Car Trends Magazine

Now I know why.

World class? Yes, world class within the very competitive category of midsize vehicles and that’s a rather big category with big name brands. The Kizashi (pronounce it “Kee-Zah-Shee”), has good looking exterior styling with flowing design cues, an interior – front and rear – that says first-class comfort and quality, and the Kizashi was totally engineered by Suzuki including platform, powertrain and driveline which certainly adds considerable value.

This is not a cushy and sluggish transportation appliance; it is a true sport sedan that rides, drives and handles like a sports vehicle. This Kizashi was benchmarked against the Acura TSX, VW Passat and Alfa Romeo 159.

Journalists were told the powerplant is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC engine which pumps out 185 hp @ 6,500 rpm with 170 lb.-foot torque @ 4,000 rpm. Two transmissions are available, a six-speed manual transmission with a gear box that is smoother than silk and an automatic continuously variable transmission. I drove both and prefer the stick version.

The driving experience in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. had been tested and validated by Suzuki engineers determined to make the car road ready and worthy on Germany’s Autobahn, Switzerland’s Alpine corners, the cobblestone roads of rural England and the legendary Nürburgring. (Watch the video!)

Kizashi’s unibody construction of embedded aluminum with reinforced front and rear suspension makes for a very stable ride and agile handing with almost no roll or noise. The ride itself is very quiet. The Akebono brakes provided great stopping power when tested at 60 mph to full stop.

For potential owners who are climatically challenged – as in snow country dwellers – the all wheel drive and special underbody panels will ease the pain of winter driving. And the Kizashi has three-stage heated seats, heated mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear seat pass-thru for skis.

Gas mileage numbers vary slightly depending on the wheel size of the model selected, ranging fro 21/31 manual FWD with 16-inch wheels to 23/30 CVT FWD with 17/18-inch wheels.

Three trim levels are available with MSRPs starting under $20,000 and will be in dealer showrooms later this year. This is one to thoroughly check-out. The tag line for the Suzuki Kizashi’s advertising will be, ‘premium without the premium’ -- this not hype or ad-speak superlative, from my perspective it is fact.

( By Marty Bernstein, The Auto Channel, Detroit Bureau )

Now I know why.

World class? Yes, world class within the very competitive category of midsize vehicles and that’s a rather big category with big name brands. The Kizashi (pronounce it “Kee-Zah-Shee”), has good looking exterior styling with flowing design cues, an interior – front and rear – that says first-class comfort and quality, and the Kizashi was totally engineered by Suzuki including platform, powertrain and driveline which certainly adds considerable value.

This is not a cushy and sluggish transportation appliance; it is a true sport sedan that rides, drives and handles like a sports vehicle. This Kizashi was benchmarked against the Acura TSX, VW Passat and Alfa Romeo 159.

Journalists were told the powerplant is a 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC engine which pumps out 185 hp @ 6,500 rpm with 170 lb.-foot torque @ 4,000 rpm. Two transmissions are available, a six-speed manual transmission with a gear box that is smoother than silk and an automatic continuously variable transmission. I drove both and prefer the stick version.

The driving experience in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. had been tested and validated by Suzuki engineers determined to make the car road ready and worthy on Germany’s Autobahn, Switzerland’s Alpine corners, the cobblestone roads of rural England and the legendary Nürburgring. (Watch the video!)

Kizashi’s unibody construction of embedded aluminum with reinforced front and rear suspension makes for a very stable ride and agile handing with almost no roll or noise. The ride itself is very quiet. The Akebono brakes provided great stopping power when tested at 60 mph to full stop.

For potential owners who are climatically challenged – as in snow country dwellers – the all wheel drive and special underbody panels will ease the pain of winter driving. And the Kizashi has three-stage heated seats, heated mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a rear seat pass-thru for skis.

Gas mileage numbers vary slightly depending on the wheel size of the model selected, ranging fro 21/31 manual FWD with 16-inch wheels to 23/30 CVT FWD with 17/18-inch wheels.

Three trim levels are available with MSRPs starting under $20,000 and will be in dealer showrooms later this year. This is one to thoroughly check-out. The tag line for the Suzuki Kizashi’s advertising will be, ‘premium without the premium’ -- this not hype or ad-speak superlative, from my perspective it is fact.

( By Marty Bernstein, The Auto Channel, Detroit Bureau )

Except he couldn't wait until he got his car. He purchased subs and an amp at age 15, before he had a driver's license or a car to put them in. Matney's car audio dreams became reality before he'd ever turned a key in the ignition.

When Matney started building up his '99 Acura CL, he wanted a simple daily driver. "Coming from a Corvette and a winter beater, I wanted a sport coupe for a daily driver to get rid of the two-car hassle."

