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Suzuki has often flirted with the idea of strapping a turbocharger to the Kizashi, and it’s once again putting it at the front of our minds with this, the Apex concept, here at the 2011 New York Auto Show.

The Kizashi Apex uses a Garrett turbocharger, air-to-liquid intercooler and a recalibrated ECU to produce an estimated 275 to 300 horsepower, mated solely to a six-speed manual transmission. To communicate that grunt to the road, Suzuki has fitted the Apex with a set of 19-inch wheels wrapped in sticky 245-series Yokohama tires.

As for the graphics package, the livery is pulled from the Japanese automaker’s GSX-R race motorcycles, tying the Apex to Suzuki’s racier roots. Of course, the car is simply a concept for now, but we’re crossing our fingers that it makes it to production… somehow.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

New York 2011: Suzuki makes a Kizashi Turbo, calls it the Apex concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suzuki is building a car that we wish more people knew about – the Kizashi. The automaker’s mid-size sedan was featured in Suzuki’s first-ever Super Bowl ad, a modified version set a Bonneville speed record and the stock car traveled a grueling trail from Tokyo to Los Angeles. Now, Suzuki has prepared two new concept versions, showing us what might be in store for the Kizashi down the road. And believe us, are fingers are crossed that these two make it to production.

First up, the Kizashi EcoCharge Concept is a hybrid sedan that adds a touch of style to a segment rarely getting that extra dash of curb appeal. (Sorry, Ford Fusion Hybrid – you aren’t nearly as pretty as this thing.) Traditional gasoline oomph is provided courtesy of a 2.0-liter inline-four, while a 15-kilowatt motor and 115-volt, air-cooled, lithium-ion battery give the EcoCharge its electric giddy-up. Suzuki says the combination is good for a 25 percent increase over the standard Kizashi’s 30-mile-per-gallon highway fuel-economy rating. But it’s not just the hybrid powertrain providing the MPG lift – the Kizashi EcoCharge Concept is fitted with start/stop, has regenerative braking and wears low-rolling resistance tires.

To help it stand apart from its standard Kizashi siblings, Suzuki has gussied up the exterior of the EcoCharge. Unique headlights, LEDs in the fascia and a white satin paint job communicate that this Kizashi has something else going on. The LEDs also help communicate that this is still a concept, since we don’t think the local authorities would be too fond of the blue lights up front (they’re illegal, y’all).

The EcoCharge wasn’t the only sedan on the stand. On the other end of the spectrum, the automaker debuted something more focused on outright performance rather than efficiency.

Continue reading Suzuki Kizashi EcoCharge and Apex concepts bow in New York…

Continue reading Suzuki Kizashi EcoCharge and Apex concepts bow in New York [w/video]

Suzuki Kizashi EcoCharge and Apex concepts bow in New York [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suzuki is hoping to jumpstart its slow-selling Kizashi with two concepts that will debut at the New York International Auto Show. Suzuki says that the cars will each feature a different “advanced propulsion system,” though they aren’t dropping many hints as to what that may mean.

Whatever it is, Suzuki’s New York show display will be advanced propulsion-themed, and all will become clear soon enough.

There aren’t any photos of the cars available yet, but Suzuki says one will be a “socially-conscious sedan,” while the other will be a rowdy tribute to Suzuki’s motorcycling heritage. We haven’t quite figured out what that means, either. Whatever the cars wind up looking like, Suzuki says it will debut them during its press conference at the show.

Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2011 AOL

[Source: Suzuki]

Continue reading Suzuki bringing two Kizashi concepts to New York Auto Show

Suzuki bringing two Kizashi concepts to New York Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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