2008 Suzuki Sx4 on 2040-cars

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VW, Suzuki mulling rekindling relationship in face of legal battle

Volkswagen and Suzuki have been undergoing marriage counseling in a bid to avoid finalizing their nasty divorce. The blissful union has been troubled for some time, with Volkswagen claiming that it could affect operational decisions at Suzuki, and the Japanese brand's sniping and constant flirting with a certain Italian temptress causing rifts.
The matter first went to court in 2012, when Suzuki demanded VW get out, and leave its 19.9-percent stake in the Japanese brand in a box to the left. Now, Automotive News is reporting that the company will give the relationship one last shot, according to closed-door dealings between the two in London.
Still, it's understood that VW and Suzuki recognize the benefit of their alliance, and that it'd be in the best interests of the kids both parties to make things work. Spokespeople declined to comment to AN, but the newsmagazine spoke with Frank Biller, an analyst for LBBW in Stuttgart, who said, "Both companies stand to benefit if they can overcome the disagreements over leadership claims."

Suzuki brings basket of forbidden cute to Tokyo

Suzuki looks to be celebrating its newly independent status from Volkswagen with quite a slate of debuts at this year's Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October. While it's often a putdown to call a car cute, the company has some models going on display that are totally adorable. Unless you wait around a couple decades to import one, they're also never going to see the roads here. With its big eyes and compact, chunky looks, the Ignis might be the new definition of cute 'ute. Clearly based on the iK-2 concept from this year's Geneva Motor Show, the latest interpretation softens the angular lines a little bit. The Ignis Trail Concept tries to make the standard version look a little more off-road ready with black fender flares and larger wheels. Meanwhile, the Mighty Deck concept looks like a toy car with its black roof, yellow body, and dark blue bumper. The model offers some interesting functionality with a small cargo bed in the back, complete with a tiny tailgate. The opening canvas top could make for a fun drive, too. Suzuki is also giving the incredibly cool Air Triser concept a world premiere in Tokyo. The compact, three-row minivan sports a retro-futuristic design. On the outside, glass wraps around nearly the whole thing, except for a thick pillar where the sliding doors come together. However, the interior has a wood floor, and the seats can be reconfigured to form a couch. There's even a screen in the B-pillar for everyone to watch together. We look forward to seeing if these models are as quirky in real life in just a few weeks. SUZUKI EXHIBITS AT THE 44TH TOKYO MOTOR SHOW Suzuki Motor Corporation has announced its exhibits for the 44th Tokyo Motor Show 2015 (organised by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association), which will open to the public on 30 October until 8 November. The theme for Suzuki's booth is "SUZUKI NEXT 100". Suzuki will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020, so the exhibits represent proposals for products and technologies that give a sense of the company's preparations for ongoing success in the next 100 years. A range of concept models will show how Suzuki can deliver wonder and enjoyment to drivers and riders. The concept cars will include the IGNIS, which gives shape to Suzuki's foray into the new compact crossover genre; and the MIGHTY DECK, which offers new kinds of fun in the minicar segment.

Junkyard Gem: 1991 Geo Metro LSi Convertible

Beginning in 1985, General Motors brought over Suzuki Cultuses and sold them here with Chevrolet Sprint badges, which Americans bought in surprisingly large numbers (considering the crash in fuel prices around that time). When the time came for The General to launch a separate brand selling rebadged Japanese machines— Geo— the second-generation Cultus became the Geo Metro. Sporting a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine, the Metro mostly sold to penny-pinchers interested only in cheap commutingÂ… but GM decided to make a fun convertible version, anyway. Here's one of those cars, finally retired near Denver at age 30. The 1991 Metro hierarchy started with the El Cheapo base and XFi models, at $6,795 (about $13,810 today), then moved up to the better-equipped LSi. The LSi hatchback coupe cost $7,795 ($15,840 in 2021), while the LSi convertible stood at the top of the Metro pyramid at $9,740 ($19,795 now). Believe it or not, Ford managed to undercut the 1991 Metro with its Mazda-built Festiva, priced at $6,620 in its cheapest form. You could buy a Suzuki-badged version of this car, known as the Swift, and the Swift GT had a screaming four-cylinder engine. 1995 and later Metros also had the option of a four-banger, but a 1.0-liter three-cylinder was the only engine available in the 1991 Geo Metro. If you wanted to get close to 60 highway miles per gallon, the Metro XFi had a specially-tuned 1.0 that delivered, though it sent a mere 49 horsepower to the front wheels (the last new car available in the United States with under 50 horsepower— including highway-legal EVs— was the 1993 Metro XFi, by the way). The engine in today's Junkyard Gem was rated at 55 horses. A five-speed manual transmission was standard equipment in every 1991 Metro, though a thoroughly miserable three-speed slushbox could be had for $465 extra (about $945 today). Because most Metro buyers wanted fuel economy first and foremost, automatic Metros are rare (though I have managed to find one in a boneyard). How many total miles? The five-digit odometer means we'll never know. The 1991 Metro convertible came from Japan, but all the others sold here that year were built in Canada. Today, that plant builds the Chevy Equinox. A new convertible for less than 10 grand was a steal in 1991, when a new Mercury Capri convertible cost $12,588.