As rock music blares, Suzuki’s Gene Brown revs his motorcycle onto the stage before a throng of media at the Chicago Auto Show Wednesday.

But it’s not the V-Strom 650 Brown’s hyping. Instead it’s a new line of Suzuki mid-size pickup trucks. The Equator 4×4 with 261 horsepower will retail at between $20,000 and $30,000.

“Suzuki is a way of life. It’s all about exuberance,” Brown says. “People who live this lifestyle are called explorers.”
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General Motors Europe on Tuesday confirmed that March 3 is the date of the world debut of an “entirely new concept car” from Saab at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. The automaker said the concept “shows a further step in [Saab’s] continuing product range extension.”

European sources tell Inside Line that the concept is expected to be a look at the upcoming Saab 9-1X, a new entry-level model for the Swedish brand.
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State Auto Financial Corp. finished 2007 with earnings down 1 percent after it recorded another drop in profit in the fourth quarter, the company told investors Thursday.

The Columbus-based insurer said net income for the last three months of the year totaled $41.7 million, or $1.01 a share, down 7 percent from a profit of $44.9 million, or $1.08 a share, a year earlier.
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The Community Foundation of the Great River Bend has announced the 2008 recipients of the Iowa/Illinois Auto Show Scholarships, which were presented during this weekend’s show.

Perry Mitchell of Rock Falls High School, Rock Falls, Ill., received a $6,000 scholarship.

Mark Johnson of Newman Catholic High School, Sterling, Ill., received a $5,000 scholarship.

Kyle Assenmacher of Central Community High School, DeWitt, Iowa, Adam Arnett of Assumption High School, Davenport, and Kelsea Graves of River Ridge High School, Elizabeth, Ill., each received $3,000 scholarships.

They’ll all be available at the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place today.

Mario Tricoci Salon will provide spa services, including chair massages and nail treatments, as the show debuts a beefed up Women’s Day to garner more traffic.

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire also will host exercise demonstrations throughout the day at its booth.

Women’s Day had been one of the off-days that the show gave a theme to boost attendance. Ladies get half off the $10 admission price. Read more » »

Ford Motor Co. said Monday it was recalling more than 180,000 SUVs and vans in two separate recalls to fix interior door handles and faulty fuel hoses.

The larger of the two recalls involves nearly 124,000 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from the 2007-08 model years. The Dearborn automaker said the spring system in the inside door handles could break.

The problem could prevent the door handles from returning to a closed position, but the latches work properly, said Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood.

The second recall involves more than 57,000 2006-07 E-150, E-250 and E-350 vans, and 2007 Expedition and Navigator SUVs with 5.4-liter engines.

The automaker said the engine’s fuel-rail crossover hose, which connects the fuel rails, could crack and leak fuel, potentially leading to a fire. Sherwood said there have been no reports injuries in either case.