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Suzuki Authentics Concept is genuine but drab

Looks can certainly be deceiving. Have a glance at this new Suzuki Authentics concept, for example - we were told that this would, essentially, be a proper sedan version of the new SX4, but our folks on the ground in Shanghai tell us it's actually much larger. Like, bigger than the Kizashi. (Hey, remember the Kizashi?)
Regardless, Suzuki says that the Authentics concept previews a C-segment vehicle for the Chinese market. A good move, too, since that segment has the highest volume in the Chinese market. (That's why automakers like Ford, for example, have more than one offering in the class.) If we're honest, the Authentics concept looks a bit "meh" for our tastes - there isn't a whole lot of emotion going on here with the design. Consider it a competitor for that spiffy new Ford Escort that also took the stage here in Shanghai.
We don't have any more details about the Authentics concept at the moment, but considering the fact that Suzuki has officially exited the US market, at least we don't have to worry about this thing showing up on our shores anytime soon.

Man chases down truck thief and steams it all on Facebook

A Washington man chased down a truck stolen from his family's dealership last Saturday and livestreamed the event on Facebook. According to KOMO, a 2005 Ford F-250 was stolen from Sunrise Auto Sales in Eatonville, Washington on the morning of October 8. Aaron Babcock, who co-owns the small dealership with his father David, told reporters that after reviewing surveillance footage, he later spotted the truck while riding his motorcycle on Webster Road East. "I watched my cameras and found the video of a man lurking around and ending up taking off with my truck," Babcock told KOMO. "Cops came and made a case. Three hours later I was on my motorcycle in Graham, and they drove by me oncoming. It still had dealer stickers on it. It said diesel on the window and it had our dealer plate on it. It stuck out like a sore thumb. It was really easy to see." Once he spotted the stolen Super Duty, he wheeled his bike around and gave chase. He attempted to call 911, but was unsure if the dispatcher heard him due to noise from the wind and the bike's engine. So he fired up Facebook live and started streaming his chase, giving running commentary and updating his location as he chased the slow-moving truck. "I wasn't going to let him get away. I was going to try follow him down. I had no idea what to do," Babcock said. "Nobody could hear me on the phone so I just figured the first thing to do is pull up Facebook live." Babcock's Facebook friends pitched in by calling 911 to report the chase and even jumping in their own cars to follow the truck. At one point, he pulled alongside the truck and recognized both men in the cab. The driver was the man seen lurking around the dealer lot in the surveillance video, and the passenger was an old friend of Babcock's. "I know who you are!" he shouted at them, but the hunkered down and kept driving. Eventually, Babcock lost cell phone signal and the livestream ended. Eatonville police, who by this point were well aware of the incident, caught up with the truck in the 8400 block of 356th Street South in Eatonville. The driver was arrested and the passenger was questioned and released. Both denied stealing the vehicle or knowing it was stolen. Two sets of keys from Sunrise Auto Sales and a stolen credit card were also recovered from the truck. Related Video

The Suzuki Misano is a concept car inspired by motorcycles

Lately, concept cars have become showcases of touchscreens and batteries, but remember not that long ago when they used to get you excited about automobiles, driving, and design? Now Suzuki, of all companies, has unveiled a concept that brings us back to the stirring show cars from a bygone era. The Suzuki Misano is a low-slung, open-top sports car that asks the question, what if there was a four-wheeled motorcycle? Inspired by the Japanese firm's long history of high-performance two-wheelers, the Misano seeks to "merge the adrenaline rush on two wheels with the driving experience on four." The Misano caps off a thesis project for 24 students of transportation design at Istituto Europeo di Design Torino with collaboration from Suzuki. It has a footprint of 157 inches by 69 inches, or about the length of a BMW i3 and the width of a VW Polo. Its height, however, measures only 39 inches, about 50 percent shorter than a Toyota Yaris hatchback. Like concept cars of old, the Misano does pack in one wacky idea that has no chance of making it into production. It offers a tandem 1+1 seating position, even though it's wide enough for a side-by-side construction. Not only that, but the seats are off to one side. We would've expected a side-mounted motorcycle engine on the other, but it actually contains a trunk and small battery pack. Presumably, the Misano is an EV. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Strictly speaking, it's a barchetta because it has no mechanism for covering the cockpit and barely a windscreen. In lieu of a steering wheel, the car is controlled by what the IED statement calls a motorcycle-inspired yoke. Clear openings in the doors provide a view of the road that only a motorcycle can match. It's not the first time Suzuki has answered the question of a four-wheeled motorcycle. In 2001, it showed the Hayabusa-powered GSX-R/4 concept, which featured a more traditional seating position. The Misano is just the right amount of beautiful design and bonkers-ness that makes you wish for an alternate universe where it would make it into production. But alas, we know it'll be a miracle if Suzuki ever makes a sports car again. If you happen to be in Italy and want to check out the Misano for yourself, it will be on display at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile di Torino from Saturday May 15th to Sunday June 6th 2021. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party.