Suzuki's new Splash concept looked a little lost on the vast stage on Suzuki's show stand in
Paris, but as the name suggests, the Japanese company expects this car to make waves when it is turned into a showroom model next year.
Built on the same compact platform as the excellent new
Suzuki Swift, the concept previews an all-new production model. It's a little difficult to see where it fits next to the Swift, but we're told it is aimed more at city dwellers. Its interior is particularly bright and airy, thanks to the tall body and huge glass area; including a glass roof. The cabin manages to be trendy and stylish without resorting to extremely futuristic design elements too. It remains to be seen how much of this will make the production model though.
Behind the bold Suzuki grille (thought to be a design feature on future Suzukis) lies an efficient 1.2-litre petrol engine, mated to an electronically-controlled automatic gearbox that the driver operates via an unusual 'ball' control.
Shane O' Donoghue - 6 Oct 2006