1988 Nissan 300zx Underhood Relay Box on 2040-parts.com

Suzuki loses the American Dream, dies an unloved death on our shores

On Nov. 5, 2012, the American Suzuki Motor Corp.filed for bankruptcy and announced that no more Suzukis will be sold in America—not now, not ever. (Unless someone has the Bricklin-like foresight to import Wagon Rs to our advanced civilization in, say, 50 years.) And with that news, the Stateside automotive journalists filed their respective stories, drove home and sat on the couch to twiddle their thumbs.

Suzuki CrossHiker, X-Lander & Hustler Concepts for Tokyo Motor Show

It’s the Tokyo Motor Show next month, and that’s a big deal for Japanese car makers, eager to make a statement at their home motor show, and Suzuki are quick out of the gate with three new concepts for the show. The Suzuki Crosshiker is a three-door crossover that comes complete with a big panoramic roof, weighs just a bit over 800kg, is about the size of a compact car – but higher riding, and is powered by a new, frugal three-cylinder engine. Concept number two is the Suzuki X-Lander which get built on the underpinnings of the Jimny and gets four wheel drive with power coming from a 1.3 litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor.

VW Phaeton - the new one coming in 2015

A brand new Volkswagen Phaeton Mk2 will be launched in 2015, based on a new architecture being masterminded by cousins Audi. Dubbed VW631, the new VW Phaeton will be based on MLM Evo (modular longitudinal matrix) which makes provision for a plug-in hybrid option, an aluminium-intensive body structure and a much more advanced and less nose-heavy dynamic layout. Although VW chairman Martin Winterkorn has in the past black-flagged the Avantissimo (A8-based) and the Passat Variant Plus (A6-derived), there is still a lot to be said for a second more practical bodystyle in addition to the four-door notch which is almost compulsory in this segment.