Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
multinational corporation
A multinational company (MNC), also referred to as a multinational enterprise (MNE), a transnational enterprise (TNE), a transnational corporation (TNC), an international corporation or a stateless corporation with subtle but contrasting senses, i ...
headquartered in
Minami-ku, Hamamatsu
is one of seven wards of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan, located in the south of the city. It is bordered by Naka-ku, Higashi-ku, Nishi-ku, and the city of Iwata and Pacific Ocean. It has the fifth largest area and the fourth largest population of ...
, Japan. Suzuki manufactures
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
s,
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or impossible due to illness, injury, problems related to old age, or disability. These can include spinal cord injuries ( paraplegia, hemiplegia, and quadriplegia), cerebr ...
s and a variety of other small
internal combustion
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combus ...
engines. In 2016, Suzuki was the eleventh biggest automaker by production worldwide.
Suzuki has over 45,000 employees and has 35 production facilities in 23 countries, and 133 distributors in 192 countries. The worldwide sales volume of automobiles is the world's tenth largest, while domestic sales volume is the third largest in the country.
Suzuki's domestic motorcycle sales volume is the third largest in Japan.
History
In 1909, Michio Suzuki (1887–1982) founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the small seacoast village of
Hamamatsu
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was .
Overview
...
, Japan. Business boomed as Suzuki built weaving looms for Japan's giant silk industry. In 1929, Michio Suzuki invented a new type of weaving machine, which was exported overseas. The company's first 30 years focused on the development and production of these machines.
Despite the success of his looms, Suzuki believed that his company would benefit from diversification and he began to look at other products. Based on consumer demand, he decided that building a small car would be the most practical new venture. The project began in 1937, and within two years Suzuki had completed several compact
prototype
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
cars. These first Suzuki motor vehicles were powered by a then-innovative, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. It had a cast aluminum
crankcase
In a piston engine, the crankcase is the housing that surrounds the crankshaft. In most modern engines, the crankcase is integrated into the engine block.
Two-stroke engines typically use a crankcase-compression design, resulting in the fuel/a ...
and
gearbox
Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...
and generated from a displacement of less than 800cc.
With the onset of World War II, production plans for Suzuki's new vehicles were halted when the government declared civilian passenger cars a "non-essential commodity." At the conclusion of the war, Suzuki went back to producing looms. Loom production was given a boost when the U.S. government approved the shipping of cotton to Japan. Suzuki's fortunes brightened as orders began to increase from domestic textile manufacturers. But the joy was short-lived as the cotton market collapsed in 1951.
Faced with this colossal challenge, Suzuki returned to the production of motor vehicles. After the war, the Japanese had a great need for affordable, reliable personal transportation. A number of firms began offering "clip-on" gas-powered engines that could be attached to the typical bicycle. Suzuki's first two-wheeled vehicle was a bicycle fitted with a motor called, the "Power Free." Designed to be inexpensive and simple to build and maintain, the 1952 Power Free had a 36 cc, one horsepower,
two-stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
engine. The new double-sprocket gear system enabled the rider to either pedal with the engine assisting, pedal without engine assist, or simply disconnect the pedals and run on engine power alone. The patent office of the new democratic government granted Suzuki a financial
subsidy
A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...
to continue research in motorcycle engineering.
By 1954, Suzuki was producing 6,000 motorcycles per month and his company had officially changed its name to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. Following the success of his first motorcycles, Suzuki created an even more successful automobile: the 1955
Suzuki Suzulight
Suzulight was the brand used for kei cars built by the Suzuki Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1969. They were Suzuki's first entry into automotive manufacturing, having previously only produced motorcycles. The Suzulight sedans and light vans all h ...
. The Suzulight sold with front-wheel drive, four-wheel independent suspension and
rack-and-pinion
A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a circular gear (the ''pinion'') engaging a linear gear (the ''rack''). Together, they convert rotational motion into linear motion. Rotating the pinion causes the rack to be driven i ...
steering, which were not common on cars until three decades later.
Volkswagen held a 19.9% non-controlling shareholding in Suzuki between 2009 and 2015. This situation did not last, as Suzuki accused Volkswagen of not sharing promised technology while Volkswagen objected to a deal where Suzuki purchased diesel engines from
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
. An international arbitration court ordered Volkswagen to sell the stake back to Suzuki. Suzuki paid $3.8bn to complete the stock buy-back in September 2015.
Leadership
The company was founded by Michio Suzuki; its current Chairman is Osamu Suzuki, the fourth adopted son-in-law in a row to run the company, Osamu Suzuki, the 91 year old Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation, will retire in June 2021, handing over to his son Toshihiro.
Timeline
The Suzuki Loom Company started in 1909 as a manufacturer of looms for weaving silk and cotton. Michio Suzuki was intent on making better, more user-friendly looms and, for 30 years his focus was on the development of these machines. Michio's desire to diversify into automotive products was interrupted by World War II. Before it began building
four-stroke engine
A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...
s, Suzuki Motor Corp. was known for its
two-stroke engine
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...
s (for motorcycles and autos). After the war, Suzuki made a two-stroke
motorized bicycle
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle with an attached motor or engine and transmission used either to power the vehicle unassisted, or to assist with pedalling. Since it sometimes retains both pedals and a discrete connected drive for rider-power ...
, but eventually the company would be known for
Hayabusa
was a robotic spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis.
''Hayabusa'', formerly known as MUSES-C ...
and
GSX-R
The Suzuki GSX-R is a series of sport bikes made by Japanese manufacturer Suzuki. Current models are the GSX-R125 and GSX-R150 since 2017; GSX-R600 which was manufactured from 1992 to 1993, and then since 1997; the GSX-R750 since 1985; and th ...
motorcycles, for the QuadRunner, and for dominating racetracks around the world. Even after producing its first car in 1955 the company didn't have an automobile division until 1961. Today Suzuki is among the world's largest automakers, and a major brand name in important markets, including Japan and India, but no longer sells cars in North America.
1909–1959
* 1909: Michio Suzuki founds Suzuki Loom Works founded in
Hamamatsu
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was .
Overview
...
,
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northea ...
, Japan.
* 1920: Company is reorganized, incorporated, and capitalized at ¥500,000 as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co. with Michio Suzuki as president.
* 1937: Suzuki begins a project to diversify into manufacturing small cars. Within two years several innovative prototypes are completed, but the government declares civilian passenger cars a "non-essential commodity" at the onset of World War II, thwarting production plans.
* 1940: Takatsuka Plant is built in Kami-mura, Hamana-gun, Shizuoka, Japan.
* 1945: Plants close due to severe war damage. Company offices move to the Takatsuka Plant site.
* 1947: Head office moves to the present address.
* 1949: Company lists on the
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
,
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
and
Nagoya Stock Exchange
Nagoya Stock Exchange (名古屋証券取引所 ''Nagoya Shōken Torihikijo'', NSE) is a stock trading market in Nagoya, Japan. It is Japan's second largest exchange, behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
History
The Nagoya Stock Exchange (NSE) is t ...
s.
