Suzuki unveiled three near production-ready pickup truck concepts and another motorcycle-themed concept based on the subcompact SX4 at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show.

Suzuki Equator Concepts

2008 Chicago Auto Show
Suzuki Equator  RMZ-4 Concept

2008 Chicago Auto Show
Suzuki Equator Quad Concept

2008 Chicago Auto Show
Suzuki Equator Quay Concept

Suzuki's new Equator pickup truck will be hitting showrooms later this year. It took the wraps off of three concept versions of the truck in Chicago.

Shown were the Quad, the Quay, and the RMZ-4, each focused at different types of Suzuki customers. The Quad is aimed at ATV owners. It stands apart from the others with its wide, knobby tires. The Quay is designed to tow, specifically boats, with 281 lb-ft of torque and a 6500-pound towing capacity. The RMZ-4, which comes with a locking rear differential and hill descent control, is a desert runner built to carry sport bikes in the pickup bed.

Equator will be built for Suzuki by Nissan and is based on that company's Frontier. As such, it should come in extended- and crew-cab body styles (no regular cab) with either a 154-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 265-horsepower 4.0-liter V6--the strongest V6 in the compact pickup segment. (Only the Dodge Dakota's optional 302-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 is more powerful.) The four-cylinder comes with a 5-speed manual transmission or 5-speed automatic, the V6 with either the automatic or a 6-speed manual. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with part-time 4WD (not for use on dry pavement) optional.

Like its Frontier cousin, the extended-cab Equator comes with a 6.1-ft cargo bed, while the crew cab offers either the 6.1 or a 5-ft bed. Front side airbags, curtain side airbags, and an antiskid system are optional.

Distinguishing the Equator are a restyled grille, hood, headlights, front fenders, and front fascia, along with altered taillight lenses and minor interior trim details. And, of course, Suzuki badges.

Suzuki hopes to capture the "active-lifestyle" set that also purchases the company's motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and outboard motors. Sales are projected at 15,000 per year--a mere fraction of Frontier volume, but a significant bump to Suzuki's 100,000 annual total. The 2009 Suzuki Equator will go on sale in late 2008.

Suzuki SXForce Concept

2008 Chicago Auto Show
Suzuki SXForce Concept

2008 Chicago Auto Show
Suzuki SXForce Concept

Suzuki might be better known for the motorcycles it produces than for its cars, and the company is hoping its SXForce concept, introduced at the Chicago Auto Show, can draw on its motorcycle heritage to drum up interest in its four-wheeled products.

The SXForce Concept is essentially an SX4 Sport done in a motorcycle theme. Road Race Motorsports of Santa Fe Springs, CA designed the SXForce for Suzuki, basing the theme heavily on Suzuki's sport bike heritage. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Other performance enhancements include a performance-tuned suspension, a rear wing, and reinforced body structure. High-performance tires are mounted on 18-inch rims.

The rear seats have been removed from the interior, replaced by a Rockford Fosgate audio system. The instrument cluster and controls mirror a handlebar setup lifted straight out of a motorcycle, and the seats are covered in suede and leather--again continuing the motorbike theme. All pertinent control data is monitored by an onboard computer and broadcast to a gauge mounted on the handlebars. A Garmin navigation system is integrated into the controls.

The motorcycle influence is also evident in the side view mirrors, which are styled to resemble those of a high-speed sport bike and placed high on the A-pillars. The paint job is a mix of white and orange.

For now, the SXForce is simply a concept, and Suzuki won't say if it will see production. If it did, SXForce would compete in the sporty/performance car class against such vehicles as the Scion tC and the Volkswagen GTI. Suzuki did say the SXForce is fully drivable and has been track-tested.

2008 Chicago Auto Show