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Suzuki planning an electric Jimny among EV, hybrid onslaught

Suzuki introduced the larger, five-door Jimny earlier this month, and an investor presentation detailing the automaker's growth strategy to 2030 shows there's more in store. The automaker's mission is to expand its lineup with vehicles that move toward the "realization of a carbon neutral society." This entails Europe, India and Japan receiving five or six new hybrid and/or battery-electric models each. In Europe, the first of Suzuki's five BEVs will show in financial year 2024; when the rollout is complete, it will include an electric Jimny — the silhouette in the upper right. According to Australian outlet Drive, starting from the upper left, the others are a small people-mover, an electric version of the Fronx crossover Suzuki debuted at Auto Expo in India earlier this month, an unknown hatchback, and the retail version of the EVX concept. An electric Jimny would get the dinky 4x4 back to Europe without any classification trickery. The Japanese brand ended export of the regular four-seat model to Europe in 2020 when it could no longer pass EU emissions. It now sends the same model as a two-seat commercial vehicle. Suzuki sells as many as seven models in European markets not including the Jimny, six of them mild hybrids, one a plug-in hybrid. There have been rumors of a hybrid Jimny for a couple of years, and it's predicted the new five-door will get a hybrid option shortly. The investor presentation deck predicted an eventual powertrain ratio in Europe of 80% battery-electric vehicles, 20% hybrid vehicles. We expect that would mean a near overhaul of the European ranges with current models dropping out in favor of hybrids with electric options. What's unexpected is that the battery-electric Jimny silhouette doesn't show on the slides for the Indian or Japanese markets. In Japan, Suzuki expects sales to end up 80% hybrid, 20% EV, the opposite of Europe. The Indian outpost, known as Maruti Suzuki, is the automaker's largest market, and one local outlet said 1,000 shoppers have paid to reserve a spot for the five-door Jimny every day since the truck's debut. The expected powertrain breakdown there is much more varied than the other two regions at 15% battery-electric vehicles, 25% hybrid, and a 60% share of internal combustion made up of a mix of compressed natural gas, biogas, ethanol and "etc." This would definitely be a market for the hybrid Jimny whenever it shows.

Suzuki back in MotoGP for 2015

It had been planned for 2014 but it's going to be 2015 instead - that's when Suzuki returns to the manufacturer ranks of MotoGP after quitting the series at the end of 2011 because of The Great Recession. When Suzuki stopped after 37 continuous years of racing, it said it intended to return three years later and it has been in talks with MotoGP's rights holder, Dorna Sports, since last year. No doubt, though, that fan anticipation of the team's return outdoes any dismay at the delay. It will join Yamaha, Honda and Ducati in the premiere league.
Its bike has already been testing in Japan and was with the official MotoGP tribe in Barcelona, Spain on Monday when Suzuki announced its return. It's said the development bike is called the XRH-1, being ridden by official tester Randy de Puniet (who currently races in MotoGP on an Aprilia-based bike with TeamAspar). and after a day of testing de Puniet got the new Suzuki to within seven-tenths of a second of the top time posted by other MotoGP teams. Davide Brivio, who once ran the Fiat-Yamaha team and has been close with Valentino Rossi, will be the team manager.
Speaking of Rossi, The Doctor is back with Fiat-Yamaha after a bad run with Ducati but is only contracted to the end of 2014. Brivio is the man who got Rossi to join Fiat-Yamaha, then got him to Ducati. Until he took the head of Suzuki's works effort, Brivio was working with Rossi's VR46 management company, heading areas like merchandising. The rumormill has already begun its work, with folks wondering if Rossi will head to Suzuki in 2015 if his second stint at Yamaha doesn't prove fruitful before then. Scroll down below for the official press release from Suzuki.

Cadillac CTS-V and Suzuki e-Survivor | Autoblog Podcast #527

This week, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by General Manager Adam Morath. They discuss driving the Cadillac CTS-V and talk about the Suzuki e-Survivor concept. Other news includes possible Jaguar Land Rover acquisitions, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and the Autoblog Car Finder. Autoblog Podcast #527 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Topics and stories we mention Rundown Jaguar Land Rover acquisitions? Suzuki e-Survivor concept Tesla Model 3 Autoblog Car Finder tool Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Cadillac CTS-V What we've been driving: Jaguar F-Pace Ken Block's "Climbkhana" Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Green Podcasts Cadillac Jaguar Jeep Suzuki Electric Performance Videos Sedan jaguar land rover