* 1950: Company has financial crisis due to labor difficulties.
* 1952: "Power Free" motorized bicycle marketed.
* 1953: Introduction of Diamond Free 60cc, 2-cycle motorized bicycle, displacement subsequently increases to 70cc.
* 1954: Company name changed to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.
* 1955: Introduction of Colleda COX 125cc 4-stroke single-cylinder, and Colleda ST 125cc,
two-stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
single-cylinder motorcycles.
**
Suzulight
Suzulight was the brand used for kei cars built by the Suzuki Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1969. They were Suzuki's first entry into automotive manufacturing, having previously only produced motorcycles. The Suzulight sedans and light vans all ...
(360cc, two-stroke) front wheel drive car introduced at the start of Japan's minivehicle age.
* 1957: Michio Suzuki designated as adviser, and his son Shunzo Suzuki appointed as company president.
* 1958: S mark adopted as corporate emblem.
* 1959: Launch of Colleda Sel Twin (2-cylinder) 125cc, two-stroke motorcycle with electric starter.
** Introduction of all-new Suzulight TL 360cc light commercial, two-stroke minivehicle.
** 26 September,
Typhoon Vera
Typhoon Vera, also known as the , was an exceptionally intense tropical cyclone that struck Japan in September 1959, becoming the strongest and deadliest typhoon on record to make landfall on the country as a Category 5 equivalent storm. Th ...
(''Ise-Wan'') destroys Suzuki's assembly plant.
1960–1969
* 1960: In March Suzuki's new modern assembly line plant is finished.
**Suzuki enter a motorcycle race team into Grands Prix under the manufacturing name ''Colleda'' with riders Toshio Matsumoto, Michio Ichino and Ray Fay, placing 15th, 16th, and 18th in Isle of Man TT races.
* 1961: Separation of the loom machine division from the motor company, as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co.
**Suzuki enter race motorcycles of RT61 125 cc and RV61 250 cc into Grands Prix under the Suzuki nameMotorcycle Mechanics, August 1961, p.71 Suzuki Motor Co Ltd full-page factory advert, Suzuki 250 TB. ''Suzuki Motor Company are sending six Suzuki Manufacturer's racers RT-61 125cc and six racers RV-61 250cc to six Grands Prix races Isle of Man, Assen, Spa, Belfast, Monza and Kristianspat''. Accessed 2014-03-29 with two riders from the team of Mitsuo Itoh, Michio Ichino, Sadao Masuda, Toshio Matsumoto,
Paddy Driver
Paddy may refer to:
People
*Paddy (given name), a list of people with the given name or nickname
*An ethnic slur for an Irishman
Birds
*Paddy (pigeon), a Second World War carrier pigeon
*Snowy sheathbill or paddy, a bird species
*Black-faced sh ...
, Hugh Anderson and Alastair King placing 10th and 12th in 250 cc Isle of Man TT races.
**Production of the Suzulight
Carry
Carry or carrying may refer to:
People
*Carry (name)
Finance
* Carried interest (or carry), the share of profits in an investment fund paid to the fund manager
* Carry (investment), a financial term: the carry of an asset is the gain or cost of h ...
360cc, two-stroke lightweight truck begins at new plant in
Toyokawa, Aichi
is a Cities of Japan, city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famou ...
Prefecture, Japan.
* 1962: First victory in the inaugural season of
50 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing
The 50 cc class was the ultra-lightweight class in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, and formed part of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) World Championships from 1962 until 1983; when the class was replaced by 80 cc.
History ...
comes at the end of a three-way battle between Suzuki,
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
and
Kreidler
Kreidler was a German manufacturer of bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles.
Kreidler was originally based in Kornwestheim, between Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. It was founded in 1903 as "Kreidlers Metall- und Drahtwerke" (Kreidlers metal and wire ...
at the
Isle of Man TT
The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...
. The winning RM62 machine was ridden by
Ernst Degner
Ernst Degner (born Ernst Eugen Wotzlawek on 22 September 1931 in Gleiwitz, Upper Silesia, Germany - died 10 September 1983 in Arona, Tenerife, Spain) was a professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Eastern Germany. Degner was noted f ...
who had defected from the East German MZ team to Suzuki the previous year.
* 1963: Mitsuo Itoh makes history as the first Japanese rider to win the Isle of Man TT, when he takes the lead on the last lap of the 50cc race after Suzuki teammate Degner breaks down. Suzuki wins both the rider's and manufacturer's championships, in both 50cc and 125cc classes, for this season of World
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
.
** Subsidiary company opens in Los Angeles, to enter the American motorcycle market, as U.S. Suzuki Motor Corp.
* 1965: Enters outboard motor market with the launch of D55 5.5 hp, two-stroke engine.
** Introduction of Fronte 800 two-stroke subcompact passenger vehicle.
** T20 motorcycle introduced as "the fastest 250cc motorcycle in the world", aimed at the US market but gets worldwide attention.
* 1967:
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
gets the first motorcycle assembly plant outside Japan, creating Thai Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd.
** Automobile plant built in
Iwata, Shizuoka
former Mitsuke School in Iwata
is a city located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 169,897 in 68,215 households and a population density was 1,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Iwata i ...
, Japan.
** Debut of Fronte 360cc, two-stroke minivehicle.
* 1968: After a winning 1967 season, the Suzuki motorcycle race team withdraws from World Grand Prix due to changes in
FIM
FIM may refer to:
Organizations and companies
* Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, the International Motorcycling Federation
* Flint Institute of Music, in Michigan, United States
* Fox Interactive Media, now News Corp. Digital Media
* ...
rules.
Hans-Georg Anscheidt
Hans-Georg Anscheidt (born 23 December 1935 at Königsberg) is a retired German Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion. He won three consecutive FIM 50 cc world championships from 1966 to 1968 as a member of the Suzuki
is a ...
rides a 1967 machine in 1968 as a privateer, for the seventh season of Suzuki GP championships.
** Introduction of Carry Van 360cc, two-stroke minivan with a full
cab over
Cab-over, also known as cab over engine (COE), cab forward (U.S.), flat nose (Canada), or forward control (UK), is a body style of truck, bus, or van that has a vertical front, "flat face" or a semi-hood, with the cab of the truck sitting a ...
design.
** Launch of T500 motorcycle with an air-cooled parallel-twin 500cc engine, the largest displacement of any two-stroke at the time.
* 1969: Motorcycle plant built in
Oyabe, Toyama
is a city in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 30,328 in 10,331 households. and a population density of 230 persons per km². Its total area was .
Geography
Oyabe is in the Tonami flatlands of far western Toyama ...
, Japan.
1970–1979
* 1970:
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...
is built in Ogasa, Shizuoka, Japan; automobile plant is built in
Kosai, Shizuoka
is a city located in far western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 57,885 in 24,232 households, and a population density of 668.7 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kosai is located ...
.
** Frank Whiteway easily wins the 500cc class at the Isle of Man TT race on a production T500 motorcycle prepared by Eddie Crooks.
** LJ10, the first mass-production
4x4
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
domestic mini-car, becomes available in Japan, powered by a 360cc twin cylinder air-cooled two-stroke engine.
