First Glimpse of Suzuki Equator

Here's the official rendering of Suzuki's first true pickup truck, the Equator.

The Suzuki model is differentiated by a new, and rather large chrome-plated grille with three horizontal bars, and a new set of headlamps. The truck also gets new rounded front fenders that merge into the fascia and the new front bumper. On first glance, it looks like the nose of Toyota's full-size Tundra has been pasted on the body of an extended-cab Frontier.

As was established several months ago, the truck is a badge-engineered version of Nissan's midsize pickup, and will be built at the same Tennessee factory. Powering the truck will be Nissan's hearty 261-hp 4.0-liter V6 engine, which will be available with either 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic. Because of Suzuki's positioning as an entry level automaker, chances are the base 152-hp QR25DE four-cylinder engine from the base Frontier will be a prominent offering.

Details are still scarce regarding the Equator, though it's pretty safe to assume the same cab bed variations that are found on the Frontier will be available on the Suzuki version. We'll learn more when the truck officially debuts at Chicago next month.