The Suzuki Twins

The Japanese motor company, Suzuki has unveiled a pair of concept cars that are polar opposites for the New York Motor Show.  Both the vehicles are based on the new stylish Kizashi saloon.

The first concept is an eco-friendly hybrid that has been called the EcoCharge which throws away the standard 2.4 litre engine for a smaller 142bhp 2 litre petrol engine that has been combined with a 20bhp electric motor and a 115V air cooled lithium-ion battery that drives the wheels on a six-speed auto gearbox.

Suzuki says that the new powertrain improves fuel economy by 25 percent over the conventional petrol powered car.  The new powertrain will deliver 35.8mpg.

To set this EcoCharge apart from the rest of the Eco cars available, Suzuki have made some eye-catching visual tweaks such as Blue chrome twin exhausts and LED running lights.  You also get custom made alloys, unique headlights, start/stop regenerative brakes and low-rolling resistance tyres to make the EcoCharge as efficient as possible.

Now we come to the other concept, which is the Apex.  The Apex is also based on the Kizashi but gets inspiration from Suzuki’s GSX-R championship winning superbikes which have serious performance thanks to a new Garrett turbocharger.

Salivating at the lips already?  Check out your local Suzuki Nottingham dealer for more information.

With a combined dual-flow exhaust system and large intercooler, the power has been increased to 275 and 300bhp which will take seconds off current models 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds.  Power is transferred to all 4 wheels through a manual gearbox.  Manual would be the only option of Suzuki actually put the Apex into production.

The exterior has a more aggressive look with 19inch Black lightweight alloys and the same racing livery as the GSX-R superbikes.

Suzuki plan on starting production in December this year which makes for a tantalizing prospect.