Tokyo Motor Show - Suzuki

What will make it to the showrooms?
The Swift Sport, which makes its production debut at Tokyo. This is a small hot hatch in the mould of the recently axed Volkswagen Lupo GTI.

For Europe it will have specially tuned suspension and a 1.6-litre engine delivering 135bhp – 10bhp more than the prototype model tested in What Car? Magazine (September 2005 issue).

Feedback from that early drive session has also encouraged Suzuki to brighten up the interior with body-colour panels in the seats and on the door trim. Sculpted Recaro seats are likely to be standard for Europe.

The model on sale in the UK will also be available only with three doors rather than the five of the car at Tokyo. Expect a price of around £10,500 when it arrives next summer.

What’s the best bit?
The standard Swift is an excellent supermini, so the Sport has the makings of being a little firecracker.

And the worst?
Suzuki has had to drop plans to call it the Swift GTI because of objections from Volkswagen.

Any other developments?
There’s plenty going on, but sadly, not for European markets. Mom’s Personal Wagon is a dinky little four-seater built to Japan’s strict city-car regulations, and showcases some bright ideas for child-friendly future transport.

Among its cleverer ideas are the storage boxes in the front passenger seat cushion and dash, and a folding seat that gives easy access to kids in the back.

The standard instruments have been replaced by cute characters that will appeal to children. The brown and beige decor might be a bit too 1970s for some tastes, though.

There’s more of a 1940s look to another concept, LC, based on the same platform – it’s reminiscent of the Fiat Topolino.

Suzuki would like to build something similar, but certain features – such as the metal horn ring in the steering wheel – would have to be dropped for safety.

Any gossip?
The PX concept gives just a vague hint of the mid-sized 4x4 Suzuki will introduce in 2008. It won’t look like this, not have its bizarre six-door layout, but the central row of seats that fold into the floor to give you the option of turning a roomy six-seater into a cavernous four-seater looks like too good an idea to waste.