* 1971: Production plant for medium to large motorcycles is built in
Toyokawa, Aichi
is a Cities of Japan, city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famou ...
, Japan.
**
GT750
The Suzuki GT750 is a water-cooled three-cylinder two-stroke motorcycle made by Suzuki from 1971 to 1977. It is the first Japanese motorcycle with a liquid-cooled engine. The Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan includes the 1971 Suzuki ...
motorcycle debuts with a liquid-cooled two-stroke
straight-three engine
A straight-three engine (also called an inline-triple or inline-three) is a three-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
Less common than straight-four engines, straight-three engines have noneth ...
.
** Suzuki's production motocrosser, the TM400, arrives to participate in 500cc class
Motocross World Championship
FIM Motocross World Championship is the premier championship of motocross racing, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), divided into two distinct classes: MXGP and MX2. Race duration is 30 minutes plus two laps per ...
racing.
** Suzuki rider
Roger De Coster
Roger De Coster (born 28 August 1944) is a Belgian former professional motocross racer and current Motorsport Director of KTM and Husqvarna North America. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1966 to 1980, most prominently as a m ...
becomes the 500cc class World Motocross Champion on his 396cc RN71 factory machine, while teammate (and fellow
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...
)
Joel Robert Joel or Yoel is a name meaning "Yahweh Is God" and may refer to:
* Joel (given name), origin of the name including a list of people with the first name.
* Joel (surname), a surname
* Joel (footballer, born 1904), Joel de Oliveira Monteiro, Brazili ...
becomes 250cc class champion.
* 1972: Suzuki Parts Manufacturing Company, Ltd., is established in
Akita Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its ge ...
, Japan.
** The Hustler 400 ( TS400) motorcycle released as a street version of the TM400.
* 1973: Jitsujiro Suzuki appointed as president, and Shunzo Suzuki appointed as chairman.
** Canadian subsidiary set up in
North York
North York is one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly north of York, Old Toronto and East York, between Etobicoke to the west and Scarborough to the east. As of the 2016 Census, it had a popu ...
, as Suzuki Canada Ltd., to supply machines and parts to motorcycle dealers in Canada.
* 1974: Indonesian subsidiary established in
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
as P.T. Suzuki Indonesia Manufacturing.
** Company enters into medical equipment field with launch of the Suzuki Motor Chair Z600
motorized wheelchair
A motorized wheelchair, powerchair, electric wheelchair or electric-powered wheelchair (EPW) is a wheelchair that is propelled by means of an electric motor (usually using differential steering) rather than manual power. Motorized wheelchairs a ...
.
** Expansion into the housing field initiated with Suzuki Home marketing two models of
prefab
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located. The term is u ...
"Mini-House" and three types of storage sheds.
** RE5 introduced as the first Japanese (production) motorcycle with a rotary engine in the world.
* 1975: Delays in compliance with car emission regulations cause severe difficulties for the company.
** Philippine distributor Rufino D. Antonio and Associates institute a joint venture with Suzuki (Japan) under the name of Antonio Suzuki Corporation, to expand motorcycle sales in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
** LJ50 (Jimny) 4x4 released in Australia with a more powerful, export-only, 550 cc liquid-cooled two-stroke straight-three engine.
** RM125 introduced as a production version of the works machine RA75 on which
Gaston Rahier
Gaston Rahier (1 February 1947 – 8 February 2005) was a Belgian professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1967 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Suzuki factory racing team where he won t ...
won the 125cc World Motocross GP championship. From 1975 to 1984, Suzuki dominates this class 10 years in a row with Gaston Rahier, Akira Watanabe,
Harry Everts
Harry Everts (born February 1952) is a Belgian former professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1970 to 1982. Everts is notable for being a four-time FIM motocross world champion. In 2013, he was named ...
,
Eric Geboers
Eric Geboers (5 August 1962 – 6 May 2018) was a Belgian professional motocross racer and racing driver. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1980 to 1990, winning five world championships in eleven years. Geboers is notable fo ...
and Michele Rinaldi.
** Assembly outside Japan commences for the first time, in Pakistan. Assembly kits of the ST90 Carry and LJ80 (Jimny) are shipped, both with 800 cc engines. Production and sales were done by two local entities (Sind Engineering and Naya Dauer Motor) under the auspices of PACO (Pakistan Automobile Corporation).
* 1976: GS Series motorcycles released, the GS750 and GS400 are the first four-stroke machines from Suzuki in 20 years.
**
Pops Yoshimura
Hideo "Pops" Yoshimura (October 7, 1922 – March 29, 1995) was a Japanese motorcycle tuner, race team owner, and manufacturer of speciality motorcycle accessories. He is remembered for his ties to the beginnings of Superbike racing and the Yoshim ...
enters the GS750 for the first time in the
AMA Superbike
AMA Superbike Championship is an American motorcycle racing series that has been run every year beginning in 1976. For most of its existence it has been considered the premier motorcycle road racing series in the United States. It is sanctioned ...
series, wins at
Laguna Seca Raceway
Laguna Seca Raceway (branded as WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and previously Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca) is a paved road racing track in central California used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, built in 1957 near both Salinas and ...
. Barry Sheene wins 500cc World Championship for Suzuki
* 1977: Debut of Cervo two-stroke minivehicle for domestic market, export version introduced the next year with four-stroke engine.
** Last of the LJ utility 4x4 series, the LJ80, gets a new four-cylinder water-cooled 800cc four-stroke engine, and is exported to Australia and Europe the following year. Barry Sheene wins second 500cc World Championship for Suzuki
* 1978: Appointment of Osamu Suzuki as president, Jitsujiro Suzuki appointed as chairman.
** The flagship model of the GS Series, the GS1000E, becomes available as Suzuki's first 1-liter machine.
** A Yoshimura GS1000 ridden by Californians Mike Baldwin and Wes Cooley wins the first
Suzuka 8 Hours
The is a motorcycle endurance race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan each year. The race runs for eight hours consecutively and entrants are composed of two or more riders who alternate during pitstops.
History
The race began in 1978 as a ...
Endurance Road Race.
* 1979:
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
two-stroke minivehicle introduced. This car was a massive success, propelling Suzuki into seventh place amongst Japanese car and truck manufacturers, and helped the company's bargaining position when later linking up with Isuzu and
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
.
1980–1989
* 1980: Suzuki Australia Pty. Ltd. established in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, Australia.
** Suzuki enters general-purpose engine field by marketing three electric power
generator
Generator may refer to:
* Signal generator, electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals
* Electric generator, a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy.
* Generator (circuit theory), an eleme ...
models.
** Launch of the GSX series of motorcycles with four-stroke,
DOHC
An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...
four-valve engines.
* 1981: Consolidated (i.e., including
subsidiaries
A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a sa ...
) sales for the
fiscal year
A fiscal year (or financial year, or sometimes budget year) is used in government accounting, which varies between countries, and for budget purposes. It is also used for financial reporting by businesses and other organizations. Laws in many ...
reach ¥500 billion.
