2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara on 2040-cars

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Incentives aid smooth Suzuki wind down

American Suzuki is continuing to offer buyers substantial incentives even as the company winds down operations. Those looking to nab a new Suzuki vehicle will find rebates of between $500 and $2,000 and zero-percent financing for up to 72 months as dealers look to liquidate inventory following the automaker's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. The strategy is working so far. Last month saw Suzuki sell a total of 2,224 vehicles, up 22 percent compared to the same time period in 2011. The Japanese manufacturer says it will continue the incentives through December.
Suzuki had around 5,000 units in dealer inventory in the US when it went into bankruptcy protection, with an additional 1,500-1,700 vehicles headed to dealers at that time. The company says it will continue to honor warranties moving forward using its current dealer network. Most of the dealerships will become Suzuki service and parts stores after American Suzuki shutters car sales in the US.

Question of the Day: Most heinous act of badge engineering?

Badge engineering, in which one company slaps its emblems on another company's product and sells it, has a long history in the automotive industry. When Sears wanted to sell cars, a deal was made with Kaiser-Frazer and the Sears Allstate was born. Iranians wanted new cars in the 1960s, and the Rootes Group was happy to offer Hillman Hunters for sale as Iran Khodro Paykans. Sometimes, though, certain badge-engineered vehicles made sense only in the 26th hour of negotiations between companies. The Suzuki Equator, say, which was a puzzling rebadge job of the Nissan Frontier. How did that happen? My personal favorite what-the-heck-were-they-thinking example of badge engineering is the 1971-1973 Plymouth Cricket. Chrysler Europe, through its ownership of the Rootes Group, was able to ship over Hillman Avanger subcompacts for sale in the US market. This would have made sense... if Chrysler hadn't already been selling rebadged Mitsubishi Colt Galants (as Dodge Colts) and Simca 1100s as (Simca 1204s) in its American showrooms. Few bought the Cricket, despite its cheery ad campaign. So, what's the badge-engineered car you find most confounding? Chrysler Dodge Automakers Mitsubishi Nissan Suzuki Automotive History question of the day badge engineering question

Here's the new Suzuki Jimny in official photos

Finally! The new generation Suzuki Jimny has been officially revealed, ready to replace the old model built since 1998. Or rather, Suzuki has at least l aunched a microsite dedicated to the small SUV's latest iteration, complete with color palette. The signature Kinetic Yellow launch color gets a similarly noticeable Brisk Blue alternative; the rest of the colors are more muted. Previously, photos of undisguised Jimnys had started coming out of the woodwork. Now we can have an official look at the neatly designed little Suzuki. It's not retro, but completely functional; these shots also show the fender flares missing from the JDM cars. When it comes to vehicles this small, the Jimny might be the boxiest thing produced since the original Fiat Panda ceased to be made in 2003. The rear hatch is the width of the entire rear, making cargo loading easy — the only hindrance we can see is that even on a left-hand-drive vehicle, the hinges are on the right, complicating things a little when one is street-parked. The interior has also survived transition into production quite nicely, with the big infotainment screen placed as high on the dash as possible. The materials on the dash look hard-wearing even in the official render, and the switchgear looks like it can be handled with gloves on. Engine specifications have not yet been announced on Suzuki's site at the time of writing, with the only technical photo a shot of the longitudinal engine perched on the ladder frame, accompanied by a mention of a three-link rigid axle suspension and part-time 4WD complete with low range. There are rumors of optional hybrid tech. Suzuki also says 2.85 million Jimnys have been sold through March 2018: If the pricing (about $18,500 for the old model in Europe) remains affordable, that number is sure to rise nicely. Related Video: Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny official images Suzuki SUV suzuki jimny