Suzuki ventures into mid-lands

The clearest sign of things to come can be seen in the Kizashi 3 concept at the Sydney motor show next month, the last such show car before production begins towards the end of next year.

Suzuki Australia spokesman Andrew Ellis says that except for the show car's bling 21-inch rims, the Kizashi is close to the eventual product.

The top-shelf model at least will get the concept vehicle's 3.6-litre V6 with WRC-derived weight-saving technology, paddle-shift, six-speed automatic gearbox and Advanced i-AWD (All-Wheel Drive) system.

An entry-level, four-cylinder petrol model is a certainty and an alternative fuel version is at least likely.

Appropriately, Kizashi means “prelude” or “foretaste”.

“It's a huge step forward for Suzuki that's never had a model in that market before,” Ellis says. “But they appreciate you have to go forward.

“They needed something that attracts that next level of customer up from the light-car market.”

Indeed, much hinges on the car if Suzuki is to shed its image as the junior Japanese carmaker which it is, if not in terms of volume or success, then certainly in perception and the segments in which it competes. While a move into mid-size cars is a logical step, Suzuki could not have chosen a tougher segment, one made all the more competitive by the recent trend of Australian buyers to pass it over for small and light cars.

Indeed, Mazda was last month forced into an unprecedented price slice of the class-leading Mazda6.

Nevertheless, Suzuki, whose worldwide vehicle sales grew to more than 2.3 million last year, says a new medium segment car is essential to achieve further sales growth.

This year in Australia up until the end of July, Suzuki has sold 13,645, an increase of 1200 on the same period in 2007. Its best seller remains the Swift, a former Carsguide Car Of The Year.

“The Kizashi3 is the last of the concepts, the closest one to production,” Ellis says. “There are still a lot of details we're not sure about. Powertrain-wise, Mr Suzuki has talked about a four-cylinder version and the V6, but also the possibility of a hybrid or another alternative fuel model.”