Is Mazda2 North America bound?

Gerry Malloy

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Speaking in Geneva, a senior Mazda executive suggested the company is considering sale of the Mazda2 in North America. Until now, the company has denied any plans to sell the sub-compact in North America.

The Mazda2 is the basis for the new Ford Fiesta, a version of which will be sold here in 2010. So if there is a market for the Fiesta, why not the Mazda2?

Probably because of a lack of production capacity. But that problem could be addressed if both the Fiesta and Mazda2 were built in the same plant (probably in Mexico).

There is a precedent for such co-operation in the form of the joint Ford-Mazda plant in Flat Rock Mich., where both the Ford Probe and Mazda6 were initially built.

Since its launch last year, the Mazda2 has become highly successful in both Japan and Europe. It won one of two Japanese Car of the Year awards, and is among the three finalists for the World Car of the Year award, which will be presented at the New York auto show next week.

Suzuki concept to production

Suzuki will reveal the third and final version in its series of Kizashi concept cars at the New York International Auto Show next week.

The first Kizashi made its debut at the Frankfurt show last fall; the second at Tokyo. All three versions will be shown in New York.

Each iteration has become progressively less radical and closer to production reality.

According to a source within Suzuki, the next step will be the introduction of a production, mid-size sedan incorporating the Kizashi's design language for the 2010 model year.

Having successfully moved upscale on the utility-vehicle side, Suzuki is anxious to do the same in the car market. The Kizashi-inspired production car will be the first mid-sized model designed and built totally by Suzuki.

The company briefly offered a mid-size sedan called the Verona, in 2004 – a twin to the Chevrolet Epica, based on a rebadged Daewoo. GM and Suzuki jointly acquired Daewoo's assets when that company failed.

New Grand Cherokee for 2011

Chrysler effectively confirmed plans to release the next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee for the 2011 model year by committing to a major overhaul of its Jefferson North Assembly plant in Detroit.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Jeep Commander are currently built in the plant, but the Commander has never found a significant market among consumers and is expected to be dropped as part of the company's product consolidation.

As one of Chrysler's signature vehicles, and one of the first to be designed and engineered in the post-Daimler regime, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee will set the tone for the company's future product direction.

Both new boss, Robert Nardelli, appointed by company owner, Cerberus, and his new product henchman, Jim Press, recently arrived from Toyota, are said to be directly involved in the new Jeep's development.

In addition to gasoline engines, it may be offered with an optional diesel engine, still made by Mercedes-Benz, as well as a two-mode hybrid system, jointly developed with BMW, Daimler, and General Motors.

Production of the new Grand Cherokee is expected to start in the second half of 2010.

$9,995 Accent goes national

You can cancel that cross-border shopping trip to Quebec. As of today, Hyundai's $9,995 Accent program is going national.

The company introduced the sub-$10,000 Accent sale in Quebec as a 25th-anniversary promotion, and followed it up with an $18,995 Sonata offer in the rest of the country.

But response to the Accent sale was so strong, both within and outside Quebec, that the company has been compelled to extend it from coast to coast.

According to a Hyundai Canada spokesperson, the company had to make special arrangements with corporate headquarters in Korea to increase allocation to Canada from the Ulsan plant where the Accent is built.

They not only agreed, but are already building them and some are already en route to Canada.

Skoda debuts novel hatch

One of the more novel ideas to appear at the Geneva auto show, which continues this weekend, is the "twin-door" rear cargo opening on Skoda's flagship Superb.

Based on the Passat built by its parent company, Volkswagen, the Czech-built car has the profile of a conventional, notch-back sedan. And it incorporates a trunk lid appropriate to that body style.

But surrounding that lid, and the rear glass, is a larger opening with a lid that swings up to provide full hatchback access: the best of both body styles.

Seems like an idea ready-made for the U.S., where conventional hatchbacks remain a hard sell. This might be a way to break through that bias barrier – although there is no indication yet that the feature is destined for any other applications.

Rumblings:

The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon, based on the fifth-generation Jetta sedan, has now arrived at dealerships with a base price of $23,475 – $2,745 less than the starting price of its predecessor. A diesel version of both the Jetta sedan and wagon is scheduled to arrive late this summer.

More videos from Wheels.ca and our partners