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Suzuki showed its mettle once again by recording very positive results in the 2011 Total Economy Run. Husband and wife team Ben and Isebel van der Westhuizen nearly took top honours in the very competitive class B for petrol-powered passenger vehicles with a cubic capacity of between 1101cc and 1450cc. The Suzuki Swift 1.4 crew finishing in a very credible second place behind class winners, Harry Young and Manfred Hertz in a smaller engined Mazda 2 sedan 1.3-litre.

What makes this achievement so much more significant is the fact that, after the gruelling 2-day event and covering more than 1100km, there was only a 0.01% difference in fuel consumption between the Suzuki Swift 1.4 at 5.715 litres/100 km and the Mazda 1.3 at 5.451 litres/100 km. Class B was the most heavily contested class in this year's Total Economy Run and the fact that the Suzuki Swift 1.4 recorded better fuel consumption than almost all class B competitors with smaller capacity engines, says a lot about the fuel efficiency of this popular Suzuki hatchback.

Equally impressive was the performance of the Suzuki Alto 1.0-litre crewed by father and son team Wilile and Willem Nel. The Suzuki Alto recorded the fourth lowest fuel consumption overall at 5.419 litre/100 km which was only 0.01% less than the consumption achieved by class A winners, Robbie Coetzee and Craig Trott in a Toyota Aygo. So with Alto in fourth place overall and Swift with sixth place overall in a field of 50 vehicles, Suzuki as well as owners of these fuel-frugal vehicles have much to smile about.

Says Francois van Eeden, National Marketing Manager for Suzuki Auto South Africa: "The outstanding results achieved by Suzuki in the 2011 Total Economy Run, where the playing field is really levelled for all competitors, become so much more significant when one considers that it is the first time that the Suzuki automotive brand has entered this prestigious event. The fuel consumption figures achieved by the Swift and Alto again proves that Suzuki offers some of the most fuel efficient vehicles available in the South African market, and in these times where we see frequent and regular increases in the price of fuel, Suzuki must be at the top of buyers lists."

South Africa’s only legitimate fuel economy contest will be joined by a brand new team in 2011. Suzuki Auto South Africa has announced that it will support two factory-entered cars in the annual Total Economy Run.

The company will field a latest-generation Suzuki Swift 1.4 GLS and a Suzuki Alto 1.0 GLS in the Economy Run, with the objective of proving the exceptional fuel efficiency the two hatchbacks are capable of.

“Suzuki has always enjoyed a reputation for producing passenger cars that are fuel efficient – an aspect that has become increasingly important as rising fuel costs impact on the overall cost of ownership,” says Kazuyuki Yamashita, managing director of Suzuki Auto SA.

“We believe that the Total Economy Run provides the perfect platform to showcase just how economical our new Swift and Alto hatchbacks can be in real-world driving conditions.”

The Alto will be crewed by experienced Economy Run specialists Willie Nel and navigator Willem Nel, while the Swift will be in the equally capable hands of Ben and Isébel van der Westhuizen.

Both teams have an established motorsport and Economy Run track record. Nel will be competing in his 35th Economy Run, and is arguably the most successful competitor in the history of the event, with no less than 11 overall and 26 class victories to his credit.

The Van der Westhuizen husband and wife team can also boast extensive experience in the Total Economy Run. Ben has been a regular competitor since 1978, while the couple have competed together since 1987, with several class wins to their credit.

The latest-generation Suzuki Swift was launched locally earlier this year, and is propelled by a 1 372 cc four-cylinder engine featuring 16 valves and multipoint electronic fuel injection.

The rated power and torque maximums come to 70 kW at 6 000 r/min and 130 Nm at 4 000 r/min respectively. The claimed combined fuel consumption figure is just 5,5 litres/100 km, with a CO2 emissions rating of 132 g/km.

The sub-compact Suzuki Alto is powered by a compact 997 cc three-cylinder engine. It produces 50 kW of maximum power at 6 000 r/min, linked to a torque peak of 87 Nm at 4 500 r/min.

The combined fuel consumption figure is 5,7 l/100 km, with a CO2 emissions figure of 133 g/km.

The highly competitive Total Economy Run is a full-blown motorsport event that tests the fuel efficiency of standard production cars in different classes in real-world conditions on a representative selection of South African tar roads.

The 2011 event will be run in the Thaba ‘Nchu area from 29 to 31 July, with the start and finish at the Black Mountain Resort. Participating crews will cover a total distance of 1 109 km during the two-day event.

Mention the Suzuki Kizashi and most South Africans will remember the spectacular concept cars that did the rounds on the international motor show circuit a few years ago.

However, the Kizashi is no longer just a design concept: it is a production car reality that is already on Suzuki showroom floors in Japan and the US. In fact, this mid-sized sedan has just set a speed record in excess of 320km/h.

The modified Kizashi reached 327.86km/h during the Bonneville Speed Week, an annual event held on the Bonneville Salt Flats that attracts high-speed machinery on two and four wheels from around the globe.

While the Kizashi that set the record was specially modified and prepared for its record run it was closely based on the standard production version. Suzuki said the road-going Kizashi’s rigid structure and taut suspension, developed and tuned at the Nürburgring in Germany, provided the starting point for the record car.

The Kizashi’s standard 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine was used but the had flowed and ported cylinder heads, forged conrods and pistons, and a turbocharger with air-to-water intercooler and water/methanol injection.

PREPARED FOR THE PAN

The standard six-speed manual gearbox remained in place, linked to Suzuki’s all-wheel drive system, but a special ATC clutch and pressure plate ensures that the drivetrain is able to cope with the substantial increase in muscle.

With 1.1 bar of boost, the engine produced 382kW at the wheels, coupled to a torque peak of 698 Nm. The rest of the car was specifically prepared to cope with the salt pan surfaces.

Driven by US motoring journalist Sam Mitani, the Suzuki Kizashi Bonneville Special clocked an average of 327.86km/h over two timed runs on August 18 - a record for a forced-induction petrol car.

The normal 131kW engine, Suzuki says, is one of the most powerful in the US four-cylinder class and all-wheel drive is an option.

Now Suzuki SA has announced that the Suzuki Kizashi will be launched here soon. Suzuki Auto SA managing director Kazuyuki Yamashita has confirmed the launch date for the second quarter of 2011.

'SOMETHING SPECIAL'

“We are very excited about the prospect of being able to offer local motorists the chance to experience the Kizashi – a car that has already made a big impression in other markets," he said.

“As Suzuki’s first foray into the mid-sized sedan segment, we know the Kizashi is something special. Its achievements at Bonneville underline its inherent dynamic and engineering qualities."

The SA-specific model line-up, specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the launch date.