Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce the Japanese domestic launch of the new Alto Lapin, a minivehicle that combines a distinctive design with outstanding fuel economy. The new Alto Lapin is only available in Japan and sales began on 26 November.The Alto Lapin is based on a concept of creating a minivehicle that engenders the same kind of emotional attachment as a favourite fashion accessory or ornament. Since its appearance in its original form in January 2002, it has been especially popular with young women who are choosy about the things they buy and use.

In developing the new Alto Lapin, Suzuki remained faithful to the attributes that have made the original Alto Lapin so popular but, at the same time, worked in line with a “good design plus good driving” theme to combine distinctive looks and great fuel economy (24.5km/L* with 2WD and CVT) with a relaxing cabin and a comfortable ride in a great new way.

Suzuki targets domestic monthly sales of more than 4,000 units.

*measured in Japan’s 10-15-mode cycle and verified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

Source: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

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Honda announced that sales in Japan of the all-new Odyssey will begin October 17, 2008. The fully remodeled Odyssey features a low-floor and low center-of-gravity package that enables a low profile roofline and performance beyond ordinary minivans together with a spacious cabin. The new Odyssey is also equipped with advanced safety technologies, including the new Multi-view Camera System. A special mobility-assistive version equipped with a lift-up front passenger seat will go on sale November 13, 2008.

Designed around the concept of emotive quality that will move all who experience it, the new fourth generation Odyssey provides an advanced fusion of the human/machine interface, a liberated feeling for all occupants, and a distinctive presence. So, the all-new Odyssey was developed with the goal of generating strong feelings in every circumstance: riding in it, driving it, and looking at it.

To fulfill customer expectations for excellent fuel economy related to growing awareness of environmental issues, the all-new Odyssey is equipped with a 2.4l DOHC i-VTEC engine and torque converter-equipped CVT1, a combination that enables the vehicle to achieve both superior performance and class leading2 fuel economy of 13.2km/l*3. Moreover, the all-new Odyssey features DBW (drive-by-wire) control and an ECON mode which improves fuel economy by applying collaborative control of the CVT and air conditioner to reduce engine load. *1 M, L, and Li FWD vehicles

Source: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

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TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today it will begin sales of its new “micro-premium” car, the “iQ*1″, in Japan starting on November 20.

The iQ combines outstanding performance and superior quality in an ultra-compact form that dispels conventional notions about small cars.

A newly designed platform enables an ultra-efficient package that seats four in a vehicle 2,985mm long by 1,680mm wide by 1,500mm high.  The iQ’s unique styling creates a sense of sophistication and presence that belies the car’s size.

A 1.0-liter engine delivers outstanding cruising and environmental performance, offers fuel efficiency at the highest levels for its displacement, and also meets the new 2015 Japanese fuel efficiency standards under the recently introduced JC08 test cycle.  The iQ is highly responsive at low and medium speeds, provides stable cruising performance at high speeds, and has a minimum turning radius of 3.9 meters—one of the shortest in the industry.  In addition, a S-VSC (Steering-assisted Vehicle Stability Control) system and a total of nine airbags, including the world’s first*2 SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) rear window curtain shield airbag, are standard on all models to provide outstanding safety performance.

The iQ is also planned to go on sale in Europe in early 2009.

Source: TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION

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Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization has selected the Wagon R minivehicle series for a 2008 Good Design Award* and the Jimny four-wheel-drive (4WD) minivehicle for a 2008 Long-Selling Good Design Award.

The judging committee said: “The latest design of Wagon R series inherits the boxy looks and good space utility that characterized the original model. Features including a distinctive headlamp shape and handsome grilles give a sense of the future. The look, which emphasizes movement without compromising roominess, inspires a certainty that it’s the form that small cars will take in the future. The cabin, which reflects efforts toward user-friendliness and economy, is also praiseworthy.”

The Long-Selling Good Design Award conferred on the Jimny is a special award intended to honour and highlight products that not only enjoy long-lasting popularity but also continue to inspire fresh thinking about manufacturing and lifestyles. Many recipients have been manufactured and marketed in accordance with their original product concepts for 10 or more years.

Launched in 1970 as the first minivehicle with genuine 4WD cross-country capabilities, it has proven popular in Japan and overseas as a daily runabout in mountainous and snowy areas, as a public-service vehicle including police patrols and postal deliveries, and as a sporty vehicle for off-roading and other leisure activities.

The judging committee said: “In line with the key words ‘small’, ‘light’, and ‘powerful’, the Jimny gives brisk performance and embodies comprehensive excellence as a compact, lightweight 4×4 vehicle. Its ongoing evolution is characterized not only by improvements in quality and performance but also by efforts to accommodate contemporary needs through improvements in lightness, fuel economy, and recyclability.”

*The Good Design Award competition (originally founded in 1957 by Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry as the Good Design Selection System) is Japan’s only comprehensive design evaluation and endorsement system. It’s organized annually by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization with the aim of improving lives and advancing industry through good design.

Source: Suzuki Motor Corporation

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Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the addition of KIX to complement its minicar portfolio. KIX, a sport utility vehicle, is scheduled for release in end-October in Japan.

KIX

The name “KIX” derives from the term “kicks”, a reference to irreverent fun, and the X-factor for the extreme and adventurous spirit.

KIX is supplied to Nissan by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation under an OEM agreement.

Source: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

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