Suzuki auto news

Video: Watch Guy Martin outrun a helicopter at the Isle of Man

While there are some specialty machines that are capable of relatively high velocity, your average run-of-the-mill helicopter can't sustain speeds much higher than 100 miles per hour. That said, because of the heli's ability to climb high into the air with cameramen packing extreme telephoto lenses, actually managing to trick a chopper pilot into losing you - in scenes sure to be played out monthly on national news channels - is another matter entirely.

So, what would it take to actually outrun a helicopter? As demonstrated by professional racer Guy Martin in the video after the break, a modern superbike has more than enough speed to do the trick. In the case of Martin's modified Suzuki GSX-R1000, which boasts a terminal velocity in excess of 200 mph, all you'd need is a road straight enough to pin the throttle for a dozen seconds or so...

All of which brings us to the Isle of Man, nestled away in the Irish Sea. Every year, legions of racers and fans line the 38-mile-long Snaefell Mountain Course to watch racers like Guy Martin test the depths of insanity as they seek to outpace their rivals on what basically amounts to closed surface streets. See what it looks like as a helicopter does its best to follow the action in the video pasted below.

Continue reading Watch Guy Martin outrun a helicopter at the Isle of Man

Official: Maruti Suzuki stretches Swift into new Ertiga

With over a billion people, the Indian market holds huge potential for any automaker. In fact, Suzuki makes a dedicated range of vehicles on the subcontinent specifically for the local market under the Maruti banner, and this is their latest.

Dubbed Ertiga, it's essentially a lengthened Swift hatchback "Life Utility Vehicle," or what would conventionally be called an MPV (Multiple Passenger Vehicle).

Call it what you will, Maruti Suzuki has managed to fit three rows of seating into the stretched Swift for seven-passenger accommodation. Launching locally in India prior to export to neighboring markets like Indonesia in the aim to take market share away from the Toyota Avanza and Mahindra Xylo, the Ertiga takes advantage of huge economies of scale by sharing basic components with the Swift and the Dzire sedan which Maruti builds on the same platform.

Buyers in India will be able to choose between three trim levels, two engines (gas or diesel) and seven colors, but they'll have to justify spending six or seven times the price of a Tata Nano to do so - but then again, that's true of most cars. Take a closer look in our gallery above and scroll down for the official press release with more information.

Continue reading Maruti Suzuki stretches Swift into new Ertiga

Report: Trouble signs keep piling up for Suzuki

So is it time to start the Suzuki dead pool? Automotive News seems to think so. While the newspaper doesn't go as far as suggesting that Suzuki is not long for the American market, it has compiled a depressingly long list of signs that the company is on its last legs here.

Among the many signs that Suzuki is hurting, the most damning might be what's happening with its dealer body. The report says the brand dropped 32 stores last year, roughly 12 percent, and that it is down to 246 total dealerships in the States. But of those, 150 sell five or fewer cars per month. That would explain why Suzuki only sold 26,618 cars last year, according to AN.

Other signs of distress include sluggish sales so far this year, not exhibiting at the most recent Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows, cutting off their deal for J.D. Power customer satisfaction data, and a lack of marketing leadership or initiative, according to the report.

While Suzuki's product lineup is among the smallest and oldest in the industry, that seems to be the least of the brand's troubles. Heck, even we kind of like the Kizashi.

Video: Watch an angry customer intentionally ram his vehicle into a car dealership

Long, long ago, when we first put our grubby hands on a driver's license, someone passed on a bit of sage wisdom: in the wrong hands, a car can be more dangerous than any gun. The video after the jump is a keen reminder of this fact. Autoblog reader Vasiliy tells us the individual in the kamikaze SUV seen here allegedly brought his new purchase back to the dealership to have a faulty shock replaced. When the dealer refused to do the work, the man decided to take the issue into his own hands by ramming his Suzuki through the front glass and into multiple Nissan vehicles parked in the showroom.

While we would never condone property damage or putting innocent bystanders in danger, we suspect replacing the shock would have been significantly cheaper for all parties involved. There's no word on any injuries or damage estimates - or what happened to our intrepid show room demolisher once the local law enforcement caught up with him, but we're guessing a poor-handling Grand Vitara is now the least of his concerns. Scroll down to watch the security camera footage for yourself.

Continue reading Watch an angry customer intentionally ram his vehicle into a car dealership

Video: Watch an angry customer intentionally ram his vehicle into a car dealearship

Long, long ago, when we first put our grubby hands on a driver's license, someone passed on a bit of sage wisdom: in the wrong hands, a car can be more dangerous than any gun. The video after the jump is a keen reminder of this fact. Autoblog reader Vasiliy tells us the individual in the kamikaze SUV seen here allegedly brought his new purchase back to the dealership to have a faulty shock replaced. When the dealer refused to do the work, the man decided to take the issue into his own hands by ramming his Suzuki through the front glass and into multiple Nissan vehicles parked in the showroom.

