Suzuki is best known for being a brand of cars and motorcycles, but we rarely see the Japanese brand connecting these two worlds – Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo It seeks to be that connecting link.
Unfortunately, this exercise is only hypothetical, with Suzuki being the latest brand to build a specific model of Gran Turismo 7, with Vision Gran Turismo available in the latest update to the popular game.
And we say unfortunately because for any car enthusiast, another sports car is never enough and the truth is that it looks less and less. And it looks like this Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo has a lot going for it.
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After all it is so low roadster Equipped with huge 1,340 cm inline four-cylinders3 From the inevitable Hayabusa. The basic chassis is the most classic of all: the Hayabusa engine is installed longitudinally, behind the front axle and connected to the rear wheels.
And with the Japanese brand claiming a mass of just 970kg – just under the lightest Mazda MX-5 – we think the four-cylinder Hayabusa won’t have much trouble cranking the Vision Gran Turismo and climbing up to that tumultuous .9700rpm.
Must see: Suzuki Hayabusa. The full story of the speed queen
Electrify, literally
But the drive of this virtual sports car doesn’t stop there. Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo, to live up to the times we live in, is also a hybrid car In addition to the combustion engine, it has three electric motors.
The scenario is not strange to us.
Two of them provide traction to the front wheels, while the third joins the combustion engine to give traction to the rear axle. this is roadster The compact has all-wheel drive, although it prefers the rear axle more.
In total, Suzuki announces a combined maximum power of 432 hp at 9700 rpm and a maximum torque of 610 Nm. Which, together with the mass of less than a ton, should ensure the performance of “big people”.
Swift Sport genes?
If the propulsion system is impressive, the design is also captivating. The proportions are typical of a sports car of this architecture – a long front with a cabin directly in front of the rear axle – but the stylistic choices of this sports car are intriguing.
The sense of familiarity is great because Suzuki has given the Vision Gran Turismo a “face” that immediately reminds us of the Swift Sport, albeit with a more aggressive tone. The optics are more angular and have a distinct optical signature, but the grille appears to be modeled on pocket missile Japanese.
Are we here to get a first glimpse of some of the aesthetic details of the next generation of Swift? Rumor has it that a new generation of Swift will be revealed later this year, with the new Swift Sport scheduled for 2023.
Also of note is the minimalistic, futuristic interior of the Suzuki Vision Gran Turismo, which focuses on all information related to the driver. We have an open steering wheel on top, with several controls, and a small screen that acts as the dashboard. Surrounding it are two screens that act as mirrors that display images taken with external cameras.
Not the first with Hayabusa engine
This isn’t the first time Suzuki has tempted us with a sports car equipped with a Hayabusa engine. More than 20 years ago, in 2001, the Japanese brand revealed the prototype – very real, not virtual – the GSX-R / 4. And in 2002 it showed the Hayabusa sports model.
Suzuki GSX-R/4.
the first was roadster Radical appearance, very compact and lightweight – only 640 kg. The second looked like a scale model of Le Mans, with a coupe body reminiscent of a TVR Tuscan or Panoz Esperante at the time. It managed to be even lighter, weighing only 550 kg.
Both were equipped with the Hayabusa engine producing 175 hp at 9800 rpm, but while the GSX-R/4 placed it behind the passengers, the Hayabusa Sport Prototype placed it longitudinally in front.