**
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
and Isuzu Motors announce cooperation with Suzuki Motor Company in the production and marketing of new "mini-cars". GM purchases a 5.3% stake in Suzuki.
** The RG Gamma (RG Γ) makes its first appearance in
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
; Suzuki wins sixth-consecutive manufacturer's title, and Suzuki rider
Marco Lucchinelli
Marco Lucchinelli (born 26 June 1954) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was 1981 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He is a MotoGP Legend.
Career
Lucchinelli was born in Bolano.
He began his ro ...
becomes the 500 cc class champion.
** German designer Hans A. Muth uses the motif of the
samurai sword
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
to create the original GSX1100S
Katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
, a motorcycle that "typifies Suzuki".
** Production begins on a second generation of 4x4 utility vehicles with 1-liter engines; the SJ410 is designed for export and sold as the
Suzuki Samurai
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal co ...
in Canada, and as the Jimny 1000 in some markets.
* 1982: Aggregate (i.e., sum-total) motorcycle production at the Toyama Plant reaches 5 million units.
** Italian
Franco Uncini
Franco Uncini (born 9 March 1955) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racing. He was 1982 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2016.
__TOC__
Career
Uncini ...
, riding a
Roberto Gallina
Roberto Gallina (born 4 January 1940 in La Spezia) is a former Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and racing team owner. His best year was in 1973 when he finished eighth in the 250cc world championship. After his racing career ended, he s ...
racing team RG Γ motorcycle, takes the Grand Prix championship in the 500 cc class. Suzuki wins the manufacturer's title for the seventh consecutive year.
**
Masaru Mizutani
is a masculine Japanese given name.
Possible writings
Masaru can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*勝, "excel"
*優, "excel"
*大, "large"
*将 or 將, "commander"
The name can also be written in hiragana or katakana.
...
on his RG Γ takes first place in seven consecutive events and wins the
All Japan Road Race Championship
The is the premiere motorcycle road racing championship in Japan. It is run by the Motorcycle Federation of Japan (MFJ) (日本モーターサイクルスポーツ協会) – the Japanese affiliate of the FIM.
History
The MFJ was formed in 1 ...
for the 500cc class.
** The company and the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
set up
Maruti Udyog Ltd.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile industry, automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the ...
as a joint venture for automobile production and distribution.
** The company signs a technological tie-up contract with Land-Rover Santana S.A., Spain.
** Car production begins at Pak Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
, Pakistan. A joint venture with Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO), Pak Suzuki was established in September 1982 as Awami Auto Limited.
** New
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
minivehicle debuts.
** The very first production four-wheel
all-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...
is released; the QuadRunner 125 begins the era of four-wheelers and transforms the ATV industry.
* 1983: Jitsujiro Suzuki steps down from the chairmanship.
** A second
Kosai, Shizuoka
is a city located in far western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 57,885 in 24,232 households, and a population density of 668.7 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kosai is located ...
automobile plant is built for compact cars.
** The RG250Γ motorcycle is released as the first-ever full-blown racer-replica, with technology developed for the racetrack.
** Launch of the Mighty Boy 550cc, 4-cycle mini commercial vehicle.
** The
Cultus Cultus may refer to:
*Cult (religious practice)
* ''Cultus'' (stonefly), a genus of stoneflies
* Cultus Bay, a bay in Washington
* Cultus Lake (disambiguation)
*Cultus River, a river in Oregon
*Suzuki Cultus
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car ...
(
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
/Forsa/SA310) 1-liter passenger vehicle debuts.
** Production of Suzuki cars begins at Maruti Udyog Ltd. in
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
, India.
* 1984: Suzuki New Zealand Ltd. established in
Wanganui
Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whangan ...
, New Zealand. Suzuki France S.A. is established in
Trappes
Trappes () is a commune in the Yvelines department, region of Île-de-France, north-central France. It is a banlieue located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the center of Paris, in the new town of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
Transport
T ...
, France. Suzuki Motor GmbH Deutschland is established in
Heppenheim
Heppenheim (Bergstraße) is the seat of Bergstraße district in Hesse, Germany, lying on the Bergstraße on the edge of the Odenwald. It is best known for being the birthplace of 4-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
Geography ...
, Germany.
** Suzuki starts exporting 1-liter Cultus to U.S. automaker General Motors Corp.
** An upgraded SJ 4x4, with a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed gearbox, is released. The SJ413 is sold in the U.S. market (as the Samurai) the following year, and ultimately in over 100 countries.
** Suzuki signs a car production technical assistance contract with
China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation
China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC, ) is a Chinese state-owned defense company with a core business in aviation products and technology. It is the exclusive representative of the Aviation Industry Corporation of Chin ...
.
** Introduction of the
GSX-R750
The Suzuki GSX-R750 is a Types of motorcycles#Sport bike, sports motorcycle made by Suzuki. It was introduced at the Intermot, Cologne Motorcycle Show in October 1984 as a motorcycle of the Suzuki GSX-R Series, GSX-R series.
Air and oil cooled
...
motorcycle with an oil-cooled 4-cylinder DOHC engine.
* 1985: Aggregate sales of Alto in Japan reach 1 million units.
** Suzuki of America Automotive Corp. established in
Brea, California
Brea (; Spanish for "tar") is a city in northern Orange County, California. The population as of the 2010 census was 39,282. It is southeast of Los Angeles. Brea is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The city began as a center of cru ...
.
Samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
introduced in USA.
** Company signs a motorcycle production technical tie-up contract with Jinan Qingqi Motorcycle Co., Ltd. in China.
** Production of Suzuki cars begins at Santana S.A., Spain. The factory is in Linares, Andalusia.
** Scooter production started at Avello S.A. of Spain.
* 1986: American Suzuki Motor Corp. is established in Brea, California, to consolidate operations in USA.
** Suzuki reaches an agreement with General Motors Corp. of Canada for cooperation in establishment of a joint venture company.
* 1987: Aggregate car exports from Japan reach 2 million units. Annual global sales of automobiles reach 1 million units.
**
Cultus Cultus may refer to:
*Cult (religious practice)
* ''Cultus'' (stonefly), a genus of stoneflies
* Cultus Bay, a bay in Washington
* Cultus Lake (disambiguation)
*Cultus River, a river in Oregon
*Suzuki Cultus
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car ...
/
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
production began in Colombia.
** Suzuki reaches an agreement with Mazda Motor Corp. for cooperation in production of micro-mini vehicles.
* 1988:
Escudo
The escudo ( Portuguese: 'shield') is a unit of currency historically used in Portugal and its colonies in South America, Asia, and Africa. It was originally worth 16 silver . The Cape Verdean escudo and the former Portuguese escudo (PTE), eac ...
(Vitara/Sidekick) 1.6-liter, four-cycle compact 4x4 vehicle debuts.
** Magazine published by
Consumers Union
A consumer is a person or a group who intends to order, or uses purchased goods, products, or services primarily for personal, social, family, household and similar needs, who is not directly related to entrepreneurial or business activities. T ...
claims the Samurai 4x4 is prone to rolling over. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rela ...
rejects demands for a Samurai recall.
