Super Bowl Video: Suzuki Kizashi Chased by Evil Snowmen

With the Super Bowl XLV rumored to reach out to a record number of viewers this year, it’s no surprise that automakers are queuing up to take a shot at convincing potential customers to buy their products.

Suzuki’s focus will be on the Kizashi sedan, featured in a TV spot called “Wicked Weather”. The clip shows the all-wheel drive version as it’s being chased by a pack of evil, almost-zombie-like snowmen. While it sounds like an idea uttered in at an Amsterdam café, the CGI is convincing and the Japanese sedan seems to cope well with the snowy roads. Hit the jump to see the video.

This is Suzuki’s first appearance at the Super Bowl and the ad is going to be broadcast in 19 markets, located in the Eastern and Southeastern part of the U.S., as the manufacturer strives to recover from last year’s dwindling sales.

By Csaba Daradics

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Suzuki Debuts Brand New MR Wagon in Japan

Suzuki has announced the arrival of its new home market MR Wagon kei car, which has been fully redesigned for the first time in five years featuring a fresh styling and a brand new 660cc three-cylinder petrol engine matched to a continuously variable transmission.

The Japanese firm's kei car is built on a newly development platform and measures just 3,395 mm long, 1,475 wide and 1,625 tall. With a wheelbase 65mm longer than its predecessor at 2.425mm, the new MR Wagon promises to offers increased passenger space as well as a little more ride comfort and improved stability on the road.

In Japan, Suzuki offers the 0.7-liter three-cylinder engine in naturally aspirated and turbocharged flavors, which produce 54HP and 64HP respectively, while buyers can also opt between front- and all-wheel drive configurations.

Other highlights include a touch screen audio system on the upper part of the center console and the availability of an ESP system with Hill Hold Control.

The boxy shaped kei car is available for order in Japan with prices starting from 1,131,900 Yen (about US$13,700).

Hat tip to Leopaul D.!

Source: Suzuki via Carview

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Suzuki Launches 4x4 Variants of New Swift and Kizashi in Germany

Suzuki is broadening its European lineup with the launch of all-wheel drive variants of its newly introduced 2011 Swift supermini and Kizashi sedan. Starting with the Swift, the 4x4 model is offered exclusively with a 94-horsepower 1.2-liter gasoline engine linked to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The company said it returns a fuel economy of 6.7 lt/100km urban, 4.9 lt/100km highway and 5.5 lt/100km combined, with CO2 emissions of 129g/km.

The five-door Swift 4x4 is priced in Germany at €14,490 [US$21,000] with standard features including air conditioning and an MP3-capable CD radio with steering wheel controls and a USB port.

The Kizashi 4x4 sedan features Suzuki's so-called intelligent all-wheel drive system (i-AWD), which allows the driver to manually switch the car from front- to all-wheel drive with the push of a button, with power coming from a 178HP-strong 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission.

According to the Japanese automaker, the Kizashi 4x4 averages 11.3 lt/100km in the city, 6.6 lt/100km on highway and 8.3 lt/100km on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 191 g/km.

Prices in Germany start from €29,900 [US$41,000]. The standard equipment package features a two-zone automatic climate control, Xenon headlights, ten-way power adjustable and heated driver's seat with memory function, and more.

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Suzuki Launches New Solio Small Wagon in Japan, will Also be Available by Mitsubishi

Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. on Friday unveiled its new domestic market Solio, a tall mini wagon that will go on sale in the country in early January. The Solio measures 3,710mm in length and will be available exclusively with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine producing 91HP, linked to a CVT and either front- or optionally, four-wheel drive. The Japanese automaker said it targets domestic yearly sales of around 12,000 units.

Soon after the Solio's press reveal, Suzuki and Mitsubishi released a joint statement announcing that the two firms have mutually agreed on the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supply of the vehicle to Mitsubishi. Under the agreement, Suzuki will offer 800 Solios to Mitsubishi per month beginning from spring 2011.

"The OEM supply is expected to generate new customers for MMC, as it will make possible response to a wide variety of customer needs by adding a new genre to MMC's existing lineup – a compact height wagon," said Mitsubishi in the statement.

