2011 Tokyo Auto Show: First Look: Suzuki Q-Concept
By Evan McCausland
The Tokyo Motor Show just isn't the Tokyo Motor Show without a handful of oddly shaped concept cars and unusual vehicle names. Leave it to Suzuki to provide both in one fell swoop.
The Japanese automaker/ VW sparring partner is bringing three concept vehicles to this year's Tokyo show - the least outlandish of which is perhaps the Swift EV Hybrid. As the name loosely suggests, the car - based off the small Swift hatchback seemingly sold everywhere but North America - is a plug-in hybrid. Coincidentally, so too was the one-off Swift shown at the last Tokyo show in 2009.
No specifications are provided at this stage, but if the car is mechanically similar to the Swift plug-in concept shown at the last Tokyo show, expect the car to offer a 12.4-mile EV range, and utilize a 660-cc three-cylinder engine as a range-extending generator. We wouldn't be too surprised to learn the only difference between the earlier concept and this are some cosmetic details, including flashy wheels, new headlamps, and modified grille inserts.
Too bland for your tastes? Take a gander at Suzuki's Regina (and for the love of God, stop snickering already). What looks a little like an evolved form of the Mercedes-Benz Bionic concept is allegedly Suzuki's vision of its next global compact car. Apparently, the automaker will take a hard line on weight, as the concept tips the scales at 1600 pounds, and is allegedly about 10% more aerodynamic than the current production Swift. Here's hoping the design gets a less bizarre interior (and a new name) should it ever make its way to production.
Need something quirkier? That's where the Q-concept comes in. The Q - which apparently draws its name from its exterior form - is described as a new kind of mobility that's "positioned between motorcycles and cars." Designed primarily for urban use, the car is only 8.2-feet long, is purportedly "ideal for trips under 10 km." Tandem seating for two is provided, though Suzuki says the smaller rear seat can be folded flat to provide enough cargo space for use as a delivery vehicle. Call us crazy, but we don't think we'll be seeing one of these in UPS livery anytime soon.
Expect more information on these three concepts to emerge closer to the Tokyo Motor Show, which officially opens to the press on November 30th.
Credit: Automobile Magazine (www.automobilemag.com)
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