**
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
sales begin in the United States.
* 1989: Aggregate car production reached 10 million units.
** Production of Suzuki cars begins at
CAMI Automotive
CAMI Assembly (formerly CAMI Automotive) is an assembly plant wholly owned by General Motors Canada. The plant occupies and has of floor space of which was added in 2016 as part of a $560 million investment.
CAMI uses the CAMI Production System ...
Inc. in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada.
**
Sidekick
A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague (not necessarily in fiction) who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to the one they accompany.
Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, ...
sales begin in the United States.
1990–1999
* 1990: Company changes its name to Suzuki Motor Corporation.
**
Kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
standards are upgraded. New mini-vehicles are released under the latest specifications: engine capacity raised to 660cc; overall length extended to .
* 1991: Consolidated sales reach ¥1 trillion.
** Suzuki signs a car production contract in Hungary, establishing
Magyar Suzuki
Magyar Suzuki Corporation is an automobile manufacturing plant, subsidiary of Suzuki, located in Esztergom, Hungary and founded in 1991 with investments from Suzuki Japan, the Hungarian Government, Itochu and the World Bank. __NOTOC__
History
T ...
Cappuccino
A cappuccino (; ; Italian plural: ''cappuccini'') is an espresso-based coffee drink that originated in Austria and was later popularized in Italy and is prepared with steamed milk foam (microfoam).
Variations of the drink involve the use of cre ...
mini two-seater convertible debuts.
* 1992: Production of Suzuki cars begins at the new plant of
Pak Suzuki Motors
Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) is a Pakistani automobile company which is a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Suzuki.
** Production and sales of Hungarian-built Suzuki cars begin.
** Suzuki becomes a 50% partner in
Maruti Udyog
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the Japanese automaker ...
.
* 1993: Aggregate (i.e., sum-total) motorcycle production at Thai Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. reaches 2 million units.
** Passenger car production/sales began at Suzuki
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
S.A.E.
** Suzuki signs joint-venture contracts for production of passenger cars and motorcycles in China.
** Wagon R minivehicle debuts, wins 1993
RJC Car of the Year The Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan, also known as (RJC), is a non-profit organization established in 1990, consisting of Japan-based automotive critics and journalists.
The RJC holds a yearly conference, where they be ...
award.
* 1994: Aggregate sales of Suzuki cars in Japan reach 10 million units.
**
Maruti Udyog
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the Japanese automaker ...
of India aggregate car production reach 1 million units.
** Suzuki and Isuzu Motors Ltd. agree to dissolve their business tie-up.
* 1995: Aggregate sales of Suzuki minivehicles in Japan reach 10 million units, aggregate motorcycle exports from Japan reached 20 million units.
** Suzuki pulls out of its capital tie-up with Santana S.A. in Spain but continues car-related technical cooperation.
* 1996: Aggregate sales of
Carry
Carry or carrying may refer to:
People
*Carry (name)
Finance
* Carried interest (or carry), the share of profits in an investment fund paid to the fund manager
* Carry (investment), a financial term: the carry of an asset is the gain or cost of h ...
in Japan reach 3 million units.
** Vietnam Suzuki corporation starts production of motorcycles and automobiles in the
Bien Hoa
Bien may refer to:
* Bien (newspaper)
* Basic Income Earth Network
* Bień, Poland
{{disambiguation ...
industrial zone.
** Production of Suzuki Motorcycles begins at Jinan Qingqi Suzuki Motorcycle Co., Ltd., China.
* 1997: Achieved 10 million cumulative automobile sales for overseas market.
**
Four stroke
A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directi ...
outboard motors win the Innovation Award at The International Marine Trade Exhibit and Conference (IMTEC) in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
** American Suzuki Motor Corp. publicly accuses
Consumers Union
A consumer is a person or a group who intends to order, or uses purchased goods, products, or services primarily for personal, social, family, household and similar needs, who is not directly related to entrepreneurial or business activities. T ...
of rigging 1988 test results for the Samurai 4x4, using videotape obtained through the discovery process in the
Suzuki v. Consumers Union
''Suzuki Motor Corp. v. Consumers Union of U.S.'' was a 1996 lawsuit initiated by Suzuki of North America against Consumers Union, filed eight years after their magazine ''Consumer Reports'' gave a very unfavorable and much disputed review of the ...
lawsuit.
** Suzuki goes to the
International Court of Arbitration
ICC International Court of Arbitration is an institution for the resolution of international commercial disputes. It operates under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce and consists of more than 100 arbitrators from roughly 90 cou ...
over the Indian government's appointment of a senior executive at Maruti Udyog Ltd.
* 1998: Suzuki and
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
Corporation agree on joint development of compact vehicles, both companies agree to strengthen their business tie-up and form a strategic alliance. GM changes its equity stake in Suzuki from 3.3% to 10%.
** Suzuki and the Indian government settle their dispute over the Indian government's appointment of a senior executive at Maruti Udyog Ltd.
**
Changan Suzuki
Changan Suzuki (officially Changan Suzuki Automobile Co., Ltd.) was an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Chongqing, China and a joint-venture between Chang'an Automobile Group and Suzuki. Chang'an began assembling subcompact com ...
Automobile Co., Ltd. begins production of passenger cars in
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...
, China.
** A new joint venture with the government of
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
opens a manufacturing plant in
Yangon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
.
** Introduction of GSX 1300R
Hayabusa
was a robotic spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis.
''Hayabusa'', formerly known as MUSES-C ...
1299 cc
sport bike
A sport bike (sports motorcycle, or sports bike) is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfor ...
, the
fastest production motorcycle
The fastest production motorcycle for a given year is the unmodified motorcycle with the highest tested top speed that was manufactured in series and available for purchase by the general public. Modified or specially produced motorcycles are a dif ...
in 1999–2000 model years.
** Ryosaku "Rick" Suzuki, grandson of Michio Suzuki, becomes president of American Suzuki Motor Corp.
* 1999: Aggregate motorcycle production reaches 40 million units, aggregate sales of Wagon R in Japan reach 1 million units.
**
Jiangxi
Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...
Changhe
Changhe, officially Jiangxi Changhe Automobile Co Ltd, is a Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China.
** General Motors Argentina, S.A. and Suzuki Motor Corporation form an industrial and commercial alliance by which General Motors in Argentina distributes all Suzuki automotive products.
2000–2009
* 2000: The corporation commemorates its 80th anniversary.
** Aggregate car production at the Kosai Plant reaches 10 million units.
** Suzuki vehicle production starts at General Motors Argentina.
** GM raises its stake in Suzuki Motor Corp. to 20 percent.
* 2001: Aggregate worldwide sales of Jimny/SJ reaches 2 million units, production of
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
reaches 4 million units.
** Suzuki achieves "Zero-Level" target of
landfill
A landfill site, also known as a tip, dump, rubbish dump, garbage dump, or dumping ground, is a site for the disposal of waste materials. Landfill is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of the waste ...
waste.
