No Product Car Will Ever Beat The Suzuki SXbox
Image: Suzuki
Suzuki still makes bikes, but they also used to make some interesting cars. From it’s sport sedan attempt with the Kizashi, to the cheapest car in America with a standard navigation system Suzuki made cheap but interesting cars. They also had some interesting concepts. Take this wild concept from 2007.
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Suzuki was on a roll with trying to appeal to younger buyers in 2007. The automaker had rolled out six “Live” concept cars, each based on a different model in the lineup at the time and were inspired by lifestyle activities; the Flix Concept for instance was based on the XL7 and had an in-vehicle movie theater system. One of those six concepts was the SXbox Concept.
Image: Suzuki
Based on the SX4 hatchback, it was done up by American Sunroof Corporation in Huntington Beach, California. It was built with gamers in mind. The concept is wild in that it was pretty much built around the Xbox 360 gaming console. While the outside came across as a light tuner model with its lowered suspension, green wheels and center exit exhaust, the real goods were inside.
Image: Suzuki
Look past the Xbox green door accents, floor mats and racing seats with the Xbox logo, and you’ll see a dash that was essentially one big Xbox 360. The wheel was obviously designed with a built in Xbox controller, with a second controller sitting in its own holder behind the gearshift. While there were climate control knobs, the radio/infotainment area was done away with in favor of an entire Xbox 360 console.
All this is cool but you’re probably asking just where the hell you’re supposed to play all of this. Backseat passengers got their own separate Xbox 360 console they could play on one of two, roof mounted flip down screens. The driver and the passenger got something much more special.
Image: Suzuki
ASC mechanics worked their magic and made the hood of the SXbox open forward, clamshell style. They then equipped it with a built-in projector that allowed front passengers to play Xbox using the bottom of the hood as a screen. It’s brilliant but also ensures you can’t play video games while driving. I mean you could, but you’d be dead. Just in case someone wanted to tailgate, the rear hatch held another 30-inch screen for playing Xbox while sitting outside of the car.
Of course there was no production intent for this thing. If that was the case, Suzuki might still be making cars today. Suzuki paraded the SXbox around the country at tuner and auto shows during 2007. After that, it disappeared probably left to sit in some storage facility somewhere.