2010 Equator  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
Image credits: © Suzuki.
2009 Suzuki Equator Truckin Custom news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
SUZUKI GOES TRUCKIN' WITH HILL/STREET HUES
• Suzuki debuts three eye-catching, fully accessorized Equator pickup trucks.• 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Off-Road and Truckin' magazines communicate vibrant brand identity.
One year after introducing its all-new Equator at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, American Suzuki Motor Corp. returns to the Windy City to unveil three attention-grabbing customized trucks in collaboration wîth popular enthusiast publications 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Off-Road and Truckin'. To further highlight the Equator's exceptional capability and flexibility, Suzuki supplied each publication with, in essence, a ‘blank canvas' for its specific mechanical and cosmetic pursuits. While the off-road magazines took a predictably dirt-laden path, Truckin' looked to the pavement and track-day access wîth a massaged four-cylinder under the hood and 750ccs of GSX-R sportbike in the bed. Suzuki will unveil the three variations of its all-new production Equator during its 2009 Chicago Auto Show press conference.
'With the arrival of the all-new Equator, we were presented wîth a tremendous opportunity to extend the awareness of our adventurous brand spirit to a new group of vehicle enthusiasts,' said Gene Brown, vice president of marketing, PR and product planning, American Suzuki Automotive Operations. 'The three custom trucks Suzuki unveils in Chicago allow us a similar opportunity to creatively extend our relationship wîth the editorial teams that help us communicate that very message.' 4-Wheel & Off-Road Builds Its Own 4X4 of the Year
Not long after 4-Wheel & Off-Road's Editor-in-Chief Rick Pewe announced the Equator as the magazine's '4X4 of the Year,' plans were afoot to build an ultimate off-road variant of the production-based winner.
 | Vital Stats |
5-speed Automatic, 5-speed Manual | |
Allied Wheel has supplied a set of custom aluminum beadlock wheels, fitted wîth new Hankook Dynapro MT Tires. Shrockworks is building a custom front bumper, supplying a notable improvement in the Equator's already-respectable approach angle, and reducing the need for the bumper-mounted Warn winch. Holding driver and front seat passenger in place is a pair of Master Craft RS Camelback seats, while the rear bench is reupholstered to match. The end result takes a proven '4X4 of the Year' package and enhances it in a bare-to-the-bones, albeit recreational, manner.
Off-Road Supplies Úrban/Suburban Adventure
The Equator's right-sized packaging suits the diverse needs of many pickup truck customers. Though smaller than the full-sizers, the Equator is nevertheless built wîth big-truck toughness. The strong, fully boxed ladder frame provides full-size strength – and 6,500 lbs of towing capacity – in a more maneuverable, midsize platform.
Úsing the Equator's overbuilt structure as a starting point, the editors at Off-Road built an Equator displaying the full range of the midsizer's capability. Dubbed Project Two Face, the build project conveys – in the words of editor Jordan May – two distinct capabilities wîth the vehicle. 'We wanted to show our readers that you can create the best of both worlds – adventure 4WD and high-speed 2WD – in one machine.' Off-road pursuits – and in-town parallel parking – are made easier wîth the addition of a custom front bumper from Randy Ellis Design. KC HiLites provides a day-and-night difference wîth its all-new Carbon Fiber HID lights, while stock RMZ-4 wheels are matched to BFGoodrich's ATKO tires.
Truckin' Goes Trackin'
As the 'world's leading truck publication,' Truckin' delivers an editorial breadth as broad as its billing. To that end, its staff might have gone in any direction wîth the donor vehicle, an extended cab Equator wîth 2WD. The opportunity to build a lighter, lower Equator was deemed too good to pass up, and wîth an assist from a handful of well-regarded vendors, Truckin' embarked on an Equator as tied to the pavement as a center stripe. Its in-house moniker – Street Shark – speaks to both its agility and bite.
With an emphasis on ‘hauling' rather than towing, the Equator's 2.5-liter four-cylinder offers – in stock form – an optimal combination of responsiveness and efficiency. However, it doesn't provide the aural satisfaction appropriate for a car or bike enthusiast. That gratification is achieved wîth the addition of a MagnaFlow performance exhaust. Improved intake and exhaust means more aggressive performance and that suggests the need for better braking. Bringing that improved performance to a stop are Stillen performance rotors spinning within powder-coated calipers. Bringing observers to a halt is paint – supplied by Summit Racing and applied by L&G Enterprises – fully capturing the mojo that is Suzuki's championship-winning GSX-R sportbike. A custom one-piece grille serves as a centerpiece outside, while Classic Soft Trim applies a liberal dose of leather to the inside. Polk Audio provides a ‘shout out' wîth three 12-inch subwoofers, three amps and 1,800 watts of audio upgrade. The completed package is set closer to terra firma wîth AIM Industries' custom lowering kit, and its stance widened wîth Nitto tires (265/35R22) surrounding Giovanna (22X9-inch) wheels.
