Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation (スズキ株式会社) TYO: 7269 is a Japanese manufacturing company producing a range of small automobiles (especially Keicars), a full range of motorcycles, outboard motors, and a variety of other small combustion-powered engine products. more...

It has main production facilities located in 22 countries and areas around the world.

History

The company started out as Suzuki Loom Works in 1909. It was founded in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan, by Michio Suzuki.

In 1952 it created the motorized bicycle, called Power Free, which featured a 2x36cc engine. This bike was popular, so in 1954 it introduced a second bicycle.

In 1954 the company's name changed to Suzuki Motor Corporation. In 1955 Suzuki introduced its first mass-produced car, the Suzulight.

During the 1970s, the models Suzuki Fronte (in different variations such as the 360 or the Viola) and Suzuki Jimny were produced.

American Suzuki Co. History

In 1985, Suzuki made an agreement with General Motors to meet the increasing demand for small cars and the Chevrolet Sprint (Suzuki Cultus in Japan) was introduced in the United States.

Also in 1985 (for the 1986 model year), the Samurai (a small off-roader; known as the Jimny in Japan and SJ410/SJ413 elsewhere) was the first car introduced to the United States by the newly created American Suzuki Corp. No other Japanese company sold more cars in the United States in its first year than Suzuki. It was successful until Consumer Reports reportedly forced the Samurai to roll over in a 1988 test. Both companies spent over a decade in court debating this issue with no winner.

In 1989, American Suzuki introduced the Swift and a new small SUV called the Sidekick. The Swift and Sidekick were cousins to GM's Geo Metro and Geo Tracker and were mostly produced in Ingersoll, Canada by Suzuki and GM's joint venture, CAMI.

In 1995 American Suzuki introduced the Esteem and redesigned the Swift. Worldwide Suzuki production reached more than 975,000 cars this year. In 1996, American Suzuki released the X-90 to replace the Samurai. The Sidekick was replaced by the Vitara and the Grand Vitara for 1999.

After 2001, the Swift (by then the most inexpensive car in America) had left the Suzuki lineup. The Esteem also left, to be replaced with the Aerio for 2002. Suzuki was now down from two SUVs to one, and two cars to one.

In 2004, General Motors rebadged two Daewoo cars with the Suzuki name: the compact Forenza (Daewoo Nubira/Daewoo Lacetti) and the midsize Verona (Daewoo Magnus, formerly the Daewoo Leganza). The Forenza gained wagon and hatchback body styles for 2005, with the hatchback sold under the Reno name. Suzuki also introduced a redesigned Grand Vitara as a 2006 model.

OEM deals

Beginning with the Chevrolet Sprint, Suzuki has built cars for other manufacturers. In Europe, the main rebadged Suzuki is the Subaru Justy and G3X Justy, which has been a version of its Swift and, more recently, its Ignis. Most of Mazda's (and Autozam's) smallest vehicles are made by Suzuki, as is the Nissan Moco. Suzuki's Samurai/Sierra was also known as the Holden Drover between 1985 and 1987. The Chevrolet Cruze and Holden Cruze are also on Suzuki platforms—again the Ignis's but with a Holden-designed body. The Geo and Chevrolet Tracker were Suzuki Vitaras by another name.

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