While we would never condone property damage or putting innocent bystanders in danger, we suspect replacing the shock would have been significantly cheaper for all parties involved. There's no word on any injuries or damage estimates - or what happened to our intrepid show room demolisher once the local law enforcement caught up with him, but we're guessing a poor-handling Grand Vitara is now the least of his concerns. Scroll down to watch the security camera footage for yourself.

Continue reading Watch an angry customer intentionally ram his vehicle into a car dealearship

Official: Garmin's first factory-installed nav units will be offered by Suzuki

Garmin, a company known largely for its aftermarket navigation systems, will officially debut its first factory-installed in-car infotainment system at this week's New York Auto Show. In the past, Garmin has partnered with some automakers to offer pop-up navi systems as an affordable solution to buyers who want the functionality in their vehicles. This new system, which will be available in most 2013 model year Suzukis, now offers a full suite of infotainment tech.

The Garmin interface uses a 6.1-inch touch-screen display that fully incorporates all audio functions, as well as Bluetooth, backup camera support and, of course, navigation. There's even a way to operate Pandora, though the app will run via a connected smartphone. The system also has full voice control functionality for all of its applications.

Additionally, this new infotainment system can provide real-time information such as traffic, weather, dynamic parking and fuel prices via the Android-based Garmin Smartphone Link app. The company says that Smartphone Link works off of the customer's existing data plan, so users don't have to shell out any extra money for additional data.

We'll be checking out the new Garmin infotainment system this week at the New York Auto Show, so stay tuned for more impressions. For the full details, scroll down to read Garmin's official press release.

Continue reading Garmin's first factory-installed nav units will be offered by Suzuki

Report: Court ruling on VW-Suzuki partnership spat not expected until 2013

The partnership beween Volkswagen and Suzuki is more than two years old, yet in that time, more acrimony and court proceedings have been created than jointly developed products - not hard to do when that product number is zero. Continent-crossing accusations have included Suzuki being upset at how VW has characterized the relationship and that VW hasn't shared its technology, while the German automaker has been miffed at Suzuki buying diesel engines from Fiat.

Suzuki filed for arbitration in London and hopes to compel VW to sell back the 19.9-percent stake it took in Suzuki in 2009. A line in VW's annual report, however, reads that it "considers the claims to be unfounded and has itself filed counterclaims." VW doesn't expect a court decision on Suzuki's arbitration to come before 2013. We know they say it's always darkest before the dawn, but we have a feeling the sun won't be rising on this union for quite some time.

Official: Canadian brochure reveals updated 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Urban

It's more a rear-lift than a facelift, since only the back end has changed on the 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara Urban offered in Canada. There are two noteworthy changes for the decontented model, the first being that Suzuki swapped the full-sized spare tire for a temporary "donut" spare and moved it from the rear gate to underneath the floor of the cargo area.

The other big change is the price: a current Vitara JL starts at $28,135 CAD, the revised model goes down in price to $26,995 CAD. For comparison, that new price equates to $27,007 USD, nearly $1,700 more expensive than the base price of the top-dog Grand Vitara Limited AT 4WD, which starts at $25,379 USD here.

It's been speculated that the changes are meant to lure more female customers (Vitara buyers are 60-percent male). Other specs and features haven't changed, which appears to make this a stopgap while everyone waits on the 2013 Grand Vitara, which will sit on a stretched version of the Kizashi platform.

Confirmed: Suzuki Regina concept renamed G70, production version coming?

The Suzuki Regina concept shown at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show was an unusual little car. We don't want to get our hopes up about production (especially since we'd probably never get it in America anyway), but the Regina will return to the spotlight at the Geneva Motor Show with some tweaks that have us wondering if Suzuki plans to actually build the French-looking runabout. Despite its bold styling, the Regina's drivetrain seems plausible enough; it's powered by a conventional three-cylinder gasoline engine.

The Regina will apparently be renamed G70 when it's shown in Switzerland. Tokyo publicity for the car centered around the five-door as "an idea for a 1,600-pound sedan that gets 75 miles per gallon." Suzuki has officially pegged the weight of the G70 at 730 kg, or 1,606 pounds. The "70" in the name likely comes from its 70g/km of carbon emissions, but Suzuki hasn't divulged its numbers yet. Follow the jump for a press release on the G70 concept.

Continue reading Suzuki Regina concept renamed G70, production version coming?

Video: Suzuki shows slushy Super Bowl commercial in advance

You won't have to wait until February 5 to see the new Suzuki Super Bowl commercial, as it's hit the automaker's YouTube channel in advance. Featuring an Eskimo who trades in his sled on an all-wheel-drive Kizashi, it's fun and decidedly more upbeat than last year's marauding snowmen.

Still, we kind of prefer the snowmen, which were more unconventional than the Eskimo ad's predictable plot. This year's ad also embraces two of the major Super Bowl ad tropes of recent years: adorable dogs and bickering couples. Neither of which is likely to win Suzuki any points for creativity.

Regardless, we have to admit that sliding a Kizashi at opposite lock across the frozen tundra looks like fun, and we think the underappreciated Suzuki is worthy of some extra attention. Click past the jump to watch the commercial in its entirety.

Continue reading Suzuki shows slushy Super Bowl commercial in advance