While all three vehicles exhibit an out-of-the-box approach, none conceal the essential goodness supplied by a box-stock Equator. In the tradition of Suzuki vehicles since the company's inception, the seemingly ordinary quickly can quickly become the unseemly and extraordinary.
About Suzuki The Brea, Calif.-based Automotive Operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation was founded in 1985 by parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) and currently markets its vehicles in the Únited States through a network of approximately 500 automotive dealerships in 49 states. Based in Hamamatsu, Japan, SMC is a diversified worldwide automobile, motorcycle and outboard motor manufacturer wîth sales of more than two million new automobiles annually. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has operations in 187 countries. For more information, visit www.media.suzukiauto.com.Source - Suzuki
| Volkswagen Of America Reports April Sales | |
| - April sales total 33,644 units delivered- • April sales total 33,644 units, representing an 10.3 percent decrease versus the prior year • Chattanooga-built Passat delivered 9,069 units for the month, 30.8 percent TDI® Clean Diesel • Jetta Sedan achieved 11,110 sales in April • Best year-to-date sales of Tiguan with 10,439 units delivered through April and 2,488 for the month • High-mileage, TDI® Clean Diesel models accounted for 21.7 percent of sales in April and 21.5 percent of sales ...[Read more...] | |
| CHEVROLET MALIBU MAKES VEHICLE ENTRY EASIER | |
 | The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu sedan equipped with four-door passive entry makes life a little easier for those frantically searching for keys in the bottom of a deep purse or fumbling to find them when carrying a child or bags of groceries. Chevrolet placed small buttons on all four doors allowing the driver to unlock the door with one press and all four doors and the trunk with two presses. An option on the Malibu LTZ, four-door passive entry is a common feature on luxury vehicles, but scarce...[Read more...] |
| BUICK DELIVERS BEST RETAIL SALES YEAR SINCE 2006 | |
| • Sales up 80 percent over three consecutive years of growth DETROIT – Buick retail sales for 2012 were up 6 percent over 2011 and at the highest level in six years, giving the brand its third consecutive year of retail sales gains. Buick total sales increased 2 percent in 2012 and were the highest since 2007. Retail sales, which are sales to individual customers, are up a combined 80 percent since 2010. Buick's retail sales were also up for the eighth consecutive month...[Read more...] | |
| EMPIRE STATE OF DRIVE: FORD C-MAX ENERGI PLUG-IN HYBRID QUALIFIES FOR NEW YORK CARPOOL LANE ACCESS | |
 | •The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has approved the all-new Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid for its Clean Pass vehicle carpool lane access program •C-MAX Energi offers a top speed of 85 mph – 20 more than Toyota Prius Plug-in – and a total range of up to 620 miles, enabling drivers to get where they're going in a zippy fashion without having to worry about finding a gas station •C-MAX Energi meets the long-distance challenges of New York's super-commuters who also ...[Read more...] |
| Toyota Sales Increase 11.6 Percent in April 2012 | |
| TORRANCE, Calif. (May 1, 2012) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported sales of 178,044 units, an increase of 25.5 percent compared to April 2011 on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. Unadjusted for 24 selling days in April 2012 versus 27 selling days in April 2011, TMS sales were up 11.6 percent over the year-ago month on a raw volume basis. The Toyota Division posted April total sales of 160,493 units, an increase of 27.2 percent over April 2011 on a DSR basis. Volum...[Read more...] | |
2009| Similar Vehicles | |
 | 2009 Suzuki Equator Off-Road Custom |
 | 2009 Suzuki Equator 4-Wheel & Off-Road Custom |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Hyundai | Kia |
| Scion | |
| Similarly Sized Vehicles from 2009 |
| BMW 7-Series |
| BMW 7-Series |
| BMW 760Li |
| Chevrolet Silverado |
| Chevrolet Traverse |
| Fornasari Buggy |
| GMC Sierra |
| Jaguar XJ |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class |
| Mercedes-Benz SLK |
| Suzuki: 2001-2010 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Suzuki |
| Manufacturer Website |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| 2009 Chicago Auto Show |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aerio Cappuccino | Equator Esteem | Forenza Kizashi | Reno Sidekick, Vitara, Escudo, Tracker | Swift SX4 | X-90 XL-7 |
| 2010 Equator |
