed automatic transmission. (However), there are cost issues," he said.

Published on Wednesday, September 03, 2008

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