After a few simple mods and a mild system install, the competition bug bit him hard. "Needless to say, the idea for a daily driver went out the window." The bodywork and neon orange paint job were done at M&B Auto Body, which was also responsible for the fiberglass audio parts. Xtreme Car Audio in Mt. Prospect, Ill., completed the audio install over a three-month period.

Matney says he chose a Kenwood DDX7017 head unit "because of its flexibility and the good crossover and equalizer options Kenwood builds into their source units."

His front speakers are two Diamond Audio D6 three-way components installed in custom fiberglass door panels. "I chose [the Diamond's] for their clean, crisp sound. It's not a product line you see in most installs." Matney likes the sound so much that he chose Diamond Audio D6 6.500s for his rear speakers, too. The speakers are connected with Stinger Pro 12-gauge wires.

To recreate the booming bass that captivated him as a kid, Matney selected three 12-inch Diamond Audio D6 dual 4-ohm subwoofers. The trio share 3 cubic feet of airspace within the 3/4-inch-thick sealed fiberglass enclosure. The custom fiberglass trunk lid houses three Icon- TV MT743's, plus an Icon camera equipped with night vision.

It takes more than dreams to power a system like Matney's, so he chose Xtant amplifiers for their "insane sound quality." The Diamond Audio components run on a single Xtant X604e amplifier. An Xtant X1001e powers the three subs. The amps are stacked in Matney's trunk because of their 24-inch length requirements. He also used Stinger Roadkill Expert & Overkill sound dampening in the doors, trunk, floor, and roof.

Matney competes in the National Custom Car Association Wild Class and is affiliated with Team EST. What are his plans for the future? "More bodywork and new wheels for 2009. I also want to start promoting the car more at sound events." Sweet dreams, Johnny. (By Alex Cadalso)

Driver Profile
Brian Harder hails from West Allis Wisconsin, where he is the director of a local funeral home. He was fortunate enough to acquire his Mustang from his wife, who had deemed it as too small. Once she had her new SUV, Brian reclaimed the Mustang and embarked what would be a three-year buildup into the vehicle’s current status. He is an active competitor at local car shows in and around his hometown where he has already scooped up several first place trophies. There are very few things left on the Mustang that can be customized, so for now Harder’s plans are to continue on the show circuit, and of course to enjoy every minute of it.

It's a good thing that Brian Harder is not one to leave well enough alone. Proof of this is his 2001 Mustang GT convertible featured on these pages. Right off the showroom floor, the Mustang is already a slick ride, especially the GT models with the added thrill of a V8. Roughly three years ago, however, Harder turned to Project Two Customs of Waukesha, WI, to step it up a bit with a few upgrades to the box stock pony car. As you can see, one thing led to another; and after several different stages, Harder's Mustang has evolved into a one-of-a-kind show car. Practically every element of the vehicle has been customized, enhanced or replaced with an aftermarket upgrade. The extensive list of additional mods is proof of that. While an attempt to describe every custom element of the Mustang would be futile at best, a complete description of the multimedia installation and interior transformation is well deserved.

A custom set of door panels...

read full caption

A custom set of door panels houses the MB Quart PCE 216 component set for the front stage. The panels were wrapped in factory Ford vinyl and feature matching aluminum grilles to protect the mid and tweeter. An illuminated Mustang emblem made of clear acrylic is recessed in a painted fiberglass insert near the center of each door.

Slamming Doors
For the front stage, the Project Two crew fabricated a set of custom door panels to house the MB Quart PCE 216 component set. The baffles used to mount the 6 1/2" drivers firmly to the door's frame were integrated into the custom panels, while the 1" tweeters were mounted in the factory tweeter pod at the top of each door. To protect the mids, a set of custom CNC-machined aluminum grilles were fabricated to complement the aftermarket billet tweeter grilles. The finished panels were wrapped in factory Ford vinyl with suede and painted inserts. Billet switches and door handles replaced their factory counterparts, and for the finishing touch, the Mustang emblems in each panel were molded in clear acrylic and illuminated for accent lighting.

Multiple Drivers
In comparison to the elaborate front doors, the installation of the rear drivers is quite simple. Rear fill is provided by an MB Quart PCE 213 component set in the factory speaker locations on either side of the rear seating area. Both the 5 1/4" mid and 1" tweeter are concealed by the factory speaker grilles, but have been carefully positioned for optimal imaging.

An additional PCE 213 component set was chosen for the center channel that has been incorporated into the custom-built dashboard. Both 5 1/4" midrange drivers were used, but only a single 1" tweeter was installed due to the reflective properties of the Mustang's windshield. The center channel drivers are protected by a custom grille that is also home to the array of vehicle status indicators that have been extracted from the gauge cluster.

