Suzuki is confident of a good showing in Australia's 2009 Eco Challenge with its super-frugal Alto sub-light car.
The Eco Challenge is part of the inaugural Global Green Challenge that has evolved from the iconic World Solar Challenge.
The Global Green Challenge is divided into two categories: the World Solar Challenge that celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and is open to solar powered vehicles only, and the new Eco Challenge that embraces a wider range of technologies including current production vehicles as well as experimental vehicles.
The Eco Challenge pits conventional, hybrid, electric, low emission and alternative energy vehicles against each other across Australia's red centre over the same 3000-kilometre route as the Solar Challenge.
The Eco Challenge begins in Darwin on October 24 with overnight stops in Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs, Coober Pedy and Port Augusta before finishing in Adelaide on October 30.
Solar Challenge entrants will cover the distance as a single stage, camping by the roadside after the sun sets.
The Suzuki entry will have the backup of Kangan Batman TAFE college, which will provide support from automotive engineering students who will prepare and look after the car during the seven-day event.
Suzuki is hoping the Alto's 4.8L/100km average fuel consumption will stand it in good stead in the production vehicle category and is confident it will achieve even lower average figures. On fuel economy trials in India, the mini Suzuki has recorded better than 3.0L/100km.
Entrants will include the fully-electric Tesla high performance sports car as well as 38 purely-solar cars from countries including the Netherlands, France, Germany, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, India, Canada, Iran, Taiwan, Singapore and the USA.
Series production vehicles have been entered by companies such as Holden, Ford, BMW, Hyundai, Volvo, Kia, Saab and Skoda.
Visit the Carsales Network again for our behind-the-wheel experiences with Suzuki's Global Green Challenge Alto.
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