The ambitious, playful looking X-LANDER show car is one of four concept vehicles recently shown by Suzuki at the Tokyo Motor Show .

Based on the compact Suzuki Jimny, the innovative four-wheel-drive X-LANDER is powered by a 1.3-litre engine and boasts a newly developed automated manual transmission.

Sporting fat tyres, high ground clearance and a fixed rollover hoop, the X-LANDER resembles a 21st century beach buggy. It has a shallow, speedster-like windscreen and looks as stunning at the rear as it is at the front.

The car’s unique styling makes it a crowd-pleaser, but the open top two-door model with its hybrid 4WD system has the twin benefits of being highly capable off-road as well as environmentally friendly.

While the X-LANDER will be ideal out in the field, this futuristic take on small 4WD vehicles is also intended to be a competent city car with its agile response and small dimensions.

Suzuki says small cars have a big future and concepts provide an indication of models that will be available in the near future. The car maker says many customers warm to new, and different ideas, and that consumers like products which add excitement and passion to their daily lives.