Suzuki Shelves Hybrid, V6 Kizashi Plans

Japanese carmaker Suzuki canceled plans for a hybrid and a V6 version of the Kizashi sedan after the company signed an agreement with Volkswagen, with the Germans buying a 20 percent stake in Suzuki. The two aforementioned Suzuki versions were supposed to use technology provided by General Motors but the US-based manufacturer sold its stake in Suzuki in 2008.

As a replacement, Suzuki is looking into ways to employ Volkswagen technology, but a decision on such a change of plans is yet to be decided. Suzuki however sent a team of engineers to Germany to study this possibility, company officials told Autonews.

"We are looking at VW's cost structure and their offerings," said Steve Younan, director of product planning at American Suzuki Motor Corp. "We want to keep our cars reachable to mere mortals. We would be happy with a small V-6 or a turbo-four," Younan said. "The Kizashi suspension is not at its limit. We are trying to be an affordable performance brand."

Otherwise, Suzuki presented at the New York International Auto Show the 2011 Kizashi Sport, a model that features several aesthetic improvements, but no mechanical upgrades.

"We've been thrilled with an enthusiastic reaction to the 2010 Kizashi, and we look forward to offering sport sedan buyers the newest iteration of our stylish sport sedan later this year," said Koichi Suzuki, executive vice president American Suzuki Automotive Operations. "The Kizashi Sport provides us with an opportunity to build on the sport sedan's short-term accomplishments and further engage driving enthusiasts looking for an affordable alternative to luxury performance vehicles."