With this deal, Suzuki said it "aims to improve its productivity and lower production and development costs through further increasing economies of scale."

The deal comes only a few weeks after Mitsubishi and Nissan announced a similar but far more comprehensive OEM partnership.

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VIDEO: Suzuki Pits Kizashi Against Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Volvo S40 in New Ads

Even though Suzuki had high hopes for the new Kizashi, sales of the sedan model haven't exactly blown the socks out of anyone this year. In fact, in the U.S., Suzuki has only managed to deliver a mere 5,269 units of the four-door saloon through November. Do the math and that comes to under 500 cars a month.

But the Japanese automaker isn't about to throw in the towel, not just yet. Marking one of its largest advertising campaigns in years, Suzuki has launched an ambition set of edgy ads pitting the Kizashi against similar sized models in the luxury segment such as the Mercedes-Benz C350, Audi A4 and the Volvo S40.

In each case, the Kizashi is shown in a side-by-side test with one of the aforementioned models plus an outsider, and by that we mean a motorized sofa, a man covered in a bubble-wrap suit and a stretch limousine. Well, you can't blame Suzuki for not having a sense of humor. Scroll down to watch all three ads in the videos below.

Source: Suzuki & Autonews

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Suzuki May Recall up to 280,000 Swifts and Three other Models Worldwide

Own a [previous generation] Suzuki Swift supermini produced between May 2007 and September 2009? If so, there's a good chance you'll need to visit your local dealer in the coming weeks as the Japanese automaker said it will recall 90,617 units of the Swift and three other models in Japan, with another 192,000 cars sold abroad also possibly subject to the recall.

Suzuki said the recall is due to problems with the cars' exterior mirrors as over time, strong vibrations could cause screws to loosen and possibly result in the mirrors falling off.

In a filing with Japan's transport ministry, Suzuki said it has received 77 complaints on the matter but no accidents have been reported.

Source: Reuters

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September Sales USA: Chrysler up 61%, Hyundai +44%, Ford +40% and GM +11%

The numbers are in for the month of September, and for the most part, they're looking good as industry wide deliveries were up 28% over a year ago according to a report from Autonews. Chrysler Group exec should be feeling extra happy as sales soared 61 percent over the same month a year ago, rising from 62,197 to 100,077 units.

Ford Motor Co, which includes the Ford, Mercury and Lincoln brands, recorded a 40 percent gain in September with sales of 160,375 units, whilst deliveries at GM climbed a far less impressive 11 percent from a year earlier to 173,031 units.

The Hyundai Group (Hyundai and Kia) had yet another solid month posting sales of 76,627 vehicles, which represents a 44 percent increase over last year.

With a few exceptions such as Suzuki, which saw its sales slide 12 percent to an embarrassing 1,641 units (even Porsche sold more cars - 1,971 units recording a 25 percent increase), and Volvo, which reported sales of 4,152 units, a 12 percent decrease from last year, most automakers posted gains:

Toyota Group (+17% - however, Lexus was down 8,9%), Honda (+26%), Mitsubishi (+5%), BMW Group (+20.5%), Mercedes-Benz Group (+15%), VW/Audi (+14%) and Nissan/Infiniti (+34%).

Source: Autonews (sub. req)

Suzuki SX-4's Darker Side: New SZ-L Special Edition for UK Market

A new special edition version of Suzuki's SX4 small crossover called the SZ-L is being launched onto the UK market this week. What makes the SZ-L special is a styling package that adds a number of exterior and interior features.

Available in two colors, 'Silky Silver Pearl' and 'Cosmic Black', the SZ-L model comes equipped with unique gunmetal colored roof rails, front grille, alloy wheels and front and rear skid plates.

Inside, the SZ-L gets Alcantara seat trim in light gray plus a three spoke leather steering wheel with gunmetal stitch detailing and a standard six disc in dash CD changer.

The SZ-L is based on the SZ4 grade and is available only in two wheel drive layout with a 120HP-strong 1.6-liter gasoline engine matched to a manual gearbox. Suzuki claims the small crossover can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100km/h) in 10.7 seconds and return a combined fuel economy of 45.6mpg UK with CO2 emissions of 143g/km.

Pricing is set at £13,145 and includes the cost of the metallic paint.