[memo45_m]

The Specs

Mating a turbocharger to the stock 143-hp powerplant injects some Hyde-like personality into Suzuki’s little hatch. How much boost? Try a whopping 78 ponies and 72 lb.-ft. of torque at a relatively conservative 7 psi of boost. That means this 221-hp subcompact is expected to reach 60 mph in the 7-second range.


The Drive

The superscripted “t” on the concept’s SX4t badge appears subtle, but when we popped up the carbon-fiber hood we saw lots of trick-like plumbing and polished aluminum. Starting up the SX4t triggers a markedly different exhaust note than stock: The bass-heavy rumble pumps quite a bit of character into this modded Suzuki. Like many turbocharged cars, the low-end grunt won’t push you back in the seats right off idle. However, when the turbo spools up midway through the powerband, the engine wakes up with an aggression that’s far removed from the acceleration of the lackadaisical donor car. Nail the throttle to the floor, and engine momentum quickly spins the tach clockwise. When traffic opened up briefly during our afternoon drive in Southern California, this turbocharged SX4 gave us an ear-to-ear grin as it lurched ahead.

Excellent visibility all around, a logical interior layout, and a surprising amount of available amenities make the SX4 Crossover a compelling ride on its own. What’s more, the 2009 model will be the only sub-$16,000 car in North America with a standard navigation system—that’s a good deal. So how much extra would you pay for this turbo option? It’s available as a kit for $5400 (plus an estimated $1200 installation at the Suzuki dealer). The turbo’s added oomph enhances desirability, but it becomes harder to justify in the entry-level market when the total price creeps up toward $23,000. After all, a Honda Civic Si starts around $21,000.


The Bottom Line

The Road Race Motorsports turbo kit increases the SX4’s fun-to-drive factor exponentially. And if you can stomach its price, it’s one heck of a way to turn a humble commuter workhorse into an unassuming little barnstormer. Either way, this is the kind of car Suzuki should be building—right from the factory.
taken from: PM News - Popular Mechanics

PRESS RELEASE

2008 SUZUKI SX4t CROSSOVER CONCEPT

The Vision
Catering to requests from auto enthusiasts, Suzuki is taking the SX4 Crossover's outstanding capability to the next level in performance. The SX4's unit structure and standard all-wheel drive can handle additional horsepower, so in partnership with Road Race Motorsports, the SX4's 2.0 liter DOHC four was upfitted with Road Race's proprietary turbo kit, the chassis was improved with sport springs, and wheels and tires grew to 17-inch.

Suzuki's J20A engine is equipped with a 16G GT3 Turbo and Tial 38mm wastegate. With seven pounds of boost, the engine's stock 143 class-leading horsepower and 136 lb-ft of torque are upgraded to 221 horsepower and 208 lb-ft of torque.

Helping to control this significant upgrade in horsepower are Road Race's GRIP springs and performance brake pads. An oil filler cap and battery tie-down – in billet – are supplied by Suzuki's in-house parts group, SWT.

Less is more
Simplifying some of the exterior lines and removing the roof rack resulted in a sleek, unified appearance. To stay and look cool, Road Race installed its own CarbonTrix carbon fiber hood, and provided the SX4's roof and A, B, C and D pillars with a complimentary dark metallic gray finish. Suzuki's Quicksilver metallic remains the primary color south of the greenhouse, visually meshing with Rota's 17-inch five-spoke rims.

With a subtle approach to visual differentiation on the outside, Suzuki kept the interior similarly low key. Front seats benefit from a custom bolster, and both front and rear seats are recovered, featuring new fabric inserts which continue the exterior's silver metallic theme. To further accentuate the SX4's performance intent, the driver's contact points are enhanced by a sport steering wheel, taken directly from a Suzuki Swift, and SWT's drilled pedal set.

(more)

The Rockford Fosgate audio system features an enhanced amp, speakers and subwoofer. And when not reaching for the audio knob, manual transmission enthusiasts will enjoy the sequential feel provided by Road Race's billet shift lever controlling the SX4's five forward gears.

With a genuine boost under the hood, and the enhanced drivetrain clothed in a discreet cosmetic treatment, the Suzuki concept speaks to the ongoing desire of motorists everywhere to go about their business quickly, albeit quietly.

