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Suzuki design chief discusses Tokyo e-Survivor SUV concept

Underdog Suzuki is one of the more mysterious Japanese brands. Rarely talked about, or indeed self-promoted, it quietly sold nearly 3 million vehicles worldwide in 2016 (alongside sister brand Maruti), and Suzuki has made some intriguingly original cars in recent years. Take the cute-but-tough Ignis city car SUV or the boxy-but-compact Hustler minivan, plus quite a few more. Autoblog took the chance to catch up with the automaker's relatively new head of design, Akira Kamio, at the recent 2017 Tokyo Motor Show to discuss Suzuki latest e-Survivor SUV Concept, plus his personal inspirations. The 54-year-old Kamio – whose design back catalog includes the concept and production Splash city car and second-generation Vitara small SUV, among others – says the beach-buggy-on-steroids show car "imagines a 2030 autonomous car with electric motors within each wheel on a ladder frame." That's a long way out in conceptual terms, as some of the vehicle's futuristic details suggest – rim sections that change color from green to blue according to mode aren't strictly necessary – but there is solid functional thinking to some of its more outlandish elements. Case in point, the see-through doors – long a staple of concept-car design from Italian masters such as Giugiaro and others – have been rendered here in a forward-thinking way. "When in autonomous mode the door glass goes opaque for privacy," Kamio said. "But when in off-road mode, the door glass automatically clears again so the driver can see the obstacles around it to help maneuver over rough terrain. This feature works on the model; it's a serious concept." As to the most relevant element of the e-Survivor's design for nearer-term vehicles, Kamio points to the five vertical slots with the Suzuki "S" logo in front of the center slot. A familiar design cue of the classic Jimny SUV, here this graphic is illuminated and set behind a black-tinted perspex-like cover. Kamio would not be drawn on when the next version of that long-running vehicle would arrive. But given that the third-generation version of the Jimny has been in production since 1998, the mark 4 is long overdue – even by the standards of Jimny's long manufacturing cycles – and is widely expected to arrive in 2018, taking proportional and design detail cues from the e-Survivor.

Minnesota tinkerer selling off 500-plus motorcycles, dirt bikes and scooters

For 25 years, Tony Joslyn's entire life has orbited around motorcycles. After getting into bikes at an early age, Joslyn turned his passion into Road Rash, a salvage house where Joslyn would buy and sell two-wheelers and their parts. He wasn't picky with his workings, either, as he has accrued motorcycles across a huge range of decades and brands. And now it's all up for sale.  Suzukis, Yamahas, Harley-Davidsons, Hondas, Kawasakis, and more from the '60s, '70s, '60s, '90s, and '00s are all currently listed on K-Bid.com. There is a variety of size, styles, colors and setups, and a press release says most of the bikes are 'complete and ready for restoration or a tuneup." For Joslyn, the collection just became too much to deal with after all these years.  "It's time to clear the herd and slow down," Joslyn said in a release. "Once it starts to feel like a job, you lose some of the joy. I'm looking forward to getting back to working a few motorcycles now and then. ... It's hard to pick a favorite out of the collection, as I am partial to all of them, but I've always enjoyed the Kawasaki 3-cylinders." The bikes are located in Clarks Grove, Minnesota, directly south of Minneapolis roughly near the Iowa border. Interested parties can visit and inspect the bikes before purchasing, and there's plenty of time to do so. Open now, the auction will close October 2, 2019.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Auto News Honda Suzuki Auctions Motorcycle honda scooter Harley-Davidson Yamaha Kawasaki

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.