Rehash The Dash
The elaborate center channel sits atop a completely redesigned dash and center console that features a hand-built gauge cluster that situates the assortment of Auto Meter gauges in the center of the vehicle. Like the door panels, the dash and center console were wrapped in Ford vinyl with painted fiberglass inserts. Nestled below the gauge cluster is the Eclipse AVX2404 double-DIN source unit with built-in DVD/CD/MP3 player and DTS surround processor. For CD audio while the source unit's DVD player is in use, an Eclipse 8-disc changer was flushed into the area of the floor beneath the sub enclosure. A Sony Playstation 2 was also incorporated into the passenger side of the dash for additional mobile entertainment and uses wireless controllers for a cleaner look. Both video sources supply all six screens in the vehicle, while switching duties are handled by a Pioneer three-way switcher in the center console.

Screening Room
In addition to the 5.8-inch monitor built into the Eclipse source unit, an additional five monitors were installed in the Mustang. A Directed 5.8-inch screen was molded into each custom-made sun visor, while a 7-inch Directed screen is tucked into each headrest. The fifth and final monitor is an Eigervision 10.4-inch mounted on the custom chrome strut bar that spans the width of the trunk for demo purposes.

Juice Bar
Below the monitor and strut bar in the trunk is a molded white fiberglass insert that conceals the amp rack and Air Ride components. A 1" boxed steel frame secures the three amplifiers that power the system to the vehicle. A Memphis Belle 5-channel amplifier powers the front and rear stage and a pair of the subwoofers, while a Memphis 16-MCD1000 mono amplifier powers the remaining two subs. The third amplifier is a Rockford Fosgate P2002 that powers the center channel drivers. For aesthetic reasons, only the two Memphis amplifiers are displayed in the trunk. The bottom covers were removed and the amps were inverted to display their inner components beneath the two clear lexan windows molded into the fiberglass trim panel. The trunk lid also received a dose of custom treatment with a custom fiberglass panel molded to the underside that features a lighted Project Two logo.

In The Details
Rounding out the modifications to the Mustang's interior is a set of Roush Racing leather seats, a Classic Design Concepts roll/light bar, suede-wrapped Momo steering wheel and hand-sewn Wilton Wool carpeting and floor mats. One of the more noteworthy mods is the 1" layer of poured-in rubber beneath the carpet that helps with sound deadening, flattens the floor and provides a more cushioned feel. The highly customized interior looks right at home in Harder's Mustang and complements the numerous other modifications to the rest of the vehicle. Yet again Project Two delivers a remarkable showpiece that exemplifies the level of creativity and quality of craftsmanship they put forth in every vehicle they build.

The Mustang's dash was completely... read full caption The Mustang's dash was completely hand built to relocate the custom gauge cluster and Eclipse double-DIN source unit to the center of the vehicle. The Eclipse unit features DVD/CD/MP3 playback, built-in DTS surround processor and a 5.8-inch LCD screen.

Tech
Wheels/Suspension
20" Davin Revolution 5.1 rims
Continental Tires: 255/30/20 front, 305/25/20 fear
Roush Racing 14" slotted brake kit front and rear
Air Ride Technologies 4-way air ride system with Big Red valves and Dakota Digital gauges
QA1 adjustable shocks
BBK upper and lower control arms

To eliminate the possibility of inadequate bass response in the convertible, the rear seat was yanked and an MDF and fiberglass enclosure was constructed in its place to house four Diamond Audio D6 Series 12" subwoofers. The massive enclosure was bolted to the vehicle and designed to fire the subs directly at the driver and passenger. To complement the rest of the install, the finished enclosure was smoothed and painted white to match.

The back seat was removed... read full caption The back seat was removed to accommodate the large MDF/fiberglass sub enclosure that has been molded to fit into the former rear seating location. Four 12" Diamond Audio D6 Series subs crank out substantial bottom end from the smooth enclosure that was color matched to the exterior.

Lifting the trunk lid reveals... read full caption Lifting the trunk lid reveals the custom chrome strut bar that also serves as the mounting point for the 10.4-inch Eigervision monitor used for demo purposes. The trunk itself is trimmed with a fiberglass insert that features lexan windows to display the two Memphis amplifiers that power the system. The amplifiers are mounted upside down without their bottom covers to display their inner components.

Body
Classic Design Concepts billet upper grille
Grillcraft painted lower grille
Classic Design Concepts sequential taillights, quad fog lamps and signal mirrors
Mach 1 chin spoiler
Street Glow White
Neon Underbody neon kit
Shaved antenna

Performance
Trueflow chromed intake plenum
BBK 74mm throttle body
BBK cold air intake
Ignition Solutions plasma booster
Optima/Tsunami Yellow Top battery
200-amp chromed alternator
NGK Denso Iridium spark plugs
Fluidyne radiator
JBA Shorty headers
Chrome and polished stainless accents
Smoothed and painted under hood with mirrored inserts
Ford Racing 3:73 rear end gears with Roush Racing differential cover
Flowmaster American Thunder stainless steel exhaust