Paul Tan's Automotive Industry News

2008 Suzuki Splash

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Back in 2004, a team of 10 Suzuki designers lived in Germany for 6 months to analyse European trends in cars, fashion, lifestyle and design. Suzuki wanted this data for the styling of a new European A-segment mini-MPV, which targetted phase 2 of Suzuki’s new World-Strategy revival plan. Phase 1 spawned new icons like the new Suzuki Swift and Swift Sport, and this new mini-MPV would be the fourth car that Suzuki would have launched in the last 3 years.

Basically, the team headed by Akira Kamio produced three concepts and conducted model clinics, and finally Suzuki’s Project Splash was shown to the world in Q3 last year at the Paris motor show. Project Splash evolved into the Suzuki Splash, also rebadged by Vauxhall and Opel as the Vauxhall/Opel Agila.

The Suzuki Splash will make it’s debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September, and will go on sale in 2008. Three engine choices are available – gasoline choices consist of a Suzuki 1.0 liter 65 PS 3-cylinder engine and a Suzuki 1.2 liter 86 PS 4-cylinder engine also found in the new Swift 1.2 liter, while oil burner fans can have their Suzuki Splash powered by a Fiat-sourced 1.3 liter 75 PS unit. All engines come with 5-speed manusl except for the 1.2 liter petrol which has an optional 4-speed auto.

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38 Comments »

  1. yinglwong said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 4:01 am

    Very cute K-car.

    Suzuki revival continues.

  2. Joe Ooi said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 5:01 am

    U see, how Suzuki design their car to meet market needs – look at the high of the car, the headroom is clearly shown it is relatively high to accommodate the relatively tall built of the European.

  3. geminas said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 5:15 am

    wth hello kitty car, no confident taking corner.waiting for more blm spyshot pls!

  4. sarawakguy said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 6:51 am

    Joe Ooi…about that headroom thing,I kinda agree with you.The reason which:- I’m 5′ 7″…..that explains…just a thought noted anyway..

  5. J said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 8:18 am

    I like the gear stick kon cover :)

  6. transformer said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 9:28 am

    nice front!

    o… 1.2L source from FIAT, did SUZUKI really had to do that… Isnt GM/OPEL/VAUXHAL already had few in its range….. IMHO, should use a SUZUKI heart !

  7. w_lighter said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 10:21 am

    Erm…. another fugly car….

  8. phylixng said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 10:56 am

    I JUST SIMPLY LIKE THIS CAR. IT LOOKS GOOD AND ECONOMICAL. NOT TOO FANCY AND YET MODERN. HM. GOOD FOR NEWLY WED FAMILY. HAHA!

  9. ahmadmckk said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 11:17 am

    Can be a twin car to the swift

  10. 4G63T DSM said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 11:17 am

    Cute car. Would be interesting if we should see this marketed here in the 40k range CKD’d with the top end Viva’s, savvy’s, and Hyundai/KIAs.

  11. Kevin Lee said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 11:28 am

    to transformer:

    1.3l is a diesel sourced from FIAT, else the SUZUKI engine comes in both 1.0 and 1.2

    anyways, nice interior for a k-car, looks like a passo, but rounder and nicer, if this was made into a myvi competitor, it would be great

  12. narrowband said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 11:35 am

    Not bad at all… Should be a strong competitor in this segment.

  13. danoneism said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 12:16 pm

    correct me if im wrong….is dat a boost meter or jst rpm???????
    nway…cute car….so cute….
    cool interior….
    im agree bout the gen2 headroom thing….

  14. ab said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 1:14 pm

    good looks, but abit too cute for a man

  15. kei9 said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 2:08 pm

    from what i’ve read, this splash will share the same body design as the daihatsu (dun remember) also new.

  16. mmcwei said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 2:51 pm

    haha…the front look like a just born baby dinosaur…but the car seems very small…something like viva…but nice 1.2l with 87ps…but why 1.3 from fiat only get 75ps?

  17. torishimeyakuin said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 3:26 pm

    Dear Kei9,

    I don’t think Suzuki will be working together with Daihatsu since they are the true rival back here in Japan. Both manufacturers are well known to monopolize compact & K-car segment in JDM with average of 30% market shares respectively.

    However recently, it’s been reported that Suzuki now is vying into upper class segment which makes them to concentrate more towards bigger CCs and sedan-like cars soon. This move left some spaces for Daihatsu to topple Suzuki for the No. 1 in K-car market share in Japan for last 06/07 fiscal year.

    From what i’ve known, Besides Toyota, Daihatsu currently has been working together with Subaru and not Suzuki. While Suzuki, they are trying to make their presence more significant in Europe besides India which is already their overseas stronghold.

  18. raybrig85 said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 3:27 pm

    cutela dis car…mbe b a strong competitor in its class…interior…minimalist dsg…good..

  19. szw said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 4:05 pm

    not really that european .

