Nissan to market Suzuki city car in Europe
As part of the partnership agreement between Nissan and Suzuki that we reported a few days ago, a Nissan Motor spokesperson in the U.K. has confirmed that Suzuki will build a new city car for Nissan to sell in Europe.Scheduled for a 2007 launch, the city car will reportedly be an all-new model. The closest thing to a Suzuki city car so far seen in Europe is the Wagon R+, a chunky, 1.3-liter people mover (also sold as the Opel/Vauxhall Agila) that apparently has built something of a cult following.
Autoblog's vote for Nissan's new city car? The Suzuki LC concept car from the last Tokyo Auto Show (pictured).
[Source: Verdict on Cars, Suzuki Motor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Speed42 11:38AM (6/08/2006)
Yes, I am an un-American heretic for suggesting such a thing, but that car should really be sold in the States. Price it starting at around $12,000 and market it as a high-mileage, two-person commuter with a high-performance sport version nearing $18,000 and Suzuki could (finally) have a winner.
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ron 11:43AM (6/08/2006)
That thing is so homely that it's cute!
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Richard Warren 11:46AM (6/08/2006)
Yep, the Toons will love it.
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bloodnok 12:07PM (6/08/2006)
there are so many really cool city cars in japan. it'd be nice to have an option to run a tiny gas-miser on the streets of san francisco. be a better bet than one of those ridiculous hybrids.
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P.L. 12:24PM (6/08/2006)
I like the idea. But for a car this tiny would have to offer way north of 100mpg. Toyota's prius, at twice the size, will generate 100+mpg.
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Clarence 12:29PM (6/08/2006)
Which came first--this car or the movie "Cars?"
Cars should be fun and this one definitely is.
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Cameron 12:30PM (6/08/2006)
I would rock the pictured car!
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gbh 12:37PM (6/08/2006)
Interesting blend of retro and Pixar.
City cars should definately be fun, and love it or hate it, at least this one is fun.
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digi01 12:42PM (6/08/2006)
reminds of the nissan figaro. I would love to have that car in the states.
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digi01 12:44PM (6/08/2006)
Reminds me a lot of the nissan figaro from 1991 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Figaro. I would love to have either car here in the states.
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Daggy 12:56PM (6/08/2006)
I love it! This city car reminds me of the British Ford Anglia of the late fifties. That car had a sidevalve motor and rod actuated brakes.
Incidentally, would sidevalve motors be competitive using today's improvements in engine controls?
The benefits of sidevalves would be simplicity, small size, and low emissions due to their low compression ratios.
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Jay 1:24PM (6/08/2006)
The Prius gets 100+MPG? That's news to me.
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P.L. 2:00PM (6/08/2006)
Jay, follow this link
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/06/07/next-gen-prius-will-be-turbocharged-get-100-mpg-and-maybe-plu/
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Josh W. 2:00PM (6/08/2006)
Re: #12
Toyota recently announced that future generations of the Prius will attain the vaunted 100MPG mark. And that is supposed to be the NEAR future as well, whatever that really means!
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Alan 2:41PM (6/08/2006)
Isn't this Mr Incredible's car?
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Juan 2:56PM (6/08/2006)
That car is adorable. I would drive it. I might have to paint my face white, wear a red nose and some oversized shoes, but it'd be worth it.
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matt 3:17PM (6/08/2006)
P.L, the current prius is rated at 78mpg in japan with the next one estimated to get 94mpg (113mpg in the UK). A solid increase but not nearly double. Calling it the 100mpg prius is a bit deceptive and depends on how it is measured across different regions that use different methods for estimating milaege.
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Jim 3:50PM (6/08/2006)
Another ugly dog
http://www.sbftech.com
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Rob O'Daniel 7:19AM (6/09/2006)
Hey cool! And there's still enough passenger space for both Wallace *and* Gromit!
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Travis Ayres 1:55AM (6/11/2006)
#11 - No, sidevalve motors would NOT be competitive using today's improvements in engine controls. Sidevalve motors have a design-inefficient for airflow (which relates to burn efficiency) and they don't allow for good swirl characteristics. And low compression has nothing to do with low emissions - emissions are related to quality of burn, which is more related to airflow, temperature, and the vaporization of fuel (for instance, some 'car guys' used to make their engines run cooler by having the...valve that opens to let coolant into the radiator (oh god, I just forgot its name, sorry, I feel dumb).... replaced with a lower number one. This would actually keep some of the fuel from vaporizing, and would put it into the chamber as bigger droplets, which are very inefficient to burn (throw a match into a puddle of gas, it won't burn - the vaporized gas above it will burn) - its a ratio of fuel to oxygen, simplistically.
Also, sidevalve motors used to be small, but they are totally inefficient. To get the same power output as a modern engine, they'd have to be...stupid large. A cam in block (good old pushrod) engine has a much better design for valve placement, as do OHC engines. This is why sidevalve engines are not around today in modern passenger cars.
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