Suzuki Going High-Tech; Will include Pandora in 2013 Models

When considering motorcycles, Suzuki is likely a brand that comes to mind. Their cars, on the other hand, nearly go unnoticed unless you are looking for specifically cheap transportation. They typically only account for a fraction of a percent of U.S. auto sales, but that fraction is a tight and very loyal market. Well, it looks like they are trying to dig themselves out of obscurity by adding high-end features to their vehicles.

Starting in the 2013 model year, nearly every Suzuki car, truck, and SUV will include a Garmin stereo system that will also include Pandora radio. With the internet taking over everything nowadays, it’s only expected that internet radio would make its way into more cars – heck, some cars now have a hard drive bigger than my desktop PC, seriously…

Pandora works a lot like satellite radio, as it is not broadcasted from terrestrial towers, but rather streamed through the internet. You can personalize your own station too, so there is no need to swap the station every time something you can’t stand comes blasting through the speakers.

There is no receiver or anything like that for Pandora radio, so this is really not costing Suzuki much, meaning the cost to you would be minimal, if anything. The Garmin radio connects to an iPhone, per Pandora, and the iPhone in turn receives the Pandora signal, broadcasting it through the radio. It makes us curious because Pandora radio also has an Android app, which means nearly any phone on the market can receive its signal. However, Pandora specifically mentions just the iPhone in its press release.

We are starting to wonder if iPhone and Garmin are maybe up to something, or did the Pandora rep just misspeak. For the sake of all Suzuki buyers that choose to use this service, we hope the latter is the truth. From our research, it looks like Garmin and Suzuki have apps for both Android and iPhone, so it was likely a mistake to just say “iPhone.”

Regardless of its connectivity, this is a step in the right direction towards Suzuki reeling in its direct competitors, Hyundai and Kia.

Hit the jump to read Pandora’s official press release.

Suzuki Announces Plans to Integrate Pandora into Vehicles

2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara

OAKLAND, Calif., April 4, 2012 (4:30 p.m. EST) - Pandora (NYSE: P), the leading personalized radio service, announced today at the New York International Auto Show that Suzuki has joined the roster of automotive brands who have publicly announced plans to integrate Pandora into the radio of the vehicle. Pandora will be available via a Garmin unit that will be factory-installed on most 2013 model year Suzuki vehicles. The system will support hallmark Pandora functions such as thumbs-up, thumbs-down and track skip. In-car connectivity is made possible via a paired iPhone. The first Suzuki vehicles are expected to be available at dealers beginning this fall.

2012 Suzuki Kizashi

Pandora Executive Vice President of Business and Corporate Development Jessica Steel said, "As Pandora continues to redefine radio, we are excited to welcome new automotive brands like Suzuki who are making it possible for listeners and drivers to enjoy their personalized radio stations while on-the-road."

2012 Suzuki SX4 SportBack

"Pandora offers a unique radio experience so we’re pleased to enable their offering for consumers who choose the Garmin infotainment system for Suzuki vehicles," said Matt Munn, Garmin’s managing director automotive OEM. "Our built-in voice command technology makes it easy for drivers to control Pandora’s features from the in-dash radio of their vehicle."

2012 Suzuki SX4 Crossover

Mercedes' Range Rover rival

 

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Leaked images reveal new look for Benz GL-Class.
Mercedes-Benz's new-look GL-Class large SUV has been revealed online after an apparent leak.
The German brand's Range Rover-rivalling four-wheel-drive boasts Benz's new family face as seen on the recently revealed SL convertible, with new look headlights incorporating integrated daytime running lights, a more aggressive front bumper with squared-off air intakes and a bolder looking grille.
The new GL-Class is scheduled to arrive locally later this year (specific timing not yet confirmed), and Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed to Drive that two models will be available, and both will offer more standard equipment for similar prices to the current versions.

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The first will be the entry-level GL350 CDI, powered by a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 producing 195kW/620Nm that is likely to be tweaked for slightly more power and better efficiency. The current model starts at $119,270 plus on-road costs.
The only other model to be sold here will be the GL500 petrol, which is powered by a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 285kW/530Nm. It is currently priced at $173,200 (plus costs), and the new one isn't expected to stray too far from that point.
One model that won't be sold here this time around is the 4.0-litre turbo diesel V8-powered GL450 model. Mercedes-Benz says this model has not been made available to Australia for this product cycle.
All GL-Class models sold here will feature all-wheel-drive and be fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as standard.

