GM and Suzuki Jointly To Develop Hybrids for N America

[1931Chevy]

Report: GM and Suzuki Jointly To Develop Hybrids for N America

11 June 2006

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Suzuki Motor plans to develop hybrid vehicles with General Motors and market them in North America around 2009. The two automakers reportedly are considering developing sport utility vehicles with engine displacements of approximately 3 liters.
Suzuki’s sales in the US are up 37% this year compared to 2005, driven largely by sales of its re-designed 2.7-liter Grand Vitara SUV (sold as the Escudo in Japan). In May, the Grand Vitara posted 2,358 units sold, compared to 323 the year before. For the first five months of this year, Suzuki has sold 12,314 units of the Grand Vitara, up from 2,189 for the same period in 2005.
In April, at the New York International Auto Show, Suzuki announced that its 2007 XL-7 SUV would be bigger and more powerful than its predecessor, and use a new 3.6-liter engine co-developed with GM. The new 2007 XL-7 is based on the GM Theta platform.
GM cut its stake in Suzuki from 20% to 3% in March, but the partnership continues in such areas as joint production in North America.
GM currently has two hybrid architectures it is applying to SUVs: the full two-mode hybrid under development that will appear first in select models of its full-size SUV line-up, and the mild-hybrid enhanced-BAS architecture applied to the Saturn VUE Green Line, due to go on sale later this year.

[1931Chevy]

forgot the address
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006..._gm_and_s.html

[Quickening]

So more of Suziku paying GM for all their stuff? Probably going to just take the VUE hybrid sytem and put it in their new crossover that is running on GM's Theta platform and using the 3.6L engine. Lol way to go Suzuki....:/

[SonicAerio]

Originally Posted by Quickening

So more of Suziku paying GM for all their stuff? Probably going to just take the VUE hybrid sytem and put it in their new crossover that is running on GM's Theta platform and using the 3.6L engine. Lol way to go Suzuki....:/

You couldn't be farther from the truth...............

Suzuki and GM have been working on Hybrids and Hydrogen cars way before GM's partnership with BMW or DCX

Suzuki has already showcased a couple hybrids in their smaller cars fo example at the 2004 Geneva Auto Show Suzuki debut the Landbreeze:

Made with the concept 'a compact SUV employing advanced environmental technology to coexist in harmony with nature,' the Landbreeze is built with naturally recyclable materials, aluminium which is easily recyclable, and tires made entirely of natural resources not based on petroleum. Its hybrid engine, despite being a 660cc naturally aspirated unit, delivers ample low-to-mind range torque for SUV driving, thus realizing low fuel consumption. In terms of packaging, reviewing of seat layout an use of sub rear doors improve passenger comfort and make for smoother ingress/egress.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame...hp&carnum=1940



Not to mention for the pass couple of years GM has been working with Suzuki to get through the red tape and help test on they hydrogen cars in Japan to battle Toyota and Honda

Yes GM is moving towards hybrids and their technology is great...but you give them too much credit....Suzuki has been working on this program since its infancy

As for your statement about Suzuki using theta and 3.6, for almost 10 years GM got their own version of the Grand Vitara known as the tracker...You can't blame Suzuki for not wanting a complete rebadge when their turn came along for GM to develope a shared SUV archetecture...and as you noticed in the article the 3.6 was co developed WITH Suzuki and their version is built in Japan...funny how one of GMs newest and efficient engines(one of the few DOHC in their lineup) was co developed with a Japanese partner....I am not downing GM...but this is exactly why partnerships are a good thing because it cut costs for both and both win....

If GM lets other companies take advantage of them(such as Fiat or Subaru) that is their fault

[eaton53]

GM got the Metro, too.... a car that got really good gas mileage.

I couple of people where I work have gone out and bought old Metros. They're cheap and will whip any hybrid for real world mileage.

[zaxxis]

Super. I can't wait for the media and other mindless sheep to start saying GM got their Hybrid Technology from Suzuki, just like they did with Ford.

-Z

[Butz]

So what hybrid system would it be? It certainely aint the Dual-Mode Hybrid!

[asim]

Originally Posted by Butz

So what hybrid system would it be? It certainely aint the Dual-Mode Hybrid!

Maybe a third "less sofisticated" hybrid.

[SonicAerio]

Originally Posted by Butz

So what hybrid system would it be? It certainely aint the Dual-Mode Hybrid!

From the above article:

GM currently has two hybrid architectures it is applying to SUVs: the full two-mode hybrid under development that will appear first in select models of its full-size SUV line-up, and the mild-hybrid enhanced-BAS architecture applied to the Saturn VUE Green Line, due to go on sale later this year.