Jalopnik.com drives the Suzuki Swift

The folks over at Jalopnik were able to get their hands on a European-market Suzuki Swift to drive here in the U.S. It's a great write up on the 'lil Zuki and makes me want one even more! They're supposed to come State side in the next couple of years.

The new Swifts are a far cry from the old "Geo Metro" Swifts we are familiar with in the U.S. The new Swifts are internationally heralded as being a top-notch subcompact. Anyway, it's definitely worth the read.

LINK
2008 Suzuki Swift: Around The Blodk

Suzuki SX4 turbo kit available through dealerships?

Wow -- how cool is this? Suzuki has partnered with Road Race Motorsports, and may be selling a turbo kit through Suzuki dealers for the SX4. I'm a big fan of the SX4, and this is just too cool in my opinion. According to the post on Autoblog.com, Suzuki claims 0-60 in less than seven seconds. Not asphalt melting, but a good bit faster than the stock SX4. The kit ups horsepower from 143 to 221, and toruqe up from 136 ft./lbs. to 208 ft./lbs. The kit will cost around $5,400 with everything need to install, according to this story. Whether that's from dealers or Roade Race Motorsports itself, was not stated.

Road Race Motorsports and Suzuki have had a relationship for a couple of years, as RRM has built a couple of concept cars for Suzuki that have beens shown at various autoshows, including SEMA in Las Vegas.

LINK
Road Race Motorsports' SX4t

Do not want: India's Big Booty Suzuki

I don't mind a bit of "junk in the trunk," but this is ridiculous. The Suzuki Swift that is currently sold in Japan, Europe, and well, the rest of the world looks great, gets high scores from the automotive press and owners a like. Rumor has it, the U.S. will get the new Swift in 2010. However, I certainly hope we don't get this version.

As seen on Autoblog, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (an Indian division of the company mostly owned by Suzuki), has come out with the Swift DZire. The nice lines of the hatchback have been compromised in the name of a gigantic ass.

The normal-bootied Swift is seen below. Hopefullly, the U.S. gets the hatch in 2010, and not the trunk-clad version.

The Disappearance of the Small 4x4

Last week I was in Moab, UT – an amazing place of beauty, adventure, and excitement. I was there participating in the Easter Jeep Safari – a haven for 4x4 enthusiasts of all kinds. It was an amazing event with some awesome vehicles.

With my affinity for small vehicles, I was particularly fond of the Suzuki Samurais and Sidekicks (Vitara or Chevy Tracker). Both vehicles are very capable thanks to their solid rear axles (and solid front axles on the Samurai), selectable transfer cases, and low-range gears. However, none of these vehicles are available in the U.S. anymore. The Samurai disappeared from the U.S. market in 1995. Two-door Vitaras/Sidekicks/Trackers left the market in 2003. Now, the smallest true 4x4 is the Suzuki Grand Vitara, but it has a fully independent suspension – great for the highway, but not for off-roading.

However, one needs not look to far to find compact and capable four-wheel drive vehicles that are still in existence. Simply look to Japan.

Suzuki still makes a small, four-wheeler in Japan called the Jimny. The Jimny is essentially the second-generation Samurai that we never got in the States. It's a very capable little brute, just like the Sammi. Also like the Sammi, it's pretty Spartan on the luxury. However, like their earlier brethren, they can also be modified to be extremely good off road (see below).

A quick check of Craigslist.org, and one can see how much the venerable Samurais are still going for. Modified Samurais can run for nearly double their asking price in the 1980s when extensively modified. There's even a company called Lightning Conversions that sells 4.3-liter Vortech V-6 and 350 cubic-inch V-8 engines for the Samurai and Sidekick!
Other companies, such as Mitsubishi, make tiny SUVs, such as the Pajero Mini (at left), which is considred a Kei car. The Pajaro Mini competes with the Jimny in Asia. Other than the Jeep Wrangler, there are no more two-door SUVs in the U.S. Not too long ago, there were a bunch for two-door, compact SUVs including Toyota's RAV4, Land Rover's Freelander, Isuzu's Amigo, Chevy's Blazer, Ford's Explorer, and more. Now, everything has four-doors.

Both the Jimny and the Pajero Mini are very tiny, probably too tiny for the U.S. However, it'd be nice to have the option of another Tracker or Samurai-sized 4x4 for the U.S.