Record breaking sales success in Japan has set the scene for the Australian introduction of the Wagon R+, the second generation of a vehicle that has been a top sales performer in the highly-competitive "mini car" segment of the Japanese market since its launch late in 1993.

More than half a million of the original Wagon R models were sold in its first 38 months, an all-time sales record for the "mini car" class in Japan.

And even alongside the new Wagon R+ , introduced in Japan earlier this year, the original vehicle has continued to sell strongly, beating the Toyota Corolla to top sales spot in January, April, May and August of this year.

In Australia, Suzuki projects sales of 150 units per month in November and December, rising to 200 per month in the first quarter of 1998.

It will be distributed in NSW and ACT by Ateco Automotive, and in WA by Suzuki WA.

"That such a versatile vehicle as the Wagon R can go head to head sales-wise with a conventional small car like the Corolla says a lot about what the concept has to offer buyers, '' Ateco Automotive's Governing Director Neville Crichton says.

"We think that will be the Wagon R+'s appeal here too ... its versatility, its practicality, its sense of fun and its affordability will have broad appeal to a variety of Australian buyers. ''

Designed for maximum space efficiency, the Wagon R+ adds a new dimension to the Australian small car market, with a vehicle that offers superior passenger accommodation, economy, and enormous practicality and flexibility.

It is a vehicle that will actively redefine the way we look at small cars.

Part economy car, part wagon, part van, part people-mover -- and an unlikely blend of fun and practicality -- the Wagon R+ frees buyers from the normal space and practicality constraints of 'small' cars while still providing traditional small car benefits like ease of parking and low running costs.

At 3410mm in length the Wagon R+ takes up very little space on the road yet it offers spacious and practical accommodation. Put succinctly, its overall dimensions and efficient utilisation of space give the feel of a car that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

The key to this is the Wagon R+'s upright design and a layout which places the wheels at the extreme comers of the vehicle's body. With low side sills, a higher than average seat height, and large doors, getting in and out of the Wagon R+ is considerably easier than in most small cars.

The high driving position provides excellent all-round visibility, making the Wagon R+ safe and easy to drive, while the height of the Wagon R+ provides ample front and rear headroom . . . even for tall back-seat passengers. At 1,575mm wide, the Wagon R+ also offers its occupants plenty of shoulder room.

Luggage capacity is simply exceptional for a vehicle of this size. Because the body shell floor is flat, and because the rear seats can be individually folded down flat with a single action, large items of luggage can be easily accommodated. With both the rear seats folded there is a full 633 litres of available luggage space.

AlI this is achieved in a body shell which is just a thumb's width narrower than Suzuki's popular Swift and a handspan shorter than the Suzuki Alto.

With almost exactly the same track as Nissan's Micra, this wide-bodied approach places the Wagon R+ in competition with the likes of Holden's Barina and the Toyota Starlet, and in a distinct class above the Daihatsu Move.

Suzuki's undoubted expertise with small capacity engines also makes the Wagon R+ competitive with the likes of Barina in terms of performance. With the all-new, all-aluminium four-cylinder twin cam 16 valve, 1.0 litre K10A engine producing a healthy 48kW at 6500rpm (with 81 Nm of torque available at just 3500rpm) the Wagon R+ compares more than favourably with Holden's 44kW 1.4 litre Barina.

Two transmissions are available for the Wagon R+. A five-speed all-synchro manual gearbox is standard, but buyers have the option of a newly developed electronic four-speed automatic transmission.Maximum speed of the Wagon R+ is 140 kmh (130 kmh for the auto).

Perhaps the most significant Wagon R+ statistic is its price. There is so far no information on its projected launch price on the east coast, but the new Suzuki will go on sale in WA with a recommended retail price of just $13,990.

With the Western Australian release delayed to take advantage of improved exchange rates, first stocks of Wagon R+ will be available locally in November.

SUZUKI'S SALES SUCCESS GIVES WAGON R+ A HEAD START - 22/10/97

Suzuki's new Wagon R+ is larger, wider and more powerful than its predecessor, and since its launch earlier this year in Japan, has sold almost 22,000 units.

Now Japan's fifth largest manufacturer, Suzuki has been number one in that country's "mini car" market segment for the past 24 years.

Manufacturing in Japan and 26 other countries, Suzuki has produced 1.87 million vehicles so far in 1997, and sells and distributes products in 186 countries around the globe.

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