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Teased last month, then leaked earlier in the week, the Suzuki iM-4 concept has finally been unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Measuring just 3,693 mm long, 1,709 mm wide and 1,566 mm tall, with a wheelbase spanning 2,438 mm, this dinky little showcar paves the way for a production crossover that will sit under the new Vitara – a new-age Jimny, perhaps?

The boxy, minimalist exterior does borrow quite a few design cues from the distinctive Alto kei car launched late last year, particularly around the side profile with its two-box proportions, strong wheel-at-each-corner stance, upswept C-pillars and a sloping rear windscreen that transitions abruptly into a short, upright rump.

Details from other Suzuki models are also to be found here, such as the Swift-esque blacked-out A- and B-pillars and the clamshell bonnet and fender vents taken from the Vitara, while cutouts in the C-pillar hark back to classic kei cars like the original Cervo and Fronte Coupé. Elsewhere, there's a "sunglass-like" front mask, black plastic side mouldings and 18-inch wheels.

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The iM-4 is what Suzuki calls a Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS) – a 1.2 litre DualJet engine is mated to an integrated starter generator (ISG) with a lithium-ion battery and regenerative braking that sends power through a "reliable" all-wheel drive system.

Under the skin, Suzuki says the iM-4 sits on a "new-generation" platform, designed to improve rigidity while reducing weight. The new architecture is part of the company's efforts to consolidate its current four platforms into three, while modularising functional components.