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Garmin partners with Suzuki for company's first in-dash infotainment system
Sure, the portable GPS may still have a home among multi-car families, or drivers that have yet to make the jump to a smartphone, but we wouldn't be surprised to see the dedicated device's share decline over the next few years. At the same time, in-car infotainment systems are clearly gaining in popularity, so it only makes sense for one of the world's largest handheld GPS makers to make the jump to in-dash. Garmin's partnering with Suzuki for its first factory-installed infotainment system, which includes a 6.1-inch "high-res" touchscreen, a CD player and AM/FM radio, internal flash memory, along with USB, AUX jack and Bluetooth connectivity. The voice control-enabled system also includes backup camera support, Pandora integration and an SD card slot for loading updates. One benefit of vehicle integration is access to the car's speed sensors, allowing the GPS to follow along accurately when it doesn't have a signal, such as in enclosed areas or tunnels. You can also use Garmin Smartphone Link to access traffic, weather and fuel price info. The in-dash system will ship with most American 2013 model year Suzuki vehicles, along with select cars sold in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Russia. I'll also be on display at Suzuki's New York Auto Show booth next week, if you happen to be planning a trip to the Big Apple.
Suzuki's Q-concept micro car tries to out-smart the Smart
Inner-city cars have been getting smaller and smaller, but Suzuki's Q-concept micro car takes extreme spot-hunting to the next level. Thanks to its tandem seating configuration, the Q-concept is slim -- somewhere between a car and a motorbike -- bestowing it tighter turning angles, ideal for snaking betwixt those SUVs at Walmart. Being a concept, there are all sorts of teasing technical touches we'd love to see, such as what looks like a smartphone dock in the steering wheel, video screens instead of rear-view mirrors and, of course, gull-wing doors. It might not have the cyborg-ish charms of Audi's Urban Concept, but mercifully it's got some decent curves, unlike its cousin the not-so-concept electric Every van.
Suzuki unveils Every electric van, bead curtains sold separately
Just when you thought the electric van couldn't get any more stylish, Suzuki went out and raised the bar even higher, with its Every van -- a prototype plug-in that has state felony written all over it. Following in the wake of Mitsubishi's Minicab i-MiEV, this love bus is powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be fully juiced in about five hours, with a cruising range of up to 62 miles. It's also a good 400 pounds heavier than its gas-powered predecessor, though, as Integrity Exports explains, its cargo capacity remains fixed at around 550 pounds. For now, Suzuki is sending out just 13 vehicles to a handful of Japanese dealerships, in the hopes of testing the market before a potential widespread launch. No word yet on when that could happen, but Japan's soccer moms and airport shuttle drivers must be licking their chops.
MX vs. ATV Alive DLC starts with Suzuki bikes
THQ's strategy for the MX vs. ATV Alive includes lots of DLC. Knowing that it's part of the game from the outset means THQ can show off downloadable extras even before it launches at $40 this May. You'll be able to go into a purchase of this game secure in the knowledge that you can buy some new virtual Suzuki motorcycles, including the RM125, RM-Z250, RM-Z450 and QuadRacer R450. For casual MX vs. ATV players (like us), that means "these pretty yellow bikes."%Gallery-119675%
Suzuki Burgman fuel-cell scooter approved for EU public consumption
Battery power gets a lot of publicity these days, what with YikeBike and Yogo EVs tooling around. However, that doesn't mean other kinds of ecofriendly propulsion, like fuel cells, won't be part of our transportational future. Suzuki, for one, is betting on hydrogen power -- its Burgman Fuel Cell Scooter just became the first fuel cell vehicle to receive Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) from the UK's Department of Transport. Having the WVTA stamp of approval means that the scooter meets EU performance standards and can be sold in Europe -- setting it free to frolic hither and yon on the cobblestone streets of the old country. No word on plans to bring it to the US, but a boy can dream, can't he? PR's after the break.
Suzuki Neutron 701 MNI ultranetbook mounts a 7-inch touchscreen
Suzuki, huh? No, not that Suzuki. Singapore-based Suzuki Technology Private Limited calls itself a "value for money" brand, and has stuffed quite a bit of "value" into the Neutron 701 MNI. With basic netbook parts under the hood, and a rather exceptional complement of ports (ExpressCard and S/PDIF in a netbook? Yes, please!), the 701 really sets itself apart with its swivel tablet display. Sure, 7-inches isn't a lot of room to work with when you're touching Windows, but it's a nice "twist" at least. No word on price or availability. [Via GadgetMix]
Suzuki Xbox dashboard mod for the undignified gamer on the go
Some Xbox 360 mods are the product of serious craftsmanship, some are rather silly, and some -- like this Suzuki automobile console / Xbox 360 game console hybrid -- really give one pause. This isn't the sort of thing that one spends moments / hours / weeks on, after which he reflects for a moment ("Aren't I rather clever?"), and then hides it safely in the closet (or sells it on eBay). No, this is an automobile. We're guessing that the slight cringe of embarrassment he's going to feel when picking up his date for the cotillion will be outweighed by the safety and security he feels knowing that he can always play the Super Smash Bros. Brawl -- even on the road. According to the photo's description on Flickr, this car features not one but two Xbox 360s, two projectors, and two flat screens. The game controllers are availabe at a moment's notice -- including one in the steering wheel, one in front of the gear shifter -- and one of the 360s is set in the dashboard. Oy vey. [Via On 10]
Free Wanted and Suzuki XBLM downloads
To satisfy your (and our) daily need to download free goods off the Marketplace, we present to our fellow United States Live subscribers a pair of free gamer picture pack downloads. You can grab a free Wanted and Suzuki gamer picture pack from the new releases section of the XBLM, then apply them to your gamercard as you deem fit. And for some reason we have a hunch that we'll be seeing a lot of Angelina Jolie gamer pictures being used. It's definitely those lips.
