Although the Japanese manufacturer after some bad days in American market has filed for Chapter 11 there, it is doing exceptionally good in the other markets. Since the beginning, its Indian market has been very strong and Maruti Suzuki has been one of its most profitable subsidiaries. The company launched a concept XA Alpha last year at the Delhi Auto Expo and now in this year the company has released several teasers of another concept car called iV-4. This is a compact SUV planned by Suzuki and will make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show going to be held on September 10th later this year.
This new concept shares a lot of features with the XA Alpha concept car. The XA Alpha is a 4 meter compact car in close resemblance with the highly successful Maruti Ertiga. This exotic car will compete with the established names like Renault Duster, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra Quanto and several other mini SUVs in the market. XA Alpha will be powered by multijet turbo charged diesel engine of 1.3 liter capacity and Fiat sourced K series petrol engine. The car endorses huge alloy wheels and has a top speed of 180 km per hour. The styling is very aggressive and muscular.
It is expected that the iV-4 will borrow some of these features from XA Alpha. However, it will be a little bigger than XA Alpha. The iV-4 will also endorse, like XA Alpha, a clam shell bonnet and will have a front grille divided into 5 segments which is making the car in the teaser look damn aggressive. But this is a concept car, it may happen that the production model is tamed down a little. Other features evident in the teaser are roof top lights, large DRLs, thin side mirrors and more lighting around the front grille. This new SUV will be positioned between Jimmy and Vitara in the company’s car profile. It might replace the Gypsy and will compete with Nissan’s Juke.
The car will never enter the US. In fact no car from Suzuki will now enter US. The company had filed for Chapter 11 with the US government and it has been approved by them. With this, Suzuki will shut down all its car production units in the States with only motorcycles, ATVs and marine products left behind. The judgment was passed on the 5th of March 2013 and the restructuring was due to commence from 31st March onwards. On the approval of the Chapter 11 the company’s Chief Restructuring Officer, M. Freddie Reiss had said that “Today’s confirmation is a significant milestone and is one of the last remaining steps in our realignment and restructuring process. During the next few weeks, we will take final steps to implement the Plan, which will allow the Company to sell its Motorcycles/ATV, Marine, Automotive parts and service divisions. This will promote the long-term growth of the Motorcycles/ATV and Marine divisions, as well as providing automotive parts and service through the dealer network.”
This car is therefore meant to aim at the developed countries in Europe. This cars as the company claims is an elegant example of “innovativeness and modernity”. But with just a few dark teasers, it will too early to accept that.
The car will most likely be manufactured at the Suzuki’s Hungary manufacturing facility. It is expected to go on sale in the European nations by the end 2014 or early 2015. It might never make it to India though.