The Suzuki U:man concept is a futuristic hybrid 4×4 SUV, created by four automotive design students from IED Turin
Suzuki Jimny is a globally beloved off-road SUV, thanks to its tiny dimensions, lightweight body, and affordable price tag. The world was first introduced to the Jimny back in 1970, and the SUV is currently in its fourth-generation avatar. Over the years, a lot has changed on the Jimny, but it still remains a small, petrol-powered, old-school SUV.
Recently, and a group of students at IED Turin created their own design concept, in collaboration with Suzuki, called the U:man concept. The team consisted of four students – Raffaele Anile, Nicolo Bettinelli, Fiorenzo Fiorentino, and Fabrizio Luciano. The Suzuki U:man uses the Jimny as the base for its design, with some inspiration from the Vitara as well. The goal was to design a concept SUV with off-road characteristics, but without emphasis on extreme performance or any over-styled elements.
The result is this futuristic-looking, two-door SUV. At the front, the car sports headlight display instead of the front grille. The front bumper looks quite beefy, and features a large bash plate at the bottom. At the side, your attention is immediately grabbed by the unique 6-spoke alloy wheels, sitting inside the flared wheel arches. Instead of ORVMs, the car gets a pair of cameras, and the doors are frameless for added style.
At the rear, we see multiple LED strips working as taillights, and ‘SUZUKI’ lettering on the tailgate. The rear bumper also gets a prominent bash plate, just like at the front. The greenhouse area of the concept SUV has been maximised, and you even get a glass roof. The overall boxy silhouette of the Jimny has been preserved here.
The interior looks just a futuristic as the exterior, with a lot of attention in the smaller details. The dashboard is simple and neatly laid out, with multiple screens in front of the driver and front passenger. The steering wheel is a flat-bottom two-spoke unit, with a digital instrument console attached to the steering column.
The SUV features four seats, two in the front row and two in the back. Due to the compact dimensions, the designers decided that a five-seater would have been cramped. All four seats are individual captain chairs, and the front seats also get an armrest in the centre with one cupholder. At the rear, there seems to be some decent space for the luggage as well.
The Suzuki U:man concept is just a design study, and hence there are no technical specifications to share, although the creators did state that it was designed for a hybrid powertrain. Other than that, the vehicle also AI-assisted sensors for driving assistance, along with a wireless phone charger, USB ports, and multiple connectivity options.
