Suzukis Splash Concept To Debut at Paris

Swift Photos

Splash is an interesting spin on the city car. (Photo: American Suzuki Motor Corporation)

Swift Sport fills the void of having a more perky engine. (Photo: American Suzuki Motor Corporation)

Cmon, Suzuki. Bring this one over, please. (Photo: American Suzuki Motor Corporation)

Tall-Form Subcompact and Warmed-up Swift Star at Suzuki Display in Paris

In terms of its product line up, Suzuki has been making leaps and bounds. The new Grand Vitara and European/Asian market Swift have both received countless awards, and have changed the way that Japans smallest mass-market car maker is perceived. With two new crossover vehicles to be launched for 2007 - the SX4 compact crossover and the XL-7 seven-seat crossover - Suzuki is now looking to expand  the brand in a new direction that it will soon show off at this years Paris Motor Show.

Like the Concept S and S2 are to the Swift, the Concept-X to the XL-7, and the Concept-X2 to the Grand Vitara, the Splash is a demonstrator concept vehicle that the brand is using to test the waters (pardon the pun) for a new multi-purpose vehicle. Suzuki hopes to attract a new kind of buyer by combining a small A-segment footprint with the added versatility of taller than average height plus such a configurations associated raised seating position for a better view of the road.

From the single sketch that was released, the Splash explores a new direction for Suzuki styling. Is trapezoidal, slatted grille is very similar to Audis new corporate look, while the body itself features minimal overhangs, highly accentuated fenders, and thin, narrow front light clusters that stretch from the hood, right down the front fender. Suzuki has cleverly disguised the fact that the Splash is a five-door hatchback, giving the rear door frames a heavy upward kink, and by adding a sloping roof line.

The Splash concept vehicle is based off of Suzukis global subcompact platform. That would make it the third vehicle to use the underpinnings if produced, following the European/Asian market Swift and the SX4. Interestingly, the Splashs wheelbase is the smallest of the group at 92.9 inches, some 0.79 inches shorter than the Swift. Yet, at 148.8 inches it boasts the longest overall length of the group, and with a height of 64.9 inches its by far the tallest too.

An all-new 1.2-liter inline-four with DOHC and variable valve timing powers the Splash; its a motor thats will most likely serve as an entry-level powerplant to the Swift and other micro cars.

Also on the bill for the show is the introduction of the Swift Sport. With European-like handling, quick steering and little body roll, the Swift is considered by many critics to be one of the most entertaining subcompact cars on the road in Europe. Suzuki is pushing the Swifts eager character by introducing the Swift Sport for Europe, which offers bigger wheels, wider tires, stronger brakes, and a 125-hp, 1.6-liter inline-four with variable valve timing. We say: bring it over to North America, pronto!