Swift’s interior boasts sports seating, alloy pedals and a five-gauge instrument cluster.

Set to hit dealerships in October, the Sport variant receives new front bumper design, side skirts and roof-mounted spoiler. A ‘sport-tuned’ suspension coincides with dual exhaust and exclusive 17-inch aluminum wheels.

Source: WCF

Numbers have been dropping for the Japanese auto maker 4 years consecutively, as 2007, ’08, ’09 and ’10 vehicles sit on dealership lots. Suzuki adds that their new model will take the “Kizashi to the next level.” The 2012 Kizashi will make its debut at the New York Auto Show in April.

Kizashi Sport features a lowered suspension, unique body kit and 18-inch wheels.

Suzuki could launch a turbocharged version of the Kizashi next year. Reports say the turbo Kizash is a “phenomenal vehicle.” Other sources are saying the turbocharger would be an extra, dealer installed option – and not a factory installed variant.

Leftlanenews

The Bonneville Special was built by Richard Holdener and Tom Habrzyk. They equipped a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a Turbonetics turbocharger, intercooler, new intake manifold, revised headers, and forged pistons / rods. These modifications enabled the engine to achieve 500 bhp and 420 lb-ft of torque.

According to the official Press Release: With up to 16 pounds of boost from a Turbonetics turbocharger, the Kizashi’s increased horsepower required air-to-water intercooling (and snow water/methanol injection) – while its increased output demands a new ACT clutch and pressure plate. A scattershield is added, the oil pan is welded for a new drain fitting and a new 3.5-inch exhaust is fabricated aft of the turbocharger. Additional protection for the high-boost, high-rpm turbo motor is provided by full synthetic 5W-20 racing oil from Lucas Oil.

Conditions for the Kizashi’s record-setting Bonneville run were exactly as the build team, Advanced Product Engineering’s Richard Holdener, Tom Habrzyk and Scott Bailey, expected. With temperatures topping 100 degrees, the Kizashi was running at a density altitude on the flats of 6,303 feet. After passing inspection, the 2010 Kizashi provided Mitani, Road & Track’s international editor, a perfect platform for qualifying with the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), the sanctioning club for all Bonneville records. The 203.720 mph record was achieved by calculating the average of a two-way pass at 8:40 a.m. MT on August 18, 2010.

Suzuki has recently moved the other way, introducing what many consider to be its first ‘real’ sedan, the 2010 Kizashi, but the brand has long been known for its small-car capability and the new 2011 Suzuki Swift is about to continue that trend.

The car has just made its debut in Europe at the 2010 Paris Auto Show and we were there to take these live photos. The new model measures in at 12.6 feet in length, 5.5 feet in width and just under 5.0 feet in height. Both three- and five-door models will be available.

Last sold in the U.S. in 2001, the Swift is now primed for a return as CAFE standards and market pressures prepare the American public for a new breed of small cars. Like many other Suzuki models, the Swift is expected to be available with optional all-wheel drive, and a range of compact four-cylinder engines. It’s expected to make its U.S. return towards the end of this year as a 2011 model, so stay tuned for further clues as we approach its local debut. In the meantime, click here for all the details we have so far.

It’s hard to tell from the camo each Suzuki is sporting, but it appears that the car will have a small front spoiler – or a similar looking element – coming out from the bumper.

The rear light clusters also look to match the triangular shape of the front lights. Swift should come with either front wheel or all wheel drive, both available on current Swift sedans and hatchbacks.

Inside, Swift’s test dashboard hasn’t changed much – keeping up with a sportier feel and curved angles.

As testing continue you can bet more of the camo will come off, revealing the sexy new 2011 Suzuki Swift before it comes to dealerships later this year.

So now the Kizashi receives a turbo charged 2.4 liter engine, along with sportier trim. Yes, smaller engine and a fancier look. Frankly, we’re a little disappointed. This “sports” version of the Suzuki Kizashi will debut later this week at 2010′s New York Auto Show.

Pricing on any of the trim levels have yet to be announced though we did find out this version will go on sale in August. Still, those at Suzuki are excited: “We’ve been thrilled with an enthusiastic reaction to the 2010 Kizashi, and we look forward to offering sport sedan buyers the newest iteration of our stylish sport sedan later this year,” said Koichi Suzuki, executive vice president American Suzuki.

Photo: USA Today

The SUV-asaurus doesn’t have much of a suspension to speak of, but it is cuddly, squishy, and makes a really nice pillow (or something to squeeze when you awake from terrible nightmares). It also comes equipped with a “Live Large, Drive Small” dog tag. Currently only available in red, the SUV-asaurus comes with sunroof and a smile on its face. Drive one to your bed today!

Thanks to SuzukiAuto on Twitter!

“The 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara gains some new available features. This compact SUV seats five and has a side-hinged rear cargo door. Grand Vitara is offered with two engines. The first is a 166-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder that teams with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. The other engine is a 230-hp 3.2-liter V6 that has a 5-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive and two all-wheel drive systems are available: Single-mode AWD and Suzuki’s “Four-Mode” AWD that includes a locking differential and hill ascent and descent control. Grand Vitara comes in Base, Premium, Special Edition, XSport, and Limited trim levels. Base, Premium, and Special Edition come only with the 4-cylinder. Xsport and Limited are available with both engines. Rear-wheel drive is standard on the Base, Premium, and 4-cylinder versions of the Xsport and Limited. Single-mode AWD is standard on the Special Edition and available on the Premium and 4-cylinder Limited. V6 versions offer Four-Mode AWD. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. Newly standard on all models is a navigation system. A wireless cell-phone link is optional. A sunroof, keyless access and engine start, and real-time traffic information for the navigation system are standard on the XSport and Limited. Leather upholstery and heated front seats are standard only on the Limited.”

The Schwinn features 12 speeds, a caramel frame and a cushy leather saddle. – and runs about $18,000 less than the Suzuki SUV.

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, agreed last month to buy a 19.9 percent stake in Suzuki for 222.5 billion yen ($2.5 billion). “The two companies plan to develop hybrids and electric vehicles together under both car brands, Suzuki said Dec. 9″ according to The Bloomberg.

Suzuki completed the sale of its shares to Volkswagen on Friday, giving the European automaker its 19.9 percent ownership, Suzuki said. Suzuki also plans to introduce electric vehicle throughout Japan in the near future.

“The company has almost half of the market share in the country and aims to boost annual production capacity to 1.5 million vehicles from 1 million now,” according to Chief Executive Officer Shinzo Nakanishi. Maruti, Suzuki’s Indian site, aims to export 130,000 to 140,000 vehicles this fiscal year, including supplying 45,000 vehicles to Nissan.

Suzuki’s R3 has some interesting design angles and one key feature which intrigues us – suicide doors! Rear doors open backwards, allowing passengers to enter and exit this Multi Purpose Vehicle easily. Hopefully this rare deign feature will remain in the car’s final production phase.

As far as the rest of R3′s exterior look is concerned, it is given a somewhat brutish look, with a somewhat boxy shape and bulky rear. At the front, high-intensity lighting is contrasted with, what appears to be, subtle LED accents. LEDs can also be seen in the rear. Dual-exhaust pipes are well incorporated behind each wheel well.

According to WorldCarFans: “it is unclear what engine is used on the car, what fuel it uses, and the performance it delivers. Some reports speculate the car could receive the automaker’s 1.2- and 1.4-liter petrol engines, and a Fiat-built 1.3-liter diesel. The engine appears to be mated to a five-speed manual transmission on the prototype.”