** Aerio compact car (aka Liana for ''Life in a New Age'') introduced at the
Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
.
** Suzuki Motor Corp. (Japan) and American Suzuki Motor Corp. jointly create Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) to build
all-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...
s for sale in the U.S. and Canada, as well as for export.
* 2002: Achieved 30 million cumulative automobile sales for worldwide market.
** Introduction of the Choinori low-cost scooter.
** SMAC opens Suzuki's only U.S. manufacturing facility in
Rome, Georgia
Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia metropolitan area, Rome, Georgia, metropolitan statisti ...
and begins producing the
Eiger
The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends a ...
Kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
sales for the 30th consecutive year in Japan.
**
Twin
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
, the first
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
Kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
is launched in Japan.
** Suzuki Motor Corporation and
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
Auto S.p.A. announce they will jointly develop and produce a compact sport utility vehicle at
Magyar Suzuki
Magyar Suzuki Corporation is an automobile manufacturing plant, subsidiary of Suzuki, located in Esztergom, Hungary and founded in 1991 with investments from Suzuki Japan, the Hungarian Government, Itochu and the World Bank. __NOTOC__
History
T ...
.
* 2004: Aggregate domestic automobile sales reach 15 million units.
** After eight years, the
Suzuki v. Consumers Union
''Suzuki Motor Corp. v. Consumers Union of U.S.'' was a 1996 lawsuit initiated by Suzuki of North America against Consumers Union, filed eight years after their magazine ''Consumer Reports'' gave a very unfavorable and much disputed review of the ...
lawsuit about a magazine review that said the Samurai 4x4 easily tipped over, is settled out of court.
** Second-generation
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
compact car debuts at the
Paris Motor Show
The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
.
* 2005: Aggregate car production at Maruti Udyog Ltd. reaches 5 million units, and aggregate motorcycle production in Indonesia also reaches 5 million units.
** The company introduces its recently developed brand philosophy at the 75th
Geneva International Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by the ...
, expressed in the ''Way of Life!'' slogan. This English phrase is used worldwide with two notable exceptions:
*** In
French-speaking Canada
Francophone Canadians (or French-speaking Canadians) are citizens of Canada who speak French. In 2011, 9,809,155 people in Canada, or 30.1% of the population, were Francophone, including 7,274,090 people, or 22% of the population, who declared th ...
(not France) the ''Un Mode de vie!'' slogan is a word-for-word translation of the English, but with the
indefinite article
An article is any member of a class of dedicated words that are used with noun phrases to mark the identifiability of the referents of the noun phrases. The category of articles constitutes a part of speech.
In English, both "the" and "a(n)" ar ...
prefixed.
*** The ''Entre e divirta-se.'' slogan in
Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese (' ), also Portuguese of Brazil (', ) or South American Portuguese (') is the set of varieties of the Portuguese language native to Brazil and the most influential form of Portuguese worldwide. It is spoken by almost all of ...
(not in Portugal) translates as "Come and have fun" ending with a
full stop
The full stop (Commonwealth English), period (North American English), or full point , is a punctuation mark. It is used for several purposes, most often to mark the end of a declarative sentence (as distinguished from a question or exclamation ...
.
** The new
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
wins 2005–2006
Car of the Year Japan
The annual Car of the Year Japan Award (日本カー・オブ・ザ・イヤー, nihon kā obu za iyā), also known as Japan Car of the Year (or JCOTY), is an annual Car of the Year award given for newly released or redesigned vehicles released in ...
"Most Fun" award, and is awarded the 2006
RJC Car of the Year The Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference of Japan, also known as (RJC), is a non-profit organization established in 1990, consisting of Japan-based automotive critics and journalists.
The RJC holds a yearly conference, where they be ...
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
is introduced at the
Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by th ...
New York International Auto Show
The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Su ...
.
** GM divests, selling 92.36 million shares of Suzuki Motor Corporation and reducing their stake to 3%.
* 2007: Aggregate domestic automobile sales reach 15 million units.
** Company says that
Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile industry, automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the ...
will build the A-Star compact hatchback in India for export worldwide.
**
Nissan North America
, trading as Nissan Motor Corporation and often shortened to Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti, and Datsun brands ...
Inc. and Suzuki Motor Corp. announce that a midsize pickup truck (based on Nissan's
Frontier
A frontier is the political and geographical area near or beyond a boundary. A frontier can also be referred to as a "front". The term came from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"—the region of a country that fronts o ...
) to be sold by Suzuki in North America, will be built at Nissan's plant
Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrna's population was 53,070 at the 2020 census. In 2007, '' U.S. News & World Report'' listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. Smyrna is part of the Nashville ...
.
* 2008: GM divests its remaining 3% stake in Suzuki.
**
Equator
The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...
midsize pickup truck exhibited at the
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Place
convention center. It is the largest auto show in North America.
History
Samuel Miles, formerly a promoter of bicycle shows, produced the first "official" Chic ...
** Rick Suzuki steps down as chairman of American Suzuki Motor Corp., due to poor U.S. sales and earnings.
* 2009: 100th anniversary of the Suzuki brand name.
** Suzuki markets its first production pickup truck called the Equator.
**
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
and Suzuki announce the establishment of a global strategic partnership. The
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
will buy a 20% stake in Suzuki Motor Corp.
** November: Suzuki breaks ground on a new 650,000 m2. factory in Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate in
Rayong Province
Rayong province ( th, ระยอง, ) is one of seventy-six Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') lies in Eastern Thailand#Administrative divisions, eastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chonburi province, ...
, Thailand, the 20 billion yen investment for eco-car production to start in March 2012.
2010–2015
* 2010: Aggregate sales of Suzuki cars in Japan reach 20 million units.
** January:
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
completes its purchase of 19.9% of Suzuki's outstanding shares.
** Its plant in
Yangon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
,
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
, was closed after the joint venture with the government between 1998 and 2010 had expired.
* 2011: Suzuki announces Indonesia will become a regional production base with investment up to $800 million over the next few years.
** February: Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corp. (SMAC) celebrates the 10th anniversary of its
Rome, Georgia
Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia metropolitan area, Rome, Georgia, metropolitan statisti ...
, plant, and $1.4 billion sales in the past decade.
** November: Suzuki terminates its partnership with VW in accordance with terms of the agreement, and commences arbitration proceedings for return of Suzuki shares held by the
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
.
* 2012: Aggregate domestic sales in India by Maruti Suzuki reaches 10 million units. Aggregate domestic sales of minivehicles in Japan reaches 20 million units.
** January: Suzuki announces plans to build a new engine factory as the third factory in Indonesia for the fast-growing
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
n market. Suzuki spent ¥10 billion ($130 million) for a 1.3 million square-metre site in an industrial park outside Jakarta, and the plant may cost ¥30 billion to build.
** February: Suzuki Motor Corp. and
Intelligent Energy
Intelligent Energy is a fuel cell engineering business focused on the development, manufacture and commercialisation of its proton-exchange membrane fuel cell technologies for a range of markets including automotive, stationary power, materials ...
of
Loughborough
Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second larg ...
in the UK, a manufacturer of hydrogen-powered fuel cells, announce a joint venture to accelerate the commercialisation of zero-emission vehicles.
