We were frankly astounded that the prospect of a gutted Tokyo Motor Show didn't get any maker, save one, to trot out some of their historical home runs. Even if they didn't want to go in for a nostalgia-fest, a few brands could have at least peppered the show with some of Japan's seminal machinery. After all, if you're not going to give us anything really new and exciting, you could at least let us have some fun with the past.
But no. The only historic machine at an automaker's booth was a vintage Suzuki Alto near the new Alto Concept. Otherwise, nada. The other vintage machinery – a 1917 Mitsubishi A, a Toyota GT HYBD (a Sports 800 gas-turbine hybrid), and a Honda Accord CVCC – were in the "motor lounge" seating area. A big, fat raspberry is all we have to say to that.
The Suzuki Alto concept is The Kei You Would Never Suspect: unassuming looks belie the fact that this is car Suzuki is going to use to reach a wider audience. The exterior – which, frankly, looks like a ton of other itty bitty already plying on Japan's streets -- has been subtly tweaked to subtly lure in male and female buyers in a wider age group than the current car attracts.
According to the company, the Alto concept "points to the future of the minivehicle by combining newly honed performance with minivehicle economy and user-friendliness," with "styling that appeals to people regardless of age and gender."
Although officially labeled as a concept, the three-cylinder Alto is expected on the roads next year and an all-wheel-drive version is also on the way. Decide on the Alto for yourself with the help of the high-res gallery below and the press release after the break.
Sporting a name that could roughly mean "high pitched rabbit" is loveably quirky, and so it fits that the name is affixed to a kei car. Suzuki's 660cc microcar, styled in the same idiom that has shaped Nissan's Cube, though the 'Zuki calls to mind the original Mini more than other squared-off micros. The styling is about the only thing that Suzuki hasn't changed on the Alto Lapin, which has been on sale since 2002. There are upgrades to the platform, powertrain, and interior, making the Alto Lapin a virtually new vehicle. The interior rework brings a newfound sense of space, if that can truly be said about anything so tiny, and the stylish design is rendered in classy materials. A new CVT makes the most of the 53 naturally aspirated or 63 turbocharged horsepower while delivering nearly 58 mpg. The car, with its inherent cuteness, is aimed at women buyers (like many other keis, it's offered in pink), and there's a whole line of "Lapin Goods" to go along with the car. With a price between $11,000 and $15,000, there's some scratch left over for trinkum that will make you nearly as stylish as your Alto Lapin.
Suzuki will bring its seventh-generation Alto to the Paris Motor Show this October, featuring stylistic and powertrain upgrades to compete with the best and brightest from the budget-oriented, compact class. Based on the A-Star concept introduced at last year's New Delhi Motor Show, the new model will be built in India by Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant, and will likely packing a 1.0-liter engine which should make Euro V emissions regulations a breeze to exceed. Expect the new Alto to find its largest market in India, along with limited sales throughout Europe. For an economy car, it's a pretty decent looker from what we can tell from the two shots Suzuki's released ahead of the show, and we expect it will find plenty of buyers looking for a relatively cheap way to get around.
