26/2/2009 - Suzuki Equator Concepts

Suzuki Equator Concepts  

Suzuki has long been known for its motorcycles, ATVs and marine outboard engines, products that appeal to outdoorsy types. At the same time, Suzuki has offered a line of small, affordable cars. In an effort to marry the various product lines, Suzuki teamed with Nissan to introduce a pickup truck for the 2009 model year. The idea was to allow the fans of other Suzuki products to stay in the family when buying a pickup to tow their toys.Now, less than a year after its release, the Suzuki Equator pickup, which is based on the Nissan Frontier, has earned some attention and acclaim from the enthusiast pickup-truck magazines. At the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, Suzuki showed off three project trucks from three of the leading pickup magazines.Before presenting his project pickup, 4x4 & Off-Road editor Rick Péwé presented Suzuki with his magazine’s 2009 4x4 of the Year Award. The truck prepared by 4x4 & Off-Road is called Super Equator, and it was modified with the idea of heightening off-road capability. “We didn’t go completely custom and overboard because it didn’t need it. It’s an excellent foundation to begin with,” said Péwé.The Super Equator is based on the off-road-oriented RMZ-4 model. Suspension work was farmed out to DMZ Fabrication, which added Icon Vehicle Dynamics front coil-over shocks, Total Chaos custom A-arms to allow more suspension travel, and larger Deaver rear leaf springs that provide more travel and a better ride. A Shrockworks custom front bumper improves the approach angle and provides a mounting point for a Warn winch. The rear bumper and side rock rails are also from Schrockworks. The custom aluminum bead-lock wheels from Allied Wheel are fitted with Hankook Dynapro MT Tires.Off-Road magazine’s project is called Two Face, and it was also built as an off-road pickup using the RMZ-4 model as a starting point. Changes include suspension components from PRG that widen the track, increase travel and make for more robust damping. At the rear, the truck has a set of custom leaf springs that also allow more wheel travel and do a better job of keeping the rear end on the ground, which is important in aggressive off-road driving. BFGoodrich all-terrain ATKO tires are found at all four corners. Other highlights include carbon fiber high-intensity discharge lights from KC HiLites and a Randy Ellis Design front bumper and skid plate. “We wanted to show our readers that you can create the best of both worlds – adventure 4WD and high-speed 2WD – in one machine,” said Off-Road editor Jordan May.Truckin’ magazine went a different route, opting for a sleek custom truck called Street Shark. Starting with an extended-cab Equator with two-wheel drive and the base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, the Truckin’ crew added a MagnaFlow to improve engine performance and give the truck a throatier growl. Stillen performance rotors with powder-coated calipers improve stopping power.The most striking aspect of Street Shark is its two-tone black and blue paint job with gray accents. The paint was supplied by Summit Racing and applied by L&G Enterprises. The body also features a custom one-piece grille, a shaved tailgate, smoked taillights and low-profile 22-inch Nitto tires on Giovanna wheels. An AIM Industries custom lowering kit with coil-over front shocks slams the truck to the ground, and a Suzuki GSX-R sport bike sits ominously in the bed. Inside, the Shark features Classic Soft Trim leather upholstery, a Polk Audio sound system with three 12-inch subwoofers, three amps and 1,800 watts of power.