** March: Suzuki Motor Thailand starts production and sales of the new Swift compact car.
** November: American Suzuki Motor Corp. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Owing to its focus on small cars, a strong yen and stringent US safety regulations which have hurt growth, Suzuki Motors announces it will discontinue building autos for the U.S. market and focus instead on motorcycles, ATVs and marine equipment. U.S. sales had peaked in 2007 but had dropped to a quarter of that by 2011.
** Suzuki got the approval for setting up a new factory and revive its plant in
Yangon
Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...
. This will resume its vehicle and spare part production in Myanmar which was closed in 2012.
** One-Millionth commemorative edition GSX-R1000 model celebrates a million motorcycles produced in the Suzuki GSX-R series since 1985.
* 2013:
** 50th anniversary Special Edition GSX-R1000 model celebrates Suzuki's 1963 entry into the U.S. motorcycle market.
** March: In spite of a 2012 statement to the contrary, Suzuki Canada Inc. announced it would discontinue its auto-building operations in Canada as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. It was contemplated that the sale of motorcycles, ATVs and marine equipment would continue in Canada as well as in the U.S.
*** Debut of the second-generation SX4 crossover vehicle at the 83rd
Geneva International Motor Show
The Geneva International Motor Show is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Palexpo, a convention centre located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport. The Salon is organised by the ...
.
*** American Suzuki Motor Corporation ends all operations as of 31 March, selling its assets to Suzuki Motor of America, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation.
** July: News reports suggested that disaccord over the erstwhile alliance between
Volkswagen
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
and Suzuki might be settled as a result of renewed talks between the two companies. These reports were soon denied by Executive Vice President Toshihiro Suzuki, who said that "there have been various reports, but there absolutely are no such facts, so there is nothing I can talk about on this topic."
** October: Suzuki recalls 210,228 motorcycles in the U.S. because the front brakes might not work properly.
* 2015:
** The
Permanent court of arbitration
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is a non-UN intergovernmental organization located in The Hague, Netherlands. Unlike a judicial court in the traditional sense, the PCA provides services of arbitral tribunal to resolve disputes that arise ...
showed a judgment that VW owned Suzuki shares should be sold, and officially dissolved the alliance with Suzuki's stock (19.9%) held by VW.
2016–present
* Suzuki fined $2,054,924 by the
EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
for falsifying emission levels of
NOx
In atmospheric chemistry, is shorthand for nitric oxide () and nitrogen dioxide (), the nitrogen oxides that are most relevant for air pollution.
These gases contribute to the formation of smog and acid rain, as well as affecting tropos ...
within their vehicle * Suzuki withdrew from China in September 2018.
* Suzuki launches new 2019 Carry small CV in Indonesia.
*In August 2019, Toyota announced it would acquire a 4.9% stake in Suzuki, with Suzuki taking a 0.2% stake in Toyota in return.
Subsidiaries
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (Formerly ''Maruti Udyog Limited'')
Based in
Gurgaon
Gurgaon (pronunciation: ʊɽɡãːw, officially named Gurugram (pronunciation: ʊɾʊɡɾaːm, is a city located in the northern Indian state of Haryana. It is situated near the Delhi–Haryana border, about southwest of the nationa ...
,
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
automobile manufacturer
The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue (from 16 % such ...
that is a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation. Maruti Suzuki produced 1,133,695 units between 1 April 2011 and 30 March 2012. The Suzuki Motor Corporation owns 54.2% of Maruti Suzuki and the rest is owned by various Indian public and financial institutions. The company was incorporated in 1981 and is listed on the
Bombay Stock Exchange
BSE Limited, also known as the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), is an Indian stock exchange. It is located on Dalal Street in Mumbai. Established in 1875 by cotton merchant Premchand Roychand, a Jain businessman, it is the oldest stock exchange in ...
and
National Stock Exchange of India
National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) is the leading stock exchange under the ownership of various group of domestic and global financial institutions, public and privately owned entities and individuals. It is located in Mumbai, Mah ...
.
Maruti Suzuki was born as a
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
-led company named Maruti Udyog Limited, with Suzuki as a minor partner, to make lower priced cars for middle class Indians. Over the years, the product range has widened and ownership has changed hands as the customer has evolved.
Maruti Suzuki offers models ranging from the
Maruti 800
The Maruti Suzuki 800 is a city car that was manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India from 1983 to 2014. The first generation (SS80) was based on the 1979 Suzuki Alto and had an 800 cc F8B engine, hence the moniker. Widely regarded as the mo ...
to the premium sedanMaruti Suzuki Kizashi and luxury SUV Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara. Maruti 800 was the first model launched by the company in 1983 followed by mini-van
Maruti Omni
The is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the passenger van versions were renamed as the . In Japan, the Carry and Every are ''kei cars'' but the Suzuk ...
in 1984.
Maruti Gypsy
The Maruti Suzuki Gypsy is a four-wheel-drive vehicle based on the long wheelbase Suzuki Jimny SJ40/410 series. It was being built at the Maruti Suzuki's Gurgaon,India plant since 1985. It was primarily built as an off-road vehicle and a ...
, launched in 1985, came into widespread use with the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
and
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service ( IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became independent from the British Raj.
Along with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS ...
becoming its primary customers. The short-lived
Maruti 1000
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Suzuki from 1983 to 2016. The nameplate is currently used as a rebadged second-generation Suzuki Celerio in Pakistan since 2017. It was first presented at the 25th Tok ...
was replaced by
Maruti Esteem
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Suzuki from 1983 to 2016. The nameplate is currently used as a rebadged second-generation Suzuki Celerio in Pakistan since 2017. It was first presented at the 25th Tok ...
in 1994.
Maruti Zen
The Maruti Suzuki Zen is a 5-door hatchback produced and sold in India by Suzuki's Indian subsidiary Maruti Suzuki from 1993 until 2006; it is a widened version of the Suzuki Cervo Mode. The word "ZEN" is an acronym standing for Zero Engine Noise. ...
, launched in 1993, was the company's second compact car model. The company went on to launch another compact car
Maruti Wagon-R
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R (or WagonR) is a city car manufactured and marketed by Suzuki through its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki primarily for the Indian market since 1999. The Wagon R was launched in India on 18 December 1999, and has since undergon ...
followed by
Maruti Baleno Māruti can refer to:
* Maruti (मारुति), a Sanskrit name referring to Hanuman, son of the Hindu wind god, Pawan Dev
* Maruti Suzuki, a joint sector industry of The Indian Government and Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation
See ...
in 1999. It was later replaced by the Suzuki SX4. The SX4 further was replaced by Ciaz.
In 2000,
Maruti Alto Māruti can refer to:
* Maruti (मारुति), a Sanskrit name referring to Hanuman, son of the Hindu wind god, Pawan Dev
* Maruti Suzuki, a joint sector industry of The Indian Government and Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation
See ...
was launched. The Maruti models include Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, launched in 2003,
Maruti Versa
The is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the passenger van versions were renamed as the . In Japan, the Carry and Every are ''kei cars'' but the Suzuk ...