Suzuki offers up Garmin GPS on all 2009 SX4 vehicles
Back in the day, integrated GPS units were the stuff of luxury cars, gargantuan SUV cruisers, and lost old ladies. Suzuki is looking to change all of that by including the Garmin T.R.I.P. on all 2009 SX4 Sport and SX4 Crossover vehicles -- at no extra charge. As Suzuki gleefully points out, this marks the first time a sub-$16,000 car has included a GPS unit as standard equipment. The T.R.I.P. (Travel, Real-time traffic, Information and Play) sports a flip-up 4.3-inch screen and Bluetooth connectivity. As for software, it will include real-time traffic, weather forecasts, local event listings, community-based recommendations, and a gas station finder that can filter based on fuel prices. We're still fans of portable GPS units, but there is something elegant about those big-screened integrated monsters.
Suzuki's PIXY + SSC concept thrives in post-nuclear wastelands
Let's face it, we've only got what, maybe three or four hundred years left to enjoy the great outdoors before pollution levels eventually prohibit even stepping foot outside without our personal breathing apparatus. Well Suzuki thinks that it will be in this bleak and toxin-filled future that motorized single-passenger vehicles like the Segway will finally thrive, and is preparing to capture a piece of this potentially lucrative market with a concept transportation system known as PIXY + SSC. Scheduled to be unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, this dynamic duo consists of a rolling transporter (SSC, or Suzuki Shared Coach) which can carry up to two PIXY runabouts -- fully-enclosed, three wheeled pods that will let you comfortably navigate a toxic or post-nuclear world. Suzuki plans to make these available "well before it becomes impossible to walk to our dealerships." Click on for a high-res pic...[Via Autoblog Green]
Suzuki's Xbox 360-infused SXBox concept vehicle
It's not often that companies hit it big twice in a row, but we'd say Suzuki's SXBox concept car is just as nifty (albeit in a very different manner) as its previous carpet-ready ride, the MIO. Although this is likely a case of great engineering that'll never see any real-world play, Suzuki is still tooting its own horn at the 2006 San Diego International Auto Show by letting gamers gaze at the entertainment mecca that is the SXBox. Part of the "Suzuki LIVE Series" of concept cars marketed at various realms of "enthusiasts," this whip is based on the 2007 SX4 and features a dashboard-integrated Xbox 360, which is coupled with a "close proximity digital projection system to display games or watch a HD DVD movie on the interior of the vehicle's retractable hood." Additionally, a second console is connected to two separate LCDs in the seat backs for folks riding in the rear, and there's even a retractable 30-inch rear projection screen in the trunk for the ultimate tailgating experience. And leave it to Suzuki to remember the details, as you'll also find force-feedback front seats, four wireless controllers, matching "green" color accents, a bevy of recessed LEDs, full surround sound rig, and even a steering wheel-mounted control for the haphazard driver. As expected, this ride isn't even close to being mass produced, but if you seriously need all that gaming while in the comfortable confines of a vehicle, you most certainly have formidable alternatives. You know the drill, click on through for a few more pics.[Via Xbox360Fanboy]
Suzuki unleashes 360 integrated concept car
Today at the 2006 San Diego International Auto Show, Suzuki unveiled the SXBox, a concept car with a complete integrated Xbox 360 media setup. The car features a dash integrated Xbox 360 console using a projector display. The projector actually projects the image onto the inside of the vehicle's hood which can retract at the push of a button. Another 360 runs through two LCD screens located in the seat backs of the two front seats, and a retractable rear projection screen is located at the rear of the vehicle. The front seats include force feedback, the sound is produced by a surround sound system, and all 360s are played with wireless controllers. To top it all off, the driver's control is mounted directly into the steering wheel. Why anyone would put this much crap in their car, we have no idea (we'd rather play on the couch) but if we had to have a kickass car with an integrated 360, this is definitely the one we'd pick. [Image via bikracer's Flickr account]
Suzuki Motors unveils MIO: the fuel cell-powered wheelchair
If you're trying to get away from that gas guzzling wheelchair, but feel a bit awkward rolling in the less-than-glamorous solar-powered edition, Suzuki Motors has got your back. Taking a leap forward from its previous lead-acid battery-powered electric wheelchair, the MIO is a motor-driven cart that gets its juice from an ultra-green fuel cell. The cell works in conjunction with a "large capacity Li-ion secondary battery," and while we aren't certain of how quickly this bad boy can streak down the quarter mile, it can supposedly cruise for 25 miles on a single fill up (four liters) of methanol solution. Aside from the power source, the MIO sports armrests that serve double duty as safety barriers, ergonomic handlebars, a comfortable mesh seating surface, and even an LCD panel that shows such useful data as fuel level and power status. While Suzuki insists the unit is simply a prototype, and refuses to hand out pricing details while it "judges consumer interest," the MIO should still be a bit easier to acquire than the sold out Tesla should it ever hit stores.[Via Far East Gizmos]
