Suzuki SX4 WRC takes to the tarmac
Click image for photo gallery
Last month, the Suzuki SX4 WRC underwent tarmac testing in Europe, and the consensus is that things are progressing well, but there's room for improvement,. And to be competitive, more improvement is needed. The car's current configuration is said to be very close to what the team will use in the WRC test entries it's scheduled for -- the Rallye de France in October and Rally GB in November.
Suzuki Sport's president, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima (yes, him), said that while the results the group has seen are encouraging, he knows that the European WRC teams are evolving and improving just as quickly, and he and the rest of the team at Suzuki Sport are working very hard to ensure that the SX4 WRC will be a competitive entry when takes part in this season's upcoming test rallies, and more importantly, next year's World Rally Championship season. We hope this WRC effort will ultimately spawn a snazzy, turbocharged SX4 street car to do battle with the WRX in the marketplace. Because, you know, we're selfish like that.
Press release after the jump.
[Source: Suzuki]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shadysi 10:54AM (7/27/2007)
*waits for announcement of turrbo awd sx4*
:D
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1337 11:01AM (7/27/2007)
YES! This thing is just waiting to destroy the Caliber SRT-4 in acceleration, handling, and traction--and undercut it in price!
dap7298 11:09AM (7/27/2007)
At least Suzuki can still make an attractive station wagon unlike some other car company I won't mention.
1337 2:19PM (7/27/2007)
Dodge can make an attractive station wagon--the 300C wagon isn't too bad. The Caliber is one of the worst designs ever, regardless of what engine Dodge stuffs under the hood.
Richard 11:12AM (7/27/2007)
THAT WING!!!
Is what the WRX STi will be needing once it goes on sale here.
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Fabri91 11:35AM (7/27/2007)
Did you know that the SX4 is a sibling of Fiat's Sedici?
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MD 11:40AM (7/27/2007)
The SX4 as far as I can tell is the lowest priced AWD sold in America. Suzuki could bolt-on a turbo with a huge intercooler and still drastically undercut the price of the competition.
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Tiochristopher 11:41AM (7/27/2007)
thats cool. Now if we can get Suzuki to add the S model here in the USA, which does away with the black trim and uses body colored trim.
http://www.suzuki.co.jp/dom4/lineup/sx4/exterior/gallery/pg.jpg
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1337 2:20PM (7/27/2007)
That looks a lot better. It probably wouldn't be too expensive to have the black trim painted, though.
ebm14 12:13AM (7/28/2007)
Also there are Xeons!!!
nagmashot 11:55AM (7/27/2007)
Is that a full WRC car or a Super2000 Rally car... does not look like a full allert WRC Rally car... the second line Rally Series the super2000 (2.0l n/a 8500rpm limit AWD 260-285hp) is very popular in Europe and much more car brands race this Rally series as the WRC because it is a lot cheaper and much more private teams can run it.
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Alex Nunez 7:51PM (7/27/2007)
It is a WRC Car, not Super 2000:
http://www.suzuki-wrc.com/interview/suzukisport/e/index.html
Brad 12:30PM (7/27/2007)
Wow, this would be a sweet car and for the price :o
I'd definitely buy this--a street version.
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tbirdkatz 1:02PM (7/27/2007)
Wagon looks cool. The sedan comes to the U.S. next year with either FWD or AWD. Give me the AWD model with 260+ hp and a decent interior and I'm sold. Also, get rid of the black body trim and go with body color like mentioned above.
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1337 2:23PM (7/27/2007)
The sedan version kind of spoils the SX4's SUV image in America.
Pud 2:09PM (7/27/2007)
260 hp in an SX4? Do you plan on launching yourself to the moon or replacing your tires every week or what?
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1337 2:22PM (7/27/2007)
I'm a bit worried about the SX4's AWD holding up to this kind of power. Suzuki will probably strengthen it the AWD for rally duty, but the street version's AWD might not hold up to the extra power from a bolt-on turbo.
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Cortez 2:23PM (7/27/2007)
This is a rally car it will not go in production
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calebe 3:16PM (7/27/2007)
I really like these, although the sedan not so much. To corolla looking. Not the corolla is a bad car, just very bland. the Hatch really needs the mono paint as an option.
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Nick 7:11PM (7/27/2007)
I think this is super2000, the interview with the engineer makes no mention of turbocharging.
Even though the SX4 is available with awd, any rally bred derivative would need a whole new rear suspension, as the rear axle on the production AWD SX4 is not even independent.
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