Suzuki Equator Concepts

Suzuki Equator Concept
Suzuki Equator Concept
Suzuki Equator Concept
Spotlighted on Suzuki's stage was a "three-peat" of concept vehicles based on the company's recently introduced Equator compact pickup and customized by three truck-focused magazines: 4-Wheel & Off-Road, Off-Road, and Truckin'. A year ago, the company showcased a trio of concept trucks alongside the upcoming production version of the Equator.

"With the arrival of the all-new Equator, we were presented with a tremendous opportunity to extend the awareness of our adventurous spirit to a new group of vehicle enthusiasts," said Gene Brown, Suzuki's vice president of marketing, PR and product planning. In support of that, the company offered each of the magazines an Equator to customize to their liking.

Perhaps predictably, 4-Wheel & Off-Road chose to fit their Equator 4x4 crew cab for "extreme capability" in the rough stuff. A raised suspension afforded room to a set of Hankook Dynapro MT tires on aluminum beadlock rims by Allied Wheels. A custom front bumper from Shrockworks allowed steeper approach angles and a solid mounting point for the Warn winch. Inside, the rear seat was upholstered to match the Master Craft RS Camelback front buckets.

A similar, but less severe, stance was taken by Off-Road magazine, which wanted to show its readers that a 4x4 crew cab could be modified for "the best of both worlds." Off-road aptitude was improved with B.F. Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires on the stock RMZ-4 wheels along with a sloping front bumper by Carli. Giving a stronger on-road presence were bumper-mounted KC HiLiTES Carbon Fiber HID driving lamps. 

CG Says...
Suzuki's intent with the Equator was to build on the reputation of its motorcycles and other recreational equipment. In turn, these three magazines have built on the reputation of the Equator.
Truckin' magazine took its entry in an entirely different direction. Assigning it the in-house moniker, "Street Shark," Truckin' started with a 2WD extended cab and modified it to be "tied to the pavement like a center stripe." To that end, the Equator was dropped with an AIM Industries custom lowering kit and fitted with Nitto 265/35R22 tires mounted on Giovanna wheels. Hidden inside the wheels are Stillen rotors squeezed by powder-coated calipers. An aural upgrade is provided by a MagnaFlow performance exhaust.

Inside, Classic Soft Trim swathed the seats in leather, with tunes provided by an 1800-watt Polk Audio sound system. But the real distinction is provided by a one-piece grille leading a custom paint job applied by L&G Enterprises. The design mimics the flavor of Suzuki's ferocious GSX-R sportbike.

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