As BusinessWeek's Ian Rowley writes, despite GM and Suzuki unwinding their financial ties of late, the companies may be planning a hybrid vehicle for the US to be released in 2009, according to Japan's business daily, Keizai Shimbun. That news comes on the heels of reports that Suzuki will no longer market the Chevy Trail Blazer and Optra wagon in Japan, and strike the joint-venture Chevrolet Cruze compact from its line. Yet another report indicates the companies are working on a three-liter SUV that could be a relative of the Grand Vitara SUV. Sounds like it could be a companywide replacement for the Saturn VUE at the low end of the hybrid SUV scale. Then again, it could be nothing at all.

Suzuki and GM plan US hybrid? [BusinessWeek Autobeat blog]

Related:
GM Sells Stake in Suzuki, Alliance Intact [internal]

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