“Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi”. To define the design approach used for its first global BEV model, a brand as deeply rooted in Japanese culture as Suzuki could only express the concept in its mother tongue. Presenting the world première of the e Vitara in Milan, President Toshihiro Suzuki explained to the international audience that “Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi means to make everything more compact, using fewer resources, light, fast, with more beauty. The e Vitara is a strategic model, a very important milestone for us as one of the efforts to become carbon neutral”.
Long-standing experience in 4×4 vehicles
The concept from which the work of the Suzuki design team in Japan started was “high tech & adventure”, with the aim of blending the sophistication of an EV with the robustness of an SUV. The brand’s long-standing tradition as a manufacturer of compact 4×4 vehicles was fundamental in setting the design, with a final result that is unprecedented but clearly identifiable with the Suzuki aesthetic.
Strong design with a hint of SUV heritage
Kimitoshi Sato, Design manager of the Automobile Styling division, explains: “At the beginning, we conducted several explorations to define the exterior design and capture the right character of the e Vitara”. ‘Emotional Versatile Cruiser’ is the image that guided the research. From the numerous sketches in the first phase, two proposals were identified and then developed into two scale models, says Sato: “Each proposal was characterised by a strong design theme, with a fresh aesthetic, the typical toughness of the SUV and also a hint of Suzuki SUV heritage”.
A bold and futuristic front
Both hypotheses were developed in 3D virtual and physical 1:1 models, until the final one was chosen. The detail refinements and aerodynamic optimisation then began, all the more important as it was an all-electric vehicle. “We wanted a design reminiscent of a wild animal, but also inspired by the digital”, Sato continues, describing the highly sculpted design of the body. “The front end is clear, bold and futuristic. Clearly Suzuki
Comfort off and on road
The “high tech & adventure” concept was also pursued for the interior, highlighting the dual personality of this car: made to be driven silently on the road as well as tackling off-road routes. “It is a futuristic and robust aesthetic”, notes Sato about the solution chosen from the four initially hypothesised, two of which were then developed from the virtual dimension to the physical model. Also impressive are the suspended console and the compartment below with indirect lighting, the same as on the door panels.
Sophistication and outdoor
While the interior proposes dark colours (black and brown, or “total black”), the exterior is available in seven colours, including one created exclusively for the e Vitara, the metallic Land Breeze Green: another expression of the quest for sophistication combined with the outdoor vocation that has always featured in Suzukis.
(Full article in A&D no. 270)
