Autoblog

Suzuki Grand Vitara Pickup Concept from 2000 Tokyo Motor Show

Suzuki is the little automaker with pluck, having galantly reached its ambitious goal of selling 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year. Soon another model with join Suzuki's lineup, and it's probably not what you think. Pickuptruck.com is reporting that the Japanese automaker will likely debut a new mid-size truck called the Equator at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show in February. The Equator name, while not confirmed or denied by Suzuki, has been registered as a trademark by the company. Suzuki will be getting help from Nissan to build its pickup, as the Equator will be produced on the same platform as the Frontier pickup and share that truck's assembly line in Smyrna, Tennessee. Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com points out that Suzuki has definitely expressed interest in pickups before, having debuted the Grand Vitara Pickup Concept (shown above) at the 2000 Tokyo Motor Show. Let's not forget the excellent X-Head Concept that debuted at this year's show in Tokyo. Still, the mid-size pickup market in the U.S. is in even worse shape than the full-size pickup market, and is hardly stable enough to provide Suzuki with very many sales. If done well, however, the Equator could be the exception and give folks who own all manner of Suzuki hardware like bikes and ATVs a truck with which to tow their toys.

[Source: Pickuptruck.com]