Renault Koleos
Renault is planning to build a 4x4 in South Korea, for sale in Europe, Latin America and other global markets. This model, an intended rival for the Toyota RAV4, will be made at the factory of Renault's South Korean subsidiary, Samsung, but will be badged and marketed as a Renault and sold through both Renault and Nissan sales networks. Renault CEO Louis Scheweitzer told the FT yesterday that "there's a significant market in Europe (for sports-utility vehicles) but the market is not large enough to have a specific vehicle developed and sold only in Europe." This new model is likely to be based on the same platform as the next-generation replacement for the Nissan Almera - itself to be more of a 4x4/crossover range than a traditional hatchback - and could have styling cues developed from those of the Koleos crossover concept car.
Suzuki, meanwhile, is also planning a new 4x4 - a large 3.0-litre model, to be built in Canada for the North American market. This will ultimately replace the top-end Vitara, and will go into production in 2006 at a General Motors plant. It will share its platform and basic underpinnings with an as-yet unnamed GM 4x4. Suzuki intends to make around 50,000 examples a year; exports to Europe have not been confirmed but the vehicle is likely to be sold in Japan and Australia as well. (Just-auto.com)
Sorry no picture for the Suzuki
