Suzuki S-Cross concept car (2012) teased ahead of Paris show

Suzuki today showed us the first glimpse of its new S-Cross concept car ahead of its debut at the 2012 Paris motor show. It's a compact crossover in the C-segment, aka a replacement for the Suzuki SX4 in its twilight years.

This pair of teaser images show little of the S-Cross, but we can see a stubby five-door crossover in the mould of the Nissan Juke.

The design sketch provides a few clues about what to expect from the S-Cross: expect a skid plate at the front and some body cladding around the sills for that 4x4-lite crossover look. As for the rest, well, you'll have to reach for your children's colouring-in pencils and your imagination.

The S-Cross is no mere pie-in-the-sky show car, according to this morning's announcement. It's a 'concept car heralding a C-segment crossover model from Suzuki.'

Judging by these teaser images, we'd say the real McCoy would follow soon after; we'd expect an S-Cross on sale in late 2013, replacing the Suzuki SX4.

The deal struck in 2006 to co-produce the Suzuki SX4 and Fiat Sedici at Suzuki's plant in Hungary is coming to an end. The Italians are now working with Jeep to build a range of new, small SUVs – leaving Suzuki to go it alone.

The car you see here could have spawned a Polo SUV, too, had the relationship between Volkswagen and Suzuki not soured to the point that they're now in arbitration in court.

By Tim Pollard