it’s no secret that Suzuki wants a more powerful engine to slot under the hood of its new Kizashi sedan, but we’re still a ways away from seeing a turbocharged Kizashi reach the showroom floor. That hasn’t stopped the Japanese automaker from partnering with Road Race Motor sports to build a one-off Kizashi Turbo show car.
Having partnered on a previous Kizashi for the 2009 SEMA show (pictured), the two firms started with an early pre-production Kizashi, and added a turbocharger, intercooler, and a host of suspension upgrades. Thanks to forced induction, power from the Kizashi’s 2.4-liter I-4 is boosted to 290 horsepower -- an increase of 105 ponies over its stock form. Other power-enhancing upgrades include a cold air intake, new fuel injectors, and a customized fuel management system.
We’ve been singing praise for the Kizashi’s chassis tuning for some time now, but Road Race sought to make the recipe even sweeter. The company added its own sport springs to keep the car’s four contact patches firmly planted. Larger 19-inch Dunlop tires were also added for extra grip, and a new rear-mounted spoiler reportedly increases the car’s high-speed stability.
How’s it look? Well, we’ve yet to see the finished product. Suzuki hasn’t unveiled the car, but it will make an appearance on Speed TV’s "Test Drive," which begins airing on April 30. We’re told legendary racer Tommy Kendall will have a chance to flog the boosted ‘Zuk around the Willow Springs Raceway, located in Rosamond, California.
Although the Kizashi turbo is a concept, we expect a more powerful Kizashi to reach the assembly lines in the next few years. Suzuki is already working with its new corporate partner -- Volkswagen -- to find a more powerful mill that will fit underhood. May we suggest the turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 found in the likes of the Volkswagen GTI?
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