  20. albagmane said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 6:43 pm

    hmm… this is another success outcome from the foreign brains… it never happens on our local brains in designing cars though (for those who work in local car maker)… both space and stylish…

  21. proton GL said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 7:45 pm

    last vw passat,

    http://www.gutauto.ur.ru/PICTURES/VW%20Passat%20B64.JPG
    -swooping cabin-

  22. armandd said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 7:57 pm

    #
    mmcwei said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 2:51 pm

    haha…the front look like a just born baby dinosaur…but the car seems very small…something like viva…but nice 1.2l with 87ps…but why 1.3 from fiat only get 75ps?

    the 1.3l engine is diesel lah, that’s why…

  23. sxe10r said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 9:42 pm

    cute ?? … haha swift local assemble …. 70k ….. this model will be the next for local assemble for suzuki ?? 50k hit the P2 myvi ??… interior looks cute like MINI zai plus one RPM or turbo meter ?? hope more model coming soon ~

  24. mystvearn said,

    July 8, 2007 @ 10:00 pm

    actually its quite a nice design

  25. mosfet said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 12:26 am

    no thanks
    i rather take savvy
    thank you

  26. bmpower said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 12:41 am

    Sniff sniff.. someone barking about p1 here.?
    haloo.. this is SUZUKI’s post!!!

    Erm.. i don’t know.. why none of suzuki’s car can attract my eye and mood.
    Maybe coz they not a real car maker :D because their best brand is GSX.
    This is mini mpv. no wonder it had better n larger space. Some people still comparing a MPV vs a SUV. Prtttffhhhh (getting to like this phase).

    1.2L 86ps such a good thing. The big speedometer just like mini cooper s.
    Anyway. that 1.0 3-cylinder , i hate so much.. the sound must be like kancil… kancil 3 cylinder with big mufler.. sound ugly like hell.. Loud sound.. moving 1 inch. :D

  27. proton GL said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 12:59 am

    continental look?

    - proton did-

  28. azrai said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 7:38 am

    Suzuki’s own Picanto.

  29. xstan said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 9:28 am

    Cutey!! Will look nice on ladies & student. Cant imagine a manly tall guy driving it. Well it meant that way since it targets at this demographic sector. Not for big family.

  30. daze said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 1:37 pm

    is a nice cute K-car… a manly man should drive.. put ur ego and power craze behind…
    Motorhead should be more eco-conscious these day plz…
    d more turbo, d more fuel u burn u’re eventually killing d mother earth.

  31. kei9 said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 2:33 pm

    Dear torishimeyakuin,

    ohh! i’ve mis thinked what i saw…this splash does’nt share with daihatsu BUT Opel Agila cos opel & Suzuki are owned by GM with its controlling stakes…..

  32. intermilan said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 2:51 pm

    the suzuki engineer go where in germany actually to do their ’supposed’ observation ?

    dah jepun tu jepun jugak… 6 bulan pun tak paham2 lagi wha

  33. intermilan said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 3:23 pm

    the suzuki engineer go where in germany actually to do their ’supposed’ observation ?

    dah jepun tu jepun jugak…

  34. ezralimm said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 6:02 pm

    KAWAI!!!!111.

    I like the RPM meter… hehehe, like the turbo gauge on some cars. It’s just… cute.

  35. hotwheeler said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 6:14 pm

    there’s a viagra ad in this blog….haha….sorry out of topic..

  36. aliBaPa said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 9:04 pm

    interior nice (hanging central panel)
    front nice (vw/audi mouth)
    but i don’t like backside, ugly, reminds me of Atos.

  37. jcw9960 said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 10:58 pm

    I really like this Suzuki Splash! Small car, big space. Its the way of the future. Everyone is looking to build a smallish MPV-like car. Mercedes now have 2 of ‘em – the A-Class and the B-Class, and BMW is looking to build too. Audi will be re-freshing the A2. And there are more European manufacturers coming out with refreshing small car designs. Suzuki has a winner in me with this one!

    And don’t think the 1.3L diesel is worthing nothing. FIAT is very, very good at making diesel engines. This 1.3L diesel kicks out 75 bhp. That’s very close to a normal 1.3L petrol. But the point here is that it’ll have loads more torque than a petrol equivalent, and that’s where it counts in the real world.

    I had a Clio 1.5 dCi sometime ago while on holiday in France. It had 105 bhp – that’s in the same league of a Vios, City 1.5L. But the Clio had 240 Nm of torque – the Vios and City somewhere around 130 Nm only!. Just for reference, a Perdana V6 puts out only 178 Nm of torque, and to get 240 Nm of torque from a daily driver…well, you’ll need to be driving a Honda Accord 2.4 or a Camry 2.4. I had 240 Nm all from only a 1.5L common-rail turbo diesel that gave me 1000 km per tankful of fuel. So sensible! So…pls don’t sneeze at todays diesel engines. It puts petrol engines to shame, and make them rather pointless. Pity that our diesel fuel quality is rather dirty (with sulphur). Otherwise, I’d take a small diesel engine anytime.

  38. jcw9960 said,

    July 9, 2007 @ 11:04 pm

    Oh yeah…and Renault just launched their new Twingo. Also a small car, with 1.2L 75 bhp engine, and a 1.2L tiny-turbo 100 bhp engine. There is a 1.5L 65 bhp diesel and a 85 bhp version coming soon (I think). Plus there will be (and I’m pretty sure of it) a sporty sports version with 130 bhp. Now, all that in a car the size of a Viva! How funky is that! Why la, why la….why la we don’t get all these wonderful cars in Malaysia. I feel do deprived – so much better cars out there and we’ve got to “protect” own so-called-home-grown brands. Cheh…what crap!

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