1987 Suzuki Samurai Ja Sport Utility 2-door 1.3l on 2040-cars

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Suzuki Jimny pickup concept heading to Tokyo Auto Salon

Some of the best news this year is coming at the tail end of 2018. Suzuki's Jimny is already pretty awesome, but for the upcoming 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, Suzuki is preparing something quite special for its little off-roader: a Jimny pickup! Suzuki based the concept on the Sierra trim level. The truck is designed to be an active sidekick for customers who need the convenience of a pickup for either DIY stuff or adventuring. The retro style is immensely cool: gold bodywork, wood sides, different grille, light bar, white roof and matching white wheels with chromed hubcaps — the entire thing is like a 1970s Suzuki aftermarket parts catalogue applied to a new Jimny. The cab has been shortened to ditch the rear seats, and a short bed has been tacked on without lengthening the wheelbase. If you ask us, the wheelbase even looks shorter than stock. Accompanying the pickup is a "Survive" concept that looks ready for adventuring. The stock bumpers have been replaced with sturdy metal ones that improve the approach and departure angle. There's also an external rollover cage, a winch, custom wheels and some Defender-style aluminum diamond plate. Suzuki says the Jimny Survive has been outfitted for traversing "severe nature" under extreme conditions. We'd happily take both of these mountaineering or even for a weekend trip to the cottage. While both of these trucks are obviously concepts, they show the direction where a Jimny owner could feasibly take their truck. And since some earlier generation Jimnys have been available as pickups, it's not totally improbable to imagine a production Jimny pickup somewhere in the next decade. Here's hoping. Related Video: Image Credit: Suzuki Tokyo Motor Show Suzuki SUV Concept Cars suzuki jimny

Motorcyclist lucky to escape with life after 100-mph crash

A motorcyclist tried to run from the California Highway Patrol in San Diego in the wee hours of February 9, but things didn't quite work out as he planned. In fact, the fleeing rider is lucky to be alive after colliding with a Kia at over 100 miles per hour during, ending, rather abruptly, the pursuit. The video on The San Diego Union-Tribune below shows the collision, but you might need to watch it a few times to see what happens. The bike shoots by in a flash, and then there are suddenly sparks when the cycle hits the rear of the car. Watch the left side of shot to see the rider standing by the median after the crash. Police quickly arrive to the scene to apprehend him. The guy is wearing a helmet but understandably appears to be in pain after the high-speed accident. The crash ripped the front end off the rider's Suzuki, but the Kia's driver wasn't harmed – though clearly shaken. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, police took the motorcycle rider to the hospital to treat undisclosed injuries. What's Now: A motorcyclist going at least 100 mph slammed into the back of a car on I-805 early this morning. Remarkably, he was left standing on his own two feet before being arrested. Story: sdut.us/1TaOjDM Posted by The San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Related Video:

Suzuki latest to admit to falsifying fuel economy tests

Suzuki is the latest automaker to be snagged in the broadening scandal of fuel economy falsification. Reuters reports that the head of the Japanese industrial giant admitted that it did not use the proper standards when testing its cars for fuel consumption. "The company apologizes for the fact that we did not follow rules set by the country," said CEO Osamu Suzuki (pictured bowing to reporters), as reported by Reuters. Over 2 million Suzuki vehicles are estimated to be affected. However Suzuki maintains that the company did not intentionally lie or mislead the public or government regulators about its vehicles' economy figures. Japan's transport ministry has ordered domestic automakers to resubmit those figures this week. Though Suzuki withdrew from the North American automobile market nearly four years ago, it remains the fourth largest in Japan (following Toyota, Nissan, and Honda) with particular sales strength in the Kei car segment. Like Honda and Yamaha, the company makes a variety of motorized products, including motorcycles, ATVs, and marine engines. The revelation follows hot on the heels of Mitsubishi's falsification, which broadened in scope from a few Kei cars to every vehicle it has sold in Japan stretching as far back as 1991. The controversy lead to Nissan taking control of a third of Mitsubishi's stock. Prior to that, and on the other side of the world, Volkswagen admitted to engineering its diesel vehicles to cheat emissions tests. Government regulators around the world have launched investigations into numerous other automakers to see how much farther the growing epidemic of falsifying environmental credentials can spread. Related Video: