Suzuki unveils two concept vehicles

Maruti Suzuki unveils two concept cars Maruti The Concept-S and Suzuki e-Survivor at Auto Expo 2018. The Concept-S talks about best in class space from a compact SUV. The design is very bold in the sense that the front of the car uses more or less upright surfaces and the A-pillar is nearly vertical. The Suzuki e-Survivor is an electric vehicle (EV) and comes powered by two electric motors for the front and back wheels. The Suzuki e-Survivor SUV, as stated by the company earlier, inherits the magnetic identity of Suzuki from the Jimny (Gypsy in India) and the Vitara.

The 2018 Auto Expo was kicked-off in fine style with the global unveiling of the Suzuki Future S concept. The first of over 100 unveils at India’s biennial auto show in Greater Noida, the Future S showcases an all-new design language for India’s largest automaker and a hint at what future Maruti cars will look like. The body style of the Future S is unmistakably an SUV, with its upright stance, high bonnet line and wide haunches. It’s also a clear indicator that Maruti, known for its conventional hatchbacks, is now training its sights on the SUV segment. The increasing preference for SUVs as a body style across the spectrum of the market is driving this new design direction. Currently, the only SUV Maruti has in the market is the Vitara Brezza, which sells on average of over 13,000 units a month.

With a length and wheelbase similar to the Ignis, the Future S is clearly a compact SUV and, like the Vitara Brezza, is intended to take advantage of the tax benefits offered to cars with a length less than four metres. However, the Future S is dimensionally smaller than Vitara Brezza and aimed a segment below, where it will square up against the popular Renault Kwid and compete with conventional hatchbacks as well. The concept features an upright stance, a high seating position and a vertical A pillar. High mounted lights, big wheel arches and well-defined haunches further accentuate the vehicle’s tough look.

The distinctive SUV styling cues of the Future S also suggests that Maruti Suzuki is betting more on a traditional SUV design like that of the hugely successful Vitara Brezza. The automaker wants to replicate that success in other SUV segments where it is not yet present. The lukewarm response to the S-cross and subdued sales of the Ignis are proof enough that crossovers don’t have quite the same appeal as a conventional SUV. There is no word on when the production version of the Future S will go on sale but, according to company sources, it could be as early as the end of this year.

It will eventually be built on Suzuki’s lightweight Heartect platform and is likely to come with only a petrol engine at launch, followed by Maruti Suzuki’s first in-house-developed 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel. The Future S is believed to be packaged for some of electrification as well. The Future S-derived family of cars is unlikely to replace Maruti’s existing line-up and will co-exist alongside its bread-and-butter models like the Celerio, Wagon R and Swift. The e-Survivor concept is a small convertible SUV based on a ladder-frame chassis and powered by an electric motor at each wheel, effectively making it a four-wheel-drive car. Displayed at the ongoing Auto Expo, the model is meant to preview future small SUVs from the Japanese brand.

The e-Survivor concept, which was first showcased at the 2017 Tokyo motor show, is meant to be a serious off-roader, as is evident by its high ground clearance, massive wheel arches with rugged tyres and minimal overhangs. Maruti claims the e-Survivor is built with lightweight materials to aid in off-roading. The highlight of the cabin is a spherical display showing the car and its immediate surroundings. The e-Survivor also boasts of a screen on the steering wheel and one on the lower part of its windshield. These screens display augmented reality images of objects in front of the car that are in the blind spot in front of the bumper.

The e-Survivor reminds us of the X-90, with the open-top, two-seater configuration. Maruti claims that it has also drawn inspiration from the Vitara and the Jimny in designing this concept. While the presence of a steering wheel and generic driver controls may suggest that Maruti does not believe in fully-autonomous tech making its way to this segment, it does claim that this concept dipicts the brand’s future of mobiiity, showcasing four major technologies Four-Wheel Drive, Autonomous, Connected and Electric.

Suzuki e-Survivor is a two-seater 4×4 vehicle. This Concept was unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show and now it comes to India at the Auto Expo 2018. Peculiar thing about it that this one’s electric and hence in tune with the company’s plan of producing all-electric cars in India. The Suzuki e-Survivor comes with four in-wheel electric motors, but it’s been envisioned as a two-seater car without a roof, but what we can see is that it’s a 4×4.

References

• Technical references from Autocar India and Newspaper.
• Photos from Auto Expo 2018 clicked by me.