“Hip Hop” the concept that may be music to your ears!

Auto enthusiasts will be treated to a look at a highly unique concept vehicle at the 2008 Buffalo Auto Show’s “CARibbean CARnival”, February 6-10. The Hip Hop, an urban music-inspired concept based on Suzuki’s Grand Vitara. The automaker said the Hip Hop concept is designed to appeal to music enthusiasts, with its customized interior that puts a premium on recording technology. For a hot tropical feeling, the Hip Hop Grand Vitara is kind of cool. In all fairness, Suzuki made sure we knew it was a lot more than just a paint job.

Built in conjunction with SiTV, an English-language Latino cable network, the Hip Hop Grand Vitara offers innovative design, style and technology aimed squarely at Gen Y—especially urban teens and young adults, and hip hop music enthusiasts. Designed to be the ultimate mobile recording studio, the Hip Hop Grand Vitara features a customized interior, 20-inch customized painted wheels and tires, Gull wing window features slide out audio mixing equipment (including a drum machine and digital recorder), an in-dash touch screen video monitor, a 20-inch video screen in back door panel, a Nokia 770 Internet tablet, rear exterior mounted speakers, as well as a spare-tire-mounted subwoofer.

Other details include 20-inch customized painted wheels and chrome antenna housing, exhaust and mirrors.

The pimped-out ride was featured recently on the popular SiTV television program, "The Drop."

Suzuki is just the latest carmaker to court rap music fans.  Toyota’s Scion‘s entire marketing campaign over the last two years has been partially based on getting young dance music/rap fans on board with the box-shaped vehicle.

First introduced as a 2006 model, the Grand Vitara has garnered much media and consumer praise and is the winner of numerous awards, including a "Best Buy" from Consumer Guide. The 2008 Grand Vitara features a standard 2.7-liter, V6, 24-valve DOHC engine, rear-wheel drive and an extensive list of interior amenities and standard safety features. With its sophisticated Four-Mode full-time four-wheel drive, the Grand Vitara can handle both smooth pavement and off-road conditions equally well (4WD models feature a two-speed Lo Range) and can play an integral part of a consumer's life adventures. And if those life adventures include an RV, the Suzuki's drivetrain allows behind-the-vehicle towing. The starting MSRP for the Grand Vitara is $19,349 plus $650 destination and handling.

The 2008 Buffalo Auto Show hours are 11 A. M. to 9 P.M. Wednesday throughThursday, Friday, 10 A. M. to 10 P.M. Saturday, and Sunday 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

The General admission tickets to the Auto Show will cost $8 at the gate and have a

stub redemption offer for a free medium pizza at all area Pizza Hut restaurants.

Children 5 years and younger are admitted free to the 2008 Buffalo Auto Show.

A savings is available with advance single tickets to the 2008 Buffalo Auto Show

exclusively at Tops markets. A special “Value Pack for 4” ticket for $20 – a $12

savings over four individual general admission gate tickets at the Show admits four

people to the show on the same day.