Keema News - Jan 2009

In a fitting subtext to the first diesel-powered Dakar Rally victory, the top-placed diesel ute was the Garland MotorSports Isuzu D-MAX of Sydney's Bruce Garland and Harry Suzuki, which finished the 2009 Dakar in a laudable 11th place outright and first T1/2 Amateur in the 177-starter 'car' class, plus highest placed Australian.

Garland started the rally in 51st position on the road and after dropping to 65th on the second day, then relentlessly climbed up the leaderboard with consistently fast but measured driving.

"We've done it and it's a huge achievement," says Garland, who admitted to initial emotions of relief and exhaustion.

"I think less than 10 per cent of the cars did the entire course and our D-Max was one of them, so we're really proud of that. It never missed a beat".

To read more about the Dakar Rally, download the full article here.

Suzuki Australia has confirmed the all-new Alto will join the
Suzuki model line-up in 2009.

The fifth and smallest member of its acclaimed line-up of world strategic models, the new Alto combines eye-catching style and easy urban mobility with great performance in terms of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.

Alto is the answer for people wanting a quality vehicle offering great performance, high levels of safety and outstanding fuel economy. It meets the lifestyle needs of today's motorists and the pressing global need for environmental compatibility.

The new Suzuki Alto puts a quality, environmentally friendly car within reach of all customers for the first time, representing the essence of the Suzuki commitment of offering outstanding value for money.

Suzuki has long been a pioneer in the automotive industry, and the new Alto is pioneering a new sub-light car for Australia, offering high levels of comfort and convenience in a design that combines sporty, European-inspired looks with great aerodynamics.

The new Alto reflects the unparalleled knowledge of small-cars that has made Suzuki so successful with mini-vehicles in Japan and compact cars like the Swift all over the world.