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3.6
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300
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83.3
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(from Suzuki Press
Release) LIVE! FROM NEW YORK: SUZUKI DEBUTS CONCEPT KIZASHI 3
AT 2008 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
• Suzuki “Way of Life!”
brand spirit illustrated by world debut of athletic Concept Kizashi
3
• Suzuki broadcasts plan to produce global sport sedan based on
Concept Kizashi 3 design
• Series premiere of complete Concept Kizashi family
NEW YORK (March 20,
2008) – Performing onstage at this year’s New York International
Auto Show in front of a packed house, American Suzuki Motor Corp.
hosts the world debut of its sleek and athletic Concept Kizashi 3,
which completes the company’s star-studded cast of media-acclaimed
Kizashi concepts. In addition to the North American reveals of
Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2, the global introduction of
Concept Kizashi 3 coincides with Suzuki’s announcement that it will
produce a sport sedan derived from the Concept Kizashi 3 design.
The Concept Kizashi series was developed by Suzuki’s Advanced Design
Group to reflect a dynamic athlete in motion, taking design cues
from a strong, honed physique while displaying the performance,
strength and style befitting a flagship vehicle. The design theme
began with Concept Kizashi, which made its debut at the 2007
International Motor Show in Frankfurt, and the Concept Kizashi 2,
unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, which further revealed
Suzuki’s new design language.
“Kizashi means ‘prelude’ in Japanese, and that’s exactly what this
design represents for Suzuki from both a business and a product
standpoint,” said Mark Harano, president, American Suzuki Automotive
Operations. “Concept Kizashi 3 illustrates our brand character and
personifies our heritage, design strength and engineering prowess.
With customers in 192 countries and regions, Suzuki is truly a
global brand, and the coming model carries on our mission to build
the image of our automotive products in North America and eventually
match our bikes’ reputation.”
Known primarily as a maker of small vehicles, Suzuki intends for the
production derivative of the Kizashi series to serve as the
company’s flagship vehicle, strengthening its current product line
of small cars, trucks and SUVs with a sporting, more accommodating
sedan. The future production model will be built at Suzuki’s
brand-new Sagara plant in Japan, currently under construction, and
provide an accessible alternative to the near-luxury segment. While
a firm timetable has not been announced, Suzuki will deliver the
Kizashi-influenced sport sedan to North American dealers by 2010.
The Concept Kizashi Series
Evoking the physical
superiority and dignity of a world-class athlete, the Concept
Kizashi series was developed to create a substantial presence that
redefines the traditional performance vehicle and moves the Suzuki
brand upscale. The overall design theme suggests physical strength
from intense daily training, with the strong will, commitment and
presence of a champion.
Each of the Concept Kizashi vehicles strikes a balance between
driver comfort and sportiness, with roomy cabins melded to lean,
dynamic exteriors. The hood and body style of all three Concept
Kizashis hint at abundant engine power and wind-splitting
aerodynamics, while the long wheelbase, aggressive wheel/tire
combinations and abbreviated overhangs communicate a
performance-oriented, energetic image. A powerful-looking body
profile is incorporated throughout the series to convey underlying
strength, with large wheels and a wide tread expressing a capacity
for superior performance. Beyond its exterior architecture, the
Concept Kizashi series constitutes a four-wheeled continuation of
Suzuki’s exciting, performance-oriented motorcycle heritage,
represented best by its dynamic, world-renowned line of GSX-R
sportbikes. Those bikes, some two decades after their introduction,
continue to dominate the sportbike segment and have achieved iconic
status.
Concept Kizashi
Concept Kizashi made its
world debut at the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt,
demonstrating Suzuki’s progress toward the development of a vehicle
that combines sportiness, style and substance. As the first concept
in the Kizashi series, the vehicle’s dynamic exterior was
specifically developed to push the envelope and establish the
overall design theme of the series. Reflecting the spirit of a
highway athlete, the exaggerated dimensions of Concept Kizashi and
its strong fascia communicate a dignified character and the overall
presence of a dynamic flagship vehicle.
Concept Kizashi 2
Debuted at the 2007
Tokyo Motor Show, the Concept Kizashi 2 crossover sport wagon aims
at drivers with dynamic lifestyles and can accommodate a wide range
of activities. Continuing the series’ athletic theme, Concept
Kizashi 2 reflects the body of a triathlete, with the five-door
vehicle’s all-road capability enhanced by its raised height and
all-wheel-drive configuration. In addition to the sport crossover’s
versatility, its 3.6 liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic
transmission promise a rewarding and engaging driving experience for
daily drivers and enthusiasts alike.
Concept Kizashi 3
The
closest-to-production variation of the Concept Kizashi series,
Concept Kizashi 3 embodies Suzuki’s interpretation of the sport
sedan segment in the North American market. The Kizashi’s “super
sport” identity, a core component of the Suzuki brand DNA, is
tempered by the vehicle’s overall mission to provide strong, refined
urban performance.
As with Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2, the front end of the
Concept Kizashi 3 expresses strength and style, with sharply
fashioned headlights that emphasize the sensation of forward motion.
The vehicle’s exquisitely engineered body reflects Suzuki’s
distinctive combination of capability and refinement, with power
flowing from a 3.6-liter DOHC V6 engine with plated cylinders – a
weight-and space-saving technology that evolved from the lessons
learned by Suzuki’s motorcycle and WRC development teams. The body’s
monochrome finish, Kizashi Silver, gives the vehicle a sense of
composure and depth of character, with metallic paint sparkling to
emphasize the dynamism of the body’s cross-section.
Concept Kizashi 3 Specifications
-
Powertrain layout
Front engine, four-wheel drive with Advanced i-AWD system
-
Seating capacity
(persons) Five
-
Tires 255/30ZR21
9.5J
-
Wheels 21-inch,
nine-spoke, aluminum
-
Engine 3,564cm3 V6,
DOHC, 24-valve
-
Transmission
Six-speed automatic (with paddle shifters)
-
Maximum power 300 hp
-
Overall length
4,650mm/183.1 in.
-
Overall width
1,900mm/74.8 in.
-
Overall height
1,450mm/57.1 in.
-
Wheelbase
2,800mm/110.2 in.
-
Minimum ground
clearance 120mm
-
Body color Kizashi
Silver
2008 Suzuki Auto Product Line
Suzuki Auto’s versatile
line of vehicles includes the spirited four-door SX4 Sport, bold and
functional five-door SX4 Crossover, exciting XL7 midsize SUV, rugged
Grand Vitara compact SUV, popular Forenza sedan and Forenza Wagon,
and the European-styled Reno. Every vehicle in the line provides
Suzuki’s standout virtues of toughness, leading-edge style and
high-end features at very competitive prices. All 2008 Suzuki
automobiles are backed by America’s #1 Warranty: a
100,000-mile/seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible
powertrain limited warranty.
About Suzuki
The Brea, Calif.-based
Automotive Operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation was
founded in 1985 by parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and
currently markets its vehicles in the United States through a
network of approximately 500 automotive dealerships in 49 states.
Based in Hamamatsu, Japan, SMC is a diversified worldwide
automobile, motorcycle and outboard motor manufacturer with sales of
more than two million new automobiles annually. Founded in 1909 and
incorporated in 1920, SMC has operations in 192 countries and
regions. For more information, visit www.media.suzukiauto.com.
