The launch of the stunning new Suzuki S-Cross premium hatch highlighted the speed with which modern-day design moves from concept to reality.
Suzuki’s latest automotive pioneer first saw the light of day in 2012, when it stole the limelight at the 2012 Mondial de l’Automobile (the Paris Motor Show). A mere six months later, a production version was on show at the Geneva Auto Exposition, with European sales moving ahead in October 2013. That represents an astonishingly short 13-month gestation period from concept to reality. Compare that to the Swift – it first broke cover at the 2002 Paris Show, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the car finally went on sale. So, what has happened to cause such a dramatic speed up of the process in less than a decade?
The new S-Cross has continued that trend and is now in Malaysia fully imported with a 5-Star safety rating. Priced at RM129,800.00 you need to test drive this latest Suzuki to appreciate its value. The Suzuki S-Cross is 100 kg lighter than the previous generation of the SX4, despite it has grown in size and it now stands at 4,300 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width and 1,575 mm in height, being 150 mm longer, 10 mm wider and 30 mm lower than before. For Malaysia, this S-Cross will only get the 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol engine, with its 86 kW and 156 Nm of torque, mated to a CVT.
A quick turnaround
There are several reasons, one of the most obvious being increases in computing power. The general rule of thumb dictates processing power doubles every 18 months, meaning the time taken for complex programs to be undertaken is always decreasing.
Another reason is the ongoing maturation of the market, with concept cars now being used to gauge reaction to real world changes. “In the past, we used concept cars to showcase experimental ideas,” explains Suzuki S-Cross Chief Designer Takehito Arai. “We would use them to trial futuristic looks and technologies, to understand how people would react and provide information for potential future models.”
Giving buyers what they want
“We knew they wanted more space, more refinement and outstanding fuel economy, while still retaining the ‘fun to drive’ appeal that is inherent in all Suzuki cars.“That meant we could use the S-Cross concept in Paris to check reaction to some very minor styling designs that still had a chance to make it to the final production version.”