Technical Specifications
Mechanical:
• Turbocharged and intercooled J20A engine featuring 16G GT3 Turbo and Tial 38mm Wastegate
• 221 horsepower (5,100 rpm) and 208 lb-ft of torque (3,800 rpm)
• 2.0 liter DOHC four requires PREMIUM fuel
• Road Race Motorsports GRIP springs
• Road Race performance brake pads

Exterior:
• CarbonTrix carbon fiber vented hood
• Rota five-spoke Torque wheels – 17 X 7.5
• Yokohama Advan Neova tires – 225/45/R17 91W
• Removal of factory cladding
• Removal of factory roof rack and mounting studs

Interior:
• JDM Suzuki Swift steering wheel
• Rockford Fosgate audio system, with upgraded amp, speakers and subwoofer
• Road Race sequential-style shift knob
• Custom bolster in front seats
• Custom seat fabric inserts
• SWT billet drilled pedal setgot a chance tio drive the car last wednesday when a suzuki delear had go it the the carrer fair in my college.

[v1p3r]

Don't get any ideas, you have an M16!

[memo45_m]

yes do u realize the m16's are used in the Jwrc swifts

[aaggoswami]

This turbocharged swift will be a pocket rocket! I hope that the chassis is able to handle this. I think the engine is J20 and it has, over the years, been changed a lot and this engine has served suzuki for long, and they know how to make it more powerful. This is the same engine used for WRC SX4.

Originally Posted by memo45_m

yes do u realize the m16's are used in the Jwrc swifts

Are you sure ?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

221 bhp for an SX4?

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

This turbocharged swift

Its not the Swift, its the SX4 hatch/ crossover.

[theMAG]

Nice, memo. But this isnt the only turbocharged SX4 you've known, right ?!

[abhinav.gupta88]

looks kind of grand vitara ish

well the car will be good sports car only if it handles like one

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

221 bhp for an SX4?

Its not the Swift, its the SX4 hatch/ crossover.

OH, yes it was suppossed to be SX4, just slightly more than typing error. Rest at all places , I am correct.

[GTO - Touring]

That is such a good looking hatch; actually it looks better since we know whats under the hood. How about a driving report, Memo? I think the time has come for performance hatches in the States (just like in Europe).

[memo45_m]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Nice, memo. But this isn’t the only turbocharged SX4 you've known, right ?!

You got me there MAG, keeping track of all sx4 developments kind of off, I even know of an sx4 in India that could be turboed pretty soon.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

This turbocharged swift will be a pocket rocket! I hope that the chassis is able to handle this. I think the engine is J20 and it has, over the years, been changed a lot and this engine has served Suzuki for long, and they know how to make it more powerful. This is the same engine used for WRC SX4.




Are you sure ?

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

well the car will be good sports car only if it handles like one

Yes sir you are right the hatch’s sold in most of Europe and US come with the j20 engine that serves in the GV in India, and it is the same block used in the SX4 WRC – it is even mentioned in the press release “Turbocharged and intercooled J20A engine featuring 16G GT3 Turbo and Tial 38mm Wastegate”.
the sx4 is a car that has been designed in Europe and not in Japan where the priority is handling so not to worry, 220+ horses for the sx4 chassis is nothing it could still handle about a 100+ horses more..! Out of experience and advice I picked the sx4 over the Indian cedia last year just for is handling.
Pls look for the rules of the JWRC – the cars running have to have a 1.6l engine and the m16a DOHC VVTi is what serves in the JWRC Swifts, even the sport swifts that are sold under the GT badge have the same engine.

Originally Posted by GTO - Touring

That is such a good looking hatch; actually it looks better since we know what’s under the hood. How about a driving report, Memo? I think the time has come for performance hatches in the States (just like in Europe).

It is really good looking in the flesh GTO and it sits pretty low for a sx4 as it s the so called gt version of the sx4 from road race technologies, dint get too much to drive or push it all I got to do was unload it of the trailer and put it in the designated spot in the carrear fair in college, but when it was loading time I got to take it around the college lot with the marketing executive – east USA, and pulled off a handling test, the hatch is surprisingly tighter than the sedan, because of the variation in the suspension geometry and layout, and defiantly the iAwd makes a big difference.

Well the US is finally looking in to smaller cars and gas mileage so it definitely time Suzuki buckle up and make some moves in the US market, by the way Suzuki plans to launch the swifts in the US market in late 2009 or early 2010.
This car is being taken it to production, it difference from the wrc build in the engine wise is it runs a smaller turbo, only internal upgrades are con-rods and a street susrension setup, wolla it misses the semi-sequential shift trannsmission and the beefed up AWD and a rollcage.

[aaggoswami]

Are those air ventilation units of any use in reality or are there just for cosmetic sense ?

Originally Posted by memo45_m

You got me there MAG, keeping track of all sx4 developments kind of off, I even know of an sx4 in India that could be turboed pretty soon.

The SX4 in India has M16 engine without VVT making 102 bhp.

