2009 Suzuki Sx4 Rally Car on 2040-cars

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Suzuki posts 46% drop in first-quarter profit on slowing India demand

TOKYO — Suzuki on Monday reported a 46.2% fall in first-quarter operating profit, hurt by lower output at home as it improves its inspection systems, and falling demand in India, its biggest market. Japan's fourth-largest automaker posted an operating profit of 62.7 billion yen (GBP487 million) for the April-June quarter, down from 116.5 billion yen a year earlier and below a mean forecast of 69.09 billion from eight analysts, according to Refinitiv. Suzuki reaffirmed its forecast for full-year operating profit to come in at 330 billion yen, up 1.7% from the year ended March 2019. Suzuki, known for its Swift and Baleno compact models, is bracing for subdued growth this year in India, where roughly one in two cars sold carries its brand. The company stuck to a forecast for vehicle sales to increase slightly on the year, but conceded that it may need to trim its forecasts in the coming months as slowing economic growth and stricter emissions standards could dent sales. Slowing profit growth could hamper its ability to invest in and develop lower-emissions vehicles and on-demand transportation services necessary to survive the technological upheaval currently underway in the global auto industry. The automaker has long acknowledged that it cannot shoulder the costs of developing electric vehicles and self-driving cars on its own, and has turned to Toyota to supply Suzuki vehicles with its gasoline hybrid systems.

DAMD Little D kit makes the Suzuki Jimny look like a little Land Rover

When the new generation of the Suzuki Jimny debuted, it drew plenty of comparisons. Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Jeep Wrangler, Toyota Land Cruiser, etc. Pick an old-school-styled boxy off-roader, and it would probably work. But one Japanese Tuner is taking the lookalike comparisons to the next level, focusing on one of the most iconic off-roaders of all time: the Land Rover Defender. DAMD Inc., the tuner that also created a body kit to make the Toyota 86 sports car look like the Lexus LFA supercar, is developing a styling kit that makes the Jimny go full Defender. We can't lie, as much as we love the regular Jimny, this looks pretty damn cool, as well. While the public waits for Jaguar Land Rover to launch the next-generation Defender, this imposter will have to do (for people outside the U.S.—the Jimny is still not available here). The nose alterations make the resemblance impossible to ignore. It adds another headlight dimple for the signature trio and has "LITTLE D" lettering above the grille, which ditches the Wrangler-like vertical slats for horizontal bars. It also adds a beefier front bumper with a more prominent skid plate. The mudflaps, knobby tires and off-roady wheels, bare spare tire, and the angled rear bumper complete the look. The rest of the similarities are already part of the Jimny. The boxy body, the wheel flares, and the roof cap are part of the standard model. Beyond the images, there is not much information on the kit. There's no price, but DAMD notes it is scheduled to release in 2019. That gives us just enough time to move out of the country and order a Jimny. Related Video:

Suzuki iV-4 Concept is a personalized 'ute for everyone but US

It's with some sadness that we present to you the Suzuki iV-4 Concept - there's absolutely no way we'll ever see a production Suzuki based off this conceptual design in the States, despite the fact that the brand has quite a small-SUV heritage on our shores. Of course, we won't be seeing any new Suzuki passenger cars or trucks in the US at all...
For the rest of the world, Suzuki's push with this concept is personalization. According to the automaker, the name is broken down as such: "i" stands for "individuality," "V" for "vehicle," and "4" for "4 wheel-drive." A tad convoluted, perhaps, but we'll roll with it.
As far as its styling, the iV4 doesn't break any new ground for Suzuki, recalling its past and current production models with details that include a clamshell hood and a five-slot grille. Suzuki promises a production variant of this concept, and the "individuality" part will be accomplished through a selection of exterior components, colors and textures, though we're not clear what exactly that means or how it will differ from the accepted practice of ordering a unique car through a dealership.