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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: TN_Tracker on June 11, 2005, 02:57:19 PM

Title: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 11, 2005, 02:57:19 PM
Sorry, but I think this is ugly :P

(http://www.autonews.ru/img/news/topics/2005/06/07/64644_top_photo.jpg)

(http://www.autonews.ru/img/news/topics/2005/06/07/64644_bottom_photo.jpg)

(http://www.autoweek.nl/images/480/11153.jpg)

(http://www.autoweek.nl/images/480/11152.jpg)

http://www.autoindex.org/news.plt?no=1147#

http://www.martos4x4.com/fotos_santana_300.htm

Translated from Spanish to English by Google:

Santana 300, new vehicle based on the Vitara the plan of diversification of Motor Santana in Spain initiates his first passages with the manufacture and commercialization of 5,000 units of the new vehicle Santana 300, and with construction sites of the facilities it Auxiliary Company of the Railroad (Caf).  According to sources of the company consulted by Europe Press, the factory of Linares (Jaén) is completing the preparations to begin to make its second model with mark Santana after the agreement reached with Motor Suzuki Corporation.  The new vehicle will take as it bases the Vitara veteran, who has been remodelado by the prestigious company of design ' Italdesign', specialized in the world of the automobile.  The most important changes of Santana 300 with respect to the Japanese model take shape in a modification of the aesthetic front and back outside of the vehicle, since it incorporates new optical, paragolpes, grid and anagrams Santana, as well as new finished an inner one who incorporates new tapestries, climatizador, radio CD, embellecedores in console and pomos of transference and gearshifts.  New Santana 300 will maintain the motorizations of the present Vitara, so that the versions to gasoline will mount motors 1,6 of Suzuki and PSA. diesel engine 2,0 Is predicted that Motor Santana makes 5,000 units of this new model during the first year of assembly.  Also, in next dates, and after formalizing the agreements with the Auxiliary Company of Railroad (Caf), the construction sites of the ships will begin that will lodge the facilities of manufacture and assembly of the railroad units, in principle metropolitan, already contracted.  The commitment of the new company, always according to the consulted sources, is the one to begin the delivery of the first units in the month of January of the next year.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: SnoFalls on June 11, 2005, 03:19:24 PM
Ugly?

It's a trac/kick/vit with a different bumper and new dash ... same body tho.

I wouldn't call a trac/kick/vit body beautiful, but that's certainly no different.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: SiKiD_01 on June 11, 2005, 03:27:52 PM
i dont know about other guys, but i'm not too keen on the 1 piece front bumper/grille/headlights.

other than that, i'd definately be up for buying a new vit in the old shape.

interior is nice, same ol shift lever and transfer tho, which is a good thing.

oh yeah, can't say it'd go wrong with a couple of cup holders. yay.

Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Suzuki1.8 on June 11, 2005, 03:41:14 PM
well the interior is the same a sport sidekick. so they through a new bumper on it and call it new? still even has still rims? I do like the option of a diesel engine. imagine a kick with torque. I would like the front bumper with a suzuki grill the fog lights would look sweet on my ride.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 11, 2005, 03:55:52 PM
Quote
Ugly?

It's a trac/kick/vit with a different bumper and new dash ... same body tho.

I wouldn't call a trac/kick/vit body beautiful, but that's certainly no different.


>:( I think my Tracker is beautiful ;D The bumper/grille/headlights in the front and the rear bumper and lights are different, check the links. Looks like some Ricer-Boy designed it, 1989 design meets 2005 uglification and it doesn't work. The dash is not new, my '96 looks exactly the same. Guess ugly is in the eye of the beholder.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: ADavis on June 11, 2005, 04:41:52 PM
I guess I solved the problem of having an ugly Tracker, I pulled my bumpers off ;D.  Technicially speaking, I didn't pull them off, they were forced off by a rock.  But anywho, it has been beautified.  
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 11, 2005, 04:48:25 PM
So has mine ;D

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RockSolid4X4/Tracker/withoutbumpers.jpg)
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: HotRod on June 11, 2005, 05:09:10 PM
The headlights look good but the rest of the frontend looks like Poo Poo.
But I really like the Boxie styling of the pre 99's
Nothing personnel for anybody that has a newer one.
I'm just use to the square look. (old Mopar guy ;))
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: explosivo on June 11, 2005, 08:15:59 PM
I think the front end would look tons better without round headlights. A modified, updated version of the old style headlights would make it look pretty slick, IMO.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Gary_Hill on June 11, 2005, 10:31:16 PM
Who cares if its ugly...looks like two wheel drive to me...
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: SiKiD_01 on June 11, 2005, 10:53:06 PM
Quote
Who cares if its ugly...looks like two wheel drive to me...


what about manual hubs and transfer case shifter?
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 12, 2005, 01:43:15 AM
Quote
Who cares if its ugly...looks like two wheel drive to me...