The German brand will also update its niche, army-inspired G-Wagen model from September 2012 - though judging from the images of the car you'd be hard-pressed to pick the differences.
The G-Wagen range will continue to be kicked off with the G350, 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel model. It, like the GL, could get a minor boost to power and a drop in fuel consumption. This model is currently priced from $161,680, and the new version will likely remain positioned close to that point.
The petrol-powered range-topping G55 will be replaced with a new model known as the G63. The new model will be fitted Mercedes' 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, which is expected to herald significant fuel economy gains over the existing 5.4-litre supercharged V8 version.
Mercedes-Benz will also be offering a new flagship model, known as the G65. It will be powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine - the same one as is fitted to Mercedes' new SL convertible - meaning it should boast outputs of 463kW and 1000Nm. Mercedes-Benz says it has "no idea" on price for that model just yet.
The company is also said to be considering a stripped-out version of the G-Glass to appeal to mining companies, similar to Toyota's recently-introduced entry-level version of its LandCruiser, the GX.

New Nissan to debut on track

 

New Altima will appear on the grid before it arrives in showrooms.
One of the three cars that will line up on the grid of a revitalised V8 Supercar championship in 2013 will be a new nameplate Australians have not heard of - and it won't be on sale until later in the year.
Nissan is taking the unusual step of racing the new American-inspired but made-for-the-world Altima sedan more than six months before the production version it's based on will arrive in dealerships.
The bold move is part of an ambitious plan to build awareness of the Nissan brand and the crucial new Altima model - Nissan says it will outsell mid-sized rivals such as the Subaru Liberty, Honda Accord Euro and Mazda6 - in time for a launch later in 2013.

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"We will be utilising V8 Supercar racing as a mechanism for fast start for Altima in Australia," say Ian Moreillon, Nissan Australia executive general manager, national sales and fleet. "To establish the nameplate, to establish the car, the recognition, the overall awareness of the vehicle, which is critical from a marketing perspective ... from the first race in Australia."
Moreillon admits it is a unique way of promoting a new model, and runs the risk that people won't make the association or won't be bothered waiting until the car is in dealerships.
"I don't think anyone has ever done it like that before in Australia," he says. "Later in the year it will become available for the general public to buy."
Australia will be the first place the new Altima will be raced.
Moreillon says the V8 Supercars program - estimated to cost more than $10 million - will cement the Altima as a brand well before dealers have to start selling them.
It's not the first time in Australian touring car racing that a car on the grid hasn't been sold here.
Ford famously - and successfully - campaigned the European market Sierra in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it had no plans to sell them here, instead using it as a branding exercise - and a way to win races.
No doubt Ford and Holden will be taking notice of the unusual marketing strategy.
Each has been reducing its spend on V8 Supercars - once estimated at up to $15 million for each brand - and each could potentially be in a position in the next five years to have Commodore and Falcon replacements to promote.
Nissan is understood to be considering coinciding the Altima's Australian launch with either the Bathurst 1000 in October or the 2013 Melbourne motor show in June, depending on availability of supply.
Despite being unceremoniously ousted from the showcase category of Australian motor sport 20 years ago - after its Skyline had won back to back Bathurst races in 1991 and 1992 - Nissan is confident the new investment is worth it.
"There's only one reason we're going into V8 Supercars - that is to sell cars and make money," says Moreillon.
The new Altima will be officially unveiled at the New York motor show this week, but images have already leaked on to the internet.

Mazda3 extends its winning streak

But the Japanese car maker won’t gloat because it doesn’t want a buyer backlash.
First stop: Holden Commodore. Next stop: Ford?
The Mazda3 has cemented its position as Australia’s favourite car, winning the new-car sales race for the first three months of 2012, according to preliminary data.
Now Mazda as a brand is on track to topple its former parent company Ford in the local market and end up third on the podium behind Toyota and Holden.

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Having posted its best month on record in March (on the back of all-time best results for January and February) Mazda sold more than 25,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2012, setting it up for an annual tally of 100,000 vehicles.
That figure would likely put Mazda ahead of Ford. The two brands were separated by just 3000 sales last year. But so far this year, Ford is continuing its seven years of sales decline, while Mazda’s results are up 15 per cent.
“We’ve got some pretty good market analysts who think ... another record year is on the cards for us,” says Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver. “We can see the potential, we’ll end up this year in excess of 90,000 ... but 100,000 is not a goal for us.
“We don’t have a war room whereby we go and sit down and say ‘right, we want to sell this [many]’ ... we don’t do any tactical moves to try to beat anyone else. We will sell [how many cars] the market wants.”
The preliminary data shows that the Mazda3’s three-month winning streak puts it comfortably ahead of the competition.
The Mazda3 was the top-selling car last year – ending the Holden Commodore’s 15-year winning streak – but it was beaten by the Toyota Corolla in the last four months of 2011.
While most car makers boast about having a best-selling car in their line-up, Mazda is coy about its success.
It says it won’t boast about it in ad campaigns because it doesn’t want to appear arrogant or too common.
“[Top-selling status] is important to us as a brand but there’s more to Mazda than the Mazda3,” Maciver says. “[Advertising the car’s sales success] is something that’s never been on the radar. It’s not a discussion.
“Rather than Mazda saying ‘we’ve got the number one car’ ... it carries a lot more weight if it’s a personal recommendation from a friend or a work colleague.”
While Toyota and Holden are secure for first and second spots in overall sales, Ford came under threat last year from Japan's Mazda and Korea’s Hyundai.
Ford sold 91,243 cars in 2011, its seventh straight year of decline, and down 32 per cent from a peak of 135,172 sales in 2004.
Mazda sold 88,333 and Hyundai 87,008 cars. Both brands have posted sales growth so far in 2012 while Ford sales have continued to fall.
Official new-car sales figures for March are released at midday April 4, 2012.

