2003 Suzuki Xl-7 Touring W/3rd Row No Reserve!!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Suzuki could disappear from new car market quickly thanks to low inventory

Yesterday's announcement that American Suzuki has filed for bankruptcy is all but a death blow for the Japanese automaker's 246 US dealers, but if there's any good news coming out of the situation, it could be the fact that the whole process will likely be quick and painless rather than drawn out. WardsAuto is reporting that with the current inventory and average sales numbers so far this year, there figures to be about three months left for Suzuki's new-car business in the US given current sales rates.
In October, Suzuki sold 2,023 units - a five percent increase over last year - but with just 5,549 left in inventory, it shouldn't take too long to wind down operations. Sales for the brand peaked 2007 with more than 100,000 units sold, but this year, Suzuki is barely on pace to reach a quarter of that amount, with just 21,188 units sold so far in 2012. In addition to poor sales, WardsAuto also notes that Suzuki faced problems due to its reliance on customers with subprime credit.
Suzuki will continue to sell motorcycles, ATVs and marine engines in the US, while the brand's cars will still be on sale in other countries including Canada and Mexico.

Ugly Moto makes beautiful motorcycle art [w/video]

Ugly Moto is a horrible name for a company that makes such wonderful motorcycle art. The creation of artist Francis Ooi, the company's illustrations focus on some of the iconic racing bikes of the 1960s and 1970s.
The artwork has an elegant simplicity that really makes it pop. It would fit just about anywhere from a home office to the bedroom of a young gearhead. Ooi has completed six illustrations so far covering classic cycles from Honda, Ducati, Yamaha and even Harley-Davidson. According to his site, the Suzuki RGB500 ridden by Barry Sheene will be the next one released. All of the prints are priced at $65 and are limited to 100 copies. They are all about 16.53 inches by 23.58 inches in size.
According to his website, these prints are just a hobby for Ooi and his real career is as the creative director at an ad agency. He creates the illustrations on his Mac, and he estimates that each design with about 800 components and layers takes about a month to complete. You can get idea of the process involved in the time-lapse video below.

Larger SX4 to lead raft of new or revised Suzuki models

A few weeks ago, we showed you what is likely in store for the next-generation Suzuki SX4, but What Car? now has some insider info of what might be in store for other products in the aging Suzuki lineup... at least in the UK.
When the official design sketch of the Suzuki S-Cross concept was released, Suzuki said that the concept car would be a C-segment crossover, closer in size to the Grand Vitara, and going up against some higher-volume rivals like the Ford Kuga (Escape) and Nissan Qashqai (similar to our Rogue). The Suzuki Grand Vitara is also due for a redesign, and both models will likely be on showroom floors together, with the Grand Vitara acting as the more rugged alternative to the hatchback-like SX4 replacement. Not much is known about the new Grand Vitara, but a new satellite navigation system is expected to debut in the SUV and eventually spread into other Suzuki models.
Suzuki will start selling the new SX4 and Grand Vitara in the United States this fall, and these two new crossovers should be a welcome addition to the company's diminutive U.S. dealer network that has been starved of product since the early 2000s. Automotive News adds a little gloom to this topic by pointing out that, after the introduction of the new SX4 and Grand Vitara this fall, American Suzuki has no new products planned through the 2015 model year. Suzuki dealers in Europe are more fortunate, as a refreshed version of the Jimny (formerly known as the Samurai here in the States) and an all-new Alto will both be joining the lineup.