Apparently you need to visit an optometrist, I see a transfercase shifter and manual hubs. ;)
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: sergi on June 12, 2005, 02:09:16 AM
Santana have never made a 2wd Vitara, thus there are none here in spain and I don't think there are any in europe.
I don't like it either...
The car in the background in the third foto is a Santana Anibal, which is like a LR Defender, just copied as the 300 is like a Vitara.
If the PSA diesel engine is kept to the same specs, it should have 90 HP and 205 Nm torque...
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Rhinoman on June 12, 2005, 03:48:48 AM
Italdesign, the styling house that brought us the awful Morris Ital, I'm sure they must have designed something attractive once, lol. The VIN plate on my 'Suzuki' Vitara says Santana Motor Company. Suzuki UK stopped importing the car version in 2002IIRC, it seems that Santana have now dropped the Suzuki name
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Maiden Hell on June 12, 2005, 05:13:40 AM
Bizarre, but kinda of cool at the same time.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: mesjr2004 on June 12, 2005, 07:08:07 AM
Quote
The headlights look good but the rest of the frontend looks like Poo Poo.
But I really like the Boxie styling of the pre 99's
Nothing personnel for anybody that has a newer one.
I'm just use to the square look. (old Mopar guy ;))

Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Gary_Hill on June 12, 2005, 08:14:54 AM
 :-[ I guess I shouldn't post at 3:30 AM when my brain and bifoculs are out of focus. The truth seems obvious this morning...  :-[Whats that about better to be embarased than bare- assed... wait thats no true either ;D
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Craw4x4PH on June 13, 2005, 05:23:11 AM
I think TN was referring to the grumper (grill/bumper as one :P) as the ugly thing...

I also grew to love the Vitrackick's body... classic offroad body with that "triangle" shape for less tip-overs 8)

Anyway, that grumper's waiting for a head-on collision :P
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: CBTracker on June 13, 2005, 07:27:24 AM
I wish car manufacturers would be more original... I mean they've always copied to a certain extent,but to reproduce a platform thats 16 years old is just irresponsible. I mean I love my tracker as much as the next guy but If I was laying down that much money for a new vehicle nowaday's the trackicks just don't cut it. I do like round headlights and tail lamps but I think they were done wrong. the only way that I could see them looking good is to take off the crossbrace between the hood and the grill and move the lamps higher. In all newer vehicles the lamps are closer to the hood line giving a cleaner less bulkey, more sporty look. That's just my humble opinion.  :-/
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: bus_driver on June 13, 2005, 07:35:28 AM
 think a larger version of the jimny would have been nice
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Mythose on June 13, 2005, 07:54:34 AM
take the bumper off, and put an older grill and lights on.  then you have a bran new kik ???
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 13, 2005, 08:19:46 AM
Quote
I think TN was referring to the grumper (grill/bumper as one :P) as the ugly thing...


Exactly ;) It is cool that they are still being made, with a diesel no less. 8)
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 13, 2005, 08:26:49 AM
Why is all the cool stuff outside the US? :(
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Rhinoman on June 13, 2005, 08:29:11 AM
http://www.santana-suzuki.es/porta.htm
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: SnoFalls on June 13, 2005, 03:27:17 PM
Quote
Why is all the cool stuff outside the US? :(

Because ...

Nader says corvairs are "unsafe at any speed"
Comsumer reports says samurais rollover
Ford blames the tires
Firstone blames the truck
Hippies living in a desert complain about smog

I'm tempted to import a jimny, get a title (and badges) from a jeep liberty, and hope I never get pulled over :)
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: sergi on June 13, 2005, 08:22:41 PM
Quote
Why is all the cool stuff outside the US? :(


Well, quite the oposite happens around here...
You get tired of only seing muscle cars on TV, it sucks when aftermarket parts are all from US and you have to pay posting and packaging here, then pay import taxes and duties...
And it also sucks when you guys can modify things only paying for parts. We have to pay an engineer to legalize the mods... I mean, its good for you, but here it isn't that good;)

A Jimny is a good offroader once you remove all the plastic ;D
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: TN_Tracker on June 14, 2005, 05:39:01 AM
Quote

...We have to pay an engineer to legalize the mods... I mean, its good for you, but here it isn't that good;)...



:o Bummer, is it expensive to have things legalized?
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: Suzuki1.8 on June 14, 2005, 12:33:09 PM
wow it look like this company spears no expesense in having the most update things. They even used the same shifter knob my kick came with 9 years ago. You think they would at least update the dash with more color or something. Well at least we can rest knowing parts for are vehicle are still going to be made and not discontinued.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: sergi on June 15, 2005, 10:37:45 AM
Quote
wow it look like this company spears no expesense in having the most update things.


There has been great debate on weather this has been a good move by Santana. The idea was to continue making a very affordable 4x4. There isn't much point in trying to update the car, as this will increase the price and people would rather buy a GV than car over 15 years old for a little more money. But if it is really cheap, it does have potential buyers.

Another thing is the grille/bumper. I don't like it either, but...

The adantage they have is they have been producing this car for years and years, so they have the factory set up. It is a minimal investment.

Suzuki lost their confidence from them because the cars aren't well made... Loose bolts and materials that aren't good quality, especially when compared to japanese kicks/vitaras.
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: 92Sidekick4x4 on June 15, 2005, 12:21:53 PM
why would it be illigeal to import a jimny to here? if u get it inspected
Title: Re: An ugly Track/Kick/Vit
Post by: sergi on June 15, 2005, 07:47:14 PM
I believe you can import anything you want, as long as it is non radioactive...
You'll have to pay taxes plus import duties... If the problem is the government, as long as they get paid (with taxes obviously), they will probably allow you to do most everything...;D
Here in Spain, you have to pay 16% sales tax on all imported goods, plus an imoprt tax of 4% if it is for a car or related. This 4% is like to protect the local automotive industry :-/. Then you have to register the vehicle and insure it (you insure the car, not the driver... weird isn't it?).
I imagine importing something to the US would be much the same.