Originally Posted by memo45_m

Yes sir you are right the hatch’s sold in most of Europe and US come with the j20 engine that serves in the GV in India, and it is the same block used in the SX4 WRC – it is even mentioned in the press release “Turbocharged and intercooled J20A engine featuring 16G GT3 Turbo and Tial 38mm Wastegate”.
the sx4 is a car that has been designed in Europe and not in Japan where the priority is handling so not to worry, 220+ horses for the sx4 chassis is nothing it could still handle about a 100+ horses more..! Out of experience and advice I picked the sx4 over the Indian cedia last year just for is handling.
Pls look for the rules of the JWRC – the cars running have to have a 1.6l engine and the m16a DOHC VVTi is what serves in the JWRC Swifts, even the sport swifts that are sold under the GT badge have the same engine.

The SX4 WRC makes more than 320 horses from the same J20.
Ok the Swift Sport has M16A, but I was not sure wheather the same engine is used for JWRC swift where they are surprisingly great preformers.

Originally Posted by memo45_m

Well the US is finally looking in to smaller cars and gas mileage so it definitely time Suzuki buckle up and make some moves in the US market, by the way Suzuki plans to launch the swifts in the US market in late 2009 or early 2010.

When Swift was launched in Europe, US wanted it and Suzuki were late in realizing this. They admitted the mistake and said they were not Toyota.
The ext generation Swift will be also sold in US.

[SirAlec]

i think SX4 is launched as hatch everywhere else except for india. You know indians and boots.

It was developed jointly by suzuki and fiat. Suzuki called it sx4 and fiat modded it a bit and gave a SUV type looks and named it Sidici.

AFAIK, now suzuki's jwrc car is sx4 and not swift.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

It was developed jointly by suzuki and fiat. Suzuki called it sx4 and fiat modded it a bit and gave a SUV type looks and named it Sidici.

It was Suzuki who did almost all the developments and the SX4 chassis is extended Swift. SX4's looks were changed for FIAT by Fiat. They were in troubled times so decided to enter a deal where they would give a diesel to Suzuki and Suzuki will give them a product.

No wonder as based on extended Swift, the chassis dynamics of SX4, which is fairly a high car, is famed across at almost all places where it is launched.


AFAIK, now suzuki's jwrc car is sx4 and not swift.[/quote]

Suzuki WRC car = SX4 hatch
Suzuki JWRC car = Swift hatch.

[memo45_m]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Are those air ventilation units of any use in reality or are there just for cosmetic sense ?

the hood is real carbon fiber with real vents costing a nice $575 +shipping.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

The SX4 WRC makes more than 320 horses from the same J20.

well the sx4 wrc makes 320 cos it runs a better cooling system for the larger turbo it utilizes than a g16 from mitsubishi, and it puts it throught to the ground through a half a million dollar 5-speed manual with sequential transmission and a 3 disc clutch.
To the sx4t the internal mods done right now are only different con-rods, and an added g16 turbo to the base model with the iAWD and a VVTi head. it runs the performance brakes and suspension from road race technologies with upper and lower strut braces for the front and lower for the rear. it rides on Rota five-spoke Torque wheels – 17 X 7.5 and Yokohama Advan Neova 225/45/R17 91W, these ane the major mods in the car, there are many minor interior mods along with the audio system form rockford fosgate.
Oh by the way the SX4 was develoved keeping in mind suzuki's entry in to the WRC, which says the car to be rallied in the WRC should have sold a minimum 20,000 units base type around the world.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Ok the Swift Sport has M16A, but I was not sure wheather the same engine is used for JWRC swift where they are surprisingly great preformers.

"Pls look for the rules of the JWRC – the cars running have to have a 1.6l engine and the m16a DOHC VVTi is what serves in the JWRC Swifts, even the sport swifts that are sold under the GT badge have the same engine." - I am speaking about the JWRC Swift and Swift Sport as sold in most of Europe and Australia.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

The SX4 in India has M16 engine without VVT making 102 bhp.

Well don't get me wrong but I had the first Sx4 on the forum sir, i know the inside out of my car,and what all i have for store for it. I have invested about 3 months time in the details and development of the car before I got it, through the dealer and the zonal manager of maruti.
I have even been directly responsible for maruti making the recall on the first batch of sx4 for clutch problems. I had even taken my brand new car to MMST track in madras and tested it inside-out, after the recall.
pls check http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor-...nwards-15.html for posts #215 and #225.

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by memo45_m

You got me there MAG, keeping track of all sx4 developments kind of off, I even know of an sx4 in India that could be turboed pretty soon.

But will you get to drive it?

Originally Posted by memo45_m

Out of experience and advice I picked the sx4 over the Indian cedia last year just for is handling.

Yes and who gave you the advice after a gruelling torture test of the pre-launch vehicles?