Monday, November 8, 2021

Wrecked: Awesome Lifted Suzuki SX4

Crashed Suzuki SX4
Photo via C.Y. Lee

Over eight years ago, I ran into one of the most badass Suzuki SX4s I'd ever seen. This lifted Suzuki SX4 had big knobby tires, a flat-black paint job, and a custom front bumper among other things. I actually got to know the owner, C.Y. Lee, a bit because of it. Ironically, I had just been talking to C.Y. about this car on October 15, 2021, and then, next thing we knew it, it was totaled by someone who went on a rampage in stolen school bus. Yes, you read that right.

Lifted Suzuki SX4
Photo via C.Y. Lee

When I first saw this beast, it was lifted and rode on 29x10.50-15LT Super Swamper tires. It looked amazing. Over the years, C.Y., who bought it shortly after I photographed it in, took the knobby tires off, but kept many of the other aspects, and actually rallycrossed the car from time to time. When I was talking with him only a couple weeks ago, he was saying he was going to have a new clutch put in the 2013 Suzuki SX4. 

Then on October 27, 2021, I see this:

C.Y. Lee

That sure looks like it was from a new station. In fact, it was from a news station! KIRO out of Seattle had done a story titled  "Man in stolen bus goes on destructive rampage." This sounds like something out of Grand Theft Auto or something, but it was very real.

The story goes like this: C.Y. had indeed brought his SX4 into a shop to have the clutch replaced. Upon completion, the tech doing the work goes to take the AWD subcompact crossover on a test drive. Then next thing you know it, he's hit by a guy in a 33,000 lb. stolen school bus! Needless to say, the little SX4 was totaled. 

Totaled Suzuki SX4
Photo via C.Y. Lee

C.Y.'s Suzuki wasn't the only car hit. In fact, it was one of 20 cars hit! It was, however, the only one that's ever been featured on Subcompact Culture. Thankfully, no one was injured, including the tech who installed the clutch. 

Of course, the most important thing is that no one was hurt. But it's sad to see this awesome Suzuki is no longer. 

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