First Drive: Mercedes B-Class

 

New hatch is more revolutionary than it looks.
As far as the future of Mercedes-Benz goes, the new second-generation B-class is much more significant than its evolutionary sheetmetal might suggest.
The B-class is the first of five new small cars from Mercedes-Benz that will roll out within the next couple of years, all built on shared underpinnings.
Next up will be the third generation A-class (early 2013), then a four-door coupe dubbed the CLA which is shown in “concept” form at the Beijing show in a couple of weeks, an SUV and a fifth model tipped to be a small sedan or convertible.

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These cars are designed to elevate Benz to serious player status in the global compact luxury market, introducing the three-pointed star to a whole new generation of car buyers.
So B-class gives us a first driving impression of the company’s new common platform. It’s also our first taste of new generation of turbo-petrol four-cylinder engines, a vastly uprated turbo-diesel and Benz’s first dual-clutch transmission.
It also has to defend the premium compact category sales lead its predecessor garnered over the likes of the BMW 1-Series and Audi A1 in Australia in 2011. However, Mercedes-BenzAustralia admits that will be a difficult challenge because of limited supply.
Those who do manage to purchase a B-class will find themselves driving a cheaper, more efficient and mostly better equipped car. Based on 300km or so of varied driving in and around Melbourne at the local launch, it’s also a better drive.
Okay, not exactly exciting, but then this is the most family-oriented among the coming offerings and designed very much to be an all-rounder. For exciting you might need to wait for the AWD 200kW AMG A-class that is said to be on its way in 2014.
Most of our experience was gained in the B200 BlueEfficiency, which is powered by a 115k/250Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol direct-injection four-cylinder engine. Once the sludgy Eco mode is deactivated, freeing up both throttle and gearshift, it proves to be a lively, smooth and tractable engine, capable of keeping up with the traffic and hauling its 1395kg kerb weight along without struggling.
True oomph is provided by the B200 CDI 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, its 300Nm of pulling power available from just 1600rpm to 3000rpm. Eighty kilograms of extra weight take a little off the diesel’s accelerative edge and also make the ride that little bit edgier.
Despite its entry-level status the B180 manages to perform more than adequately. Its 90kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine makes a still useful 200Nm and having the lightest weight also helps its ride quality and the light response of the electro-mechanical steering.
The B-class is a reliable rather than exciting handler. There isn’t that much steering feel or a sense of nimbleness. Instead, this is a car that likes to settle into a corner and stick to it. However, it does change lines better and feel less proppy than its 47mm taller predecessor.
A massive glass area in most directions provides great vision for carpark work. Rearward the view is limited, but standard parking sensors aid reversing and a rear-view camera is a $549 option.
Run-flat tyres are a controversial addition to the B-class, but while noticeable they don’t cruel the ride like earlier generations did on rival BMWs. However, there is still some harshness on rougher roads and noise intrusion on coarse surfaces.
The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission also provides some rough moments, on one occasion hesitating noticeably when accelerating from a standing start in manual mode. However, launches in drive or reverse are smooth by DCT standards and changes are very quick.
Eco start/stop, by contrast, cannot match the latest Japanese systems from the like of Mazda and Subaru for speed and smoothness.
Undoubtedly smoother is the B-class’s interior, which has taken a significant step forward from its predecessor. The three-air con vents and fixed media screen in the upper centre-stack are dominant features. The driver gets a reach and rake adjustable multi-function steering wheel and proper left footrest.
However, Benz’s signature backlit floating needle instrumentation is missing.
The decision to lengthen and lower the body has increased passenger space but reduced luggage capacity, albeit to a still substantial 488 litres. Four adult passengers will fit comfortably and also have enough storage space to fit drinks, mobiles and various “i” devices.
However, a central propshaft tunnel reduces fifth seat space … and hints of the future variants to come