Maruti Zen Estilo
The Suzuki MR Wagon is a 4-seater kei car manufactured by Suzuki for the Japanese market only, and also marketed in Japan by Nissan as the Nissan Moco under an OEM agreement. The model debuted in 2001, and since 2011 it has been in its third gene ...
and Maruti
Suzuki SX4
The Suzuki SX4 is a subcompact car and crossover produced by Japanese automaker Suzuki since 2006. A successor of the Aerio tall hatchback and sedan, the first-generation model was available as a hatchback and sedan, with the former available i ...
, launched in 2007.
On 14 February 2011, Maruti announced that it had achieved one million total accumulated production volume of the Alto. The Alto has reached the million units mark in just seven years and five months since its launch in September 2000. The last half of the million was achieved in 25 months. The Alto became the third car by Maruti Suzuki stable to cross the million units mark, following the Maruti 800 and the Omni.
In January 2012 at the New Delhi
Auto Expo
The Auto Expo is a biennial automotive show held in Greater Noida, NCR, India.
Till 2012, the Auto Expo was organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi which combined both vehicles and components. In 2014, The Auto Expo (Motor Show) moved to the n ...
, Maruti presented a new car called the Maruti Suzuki XA Alpha, to commence production in mid-late 2013. Maruti Suzuki unveiled the
Vitara Brezza
The Suzuki Brezza (known as Vitara Brezza for the first generation) is a subcompact crossover SUV from Suzuki and manufactured by Maruti Suzuki in India. The Brezza is the first Suzuki-branded car which was fully developed in India. The model was ...
in the Indian Auto Expo 2016 as a contender in the subcompact SUV segment.
Maruti Exports Limited is Maruti's exporting subsidiary and, as such, does not operate in the domestic Indian market except in its capacity as an exporter for
Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile industry, automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the ...
and for the international
Suzuki Motor Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal com ...
as well as their other affiliates. The first commercial consignment of 480 cars were sent to Hungary. By sending a consignment of 571 cars to the same country, Maruti crossed the benchmark of 3,000,000 cars. Since its inception export was one of the aspects the government has been keen to encourage.
American Suzuki Motor Corp.
American Suzuki headquarters is in Brea, California. The company announced in November 2012 that it would stop selling cars in the United States.
Through an agreement with
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
, Suzuki began selling a version of their Suzuki Cultus in the United States as the
Chevrolet Sprint
The Suzuki Cultus is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Suzuki from 1983 to 2016. The nameplate is currently used as a rebadged second-generation Suzuki Celerio in Pakistan since 2017. It was first presented at the 25th Tok ...
in 1985. This model was initially sold as a 3-door
hatchback
A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
and would be
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
's smallest model.
The
Samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
was also introduced in 1985 for the 1986 model year and 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. The Samurai was available as a
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
or hardtop and the company slogan was ''Never a Dull Moment''. The Samurai was successful until Consumer Reports alleged the Samurai of being susceptible to roll over in a 1988 test. This led to a much publicized Suzuki Samurai v Consumers Union, 1996 lawsuit, not settled until 2004.
In 1989, American Suzuki introduced the
Swift
Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to:
* SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks
** SWIFT code
* Swift (programming language)
* Swift (bird), a family of birds
It may also refer to:
Organizations
* SWIFT, ...
which was the 2nd generation Suzuki Cultus. The Swift was available as a GTi and GLX hatchback with a 4-door sedan following in 1990. A new small SUV called the Suzuki Escudo, Sidekick was also introduced in 1989. 1991 saw the introduction of the 4-door Suzuki Sidekick, the first 4-door mini-SUV in North America. The Swift and Sidekick were cousins to GM's Geo Metro and Geo Tracker and were mostly produced in Ingersoll, Ontario, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada by Suzuki and GM's joint venture, CAMI. The Swift GT/GTi and 4-door models were imported from Japan. Negative evaluations from Consumer Reports of the Suzuki Samurai led to some temporary setbacks at American Suzuki as annual sales in the following years dropped to below 20,000 units.
In 1995, American Suzuki introduced the Suzuki Esteem, Esteem and redesigned the Swift. The Swift GT was dropped and this version Swift was specific only to North America where it was built at CAMI. These models were the first Suzuki vehicles to be marketed in North America with dual front airbags. A station wagon version of the Esteem was introduced in 1996. Worldwide Suzuki production reached more than 975,000 cars this year.
Also in 1996, American Suzuki released the 2-door SUV Suzuki X-90, X-90 and a revised Suzuki Sidekick, Sidekick Sport model with airbag, dual airbags, a 1.6 liter engine, 15 inch wheels. The Sidekick was replaced by the Suzuki Escudo, Vitara and the Suzuki Grand Vitara, Grand Vitara for 1999. The Grand Vitara would be Suzuki's first model with a V6-cylinder engine and available 4-wheel Anti-lock braking system, ABS brakes.
The Suzuki XL-7, XL-7 was introduced in 1998 as a stretched version of the Grand Vitara. The XL-7 had a larger 2.7 liter V6-cylinder engine and 3-row seating. This would be Suzuki's largest vehicle to date.
The Swift was dropped from the model lineup in 2001 and the Suzuki Esteem, Esteem was replaced in 2002 by the new Aerio, which was offered as a 4-door sedan and 5-door Crossover SUV, crossover with Four-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive as an option.
In 2004, General Motors and Suzuki jointly purchased the bankrupt GM Daewoo, Daewoo Motors renaming the venture GMDAT. American Suzuki rebadged the compact Daewoo Nubira/Daewoo Lacetti as the Suzuki Forenza, Forenza and the mid-size Daewoo Magnus as the Suzuki Verona, Verona. The Suzuki Forenza, Forenza gained station wagon and hatchback body style in 2005, with the hatchback sold under the Suzuki Reno, Reno name.
2006 was the first year American Suzuki sold more than 100,000 vehicles in the United States. Suzuki redesigned the Grand Vitara in 2006 as well as introduced the all-new SX4 and XL7 in 2007. The
Suzuki SX4
The Suzuki SX4 is a subcompact car and crossover produced by Japanese automaker Suzuki since 2006. A successor of the Aerio tall hatchback and sedan, the first-generation model was available as a hatchback and sedan, with the former available i ...
is produced as a joint venture with Fiat S.p.A., Fiat and the XL7 (notice the shortening of the name from Grand Vitara XL-7) was produced as a joint venture with GM at CAMI Automotive Inc. in Ingersoll. Suzuki put XL7 production on indefinite hiatus in mid-2009 due to low demand and subsequently sold off its share of CAMI back to GM later that year.
Despite a difficult domestic US automarket, Suzuki kept pace with its 2007 sales numbers in 2008. In 2009 however, Suzuki sales dropped 48.5%, following a 17% sales drop in 2008. Suzuki did not import any 2010 model year street motorcycles into the US, with dealers instead relying on unsold stock from the 2009 model year. New street motorcycle models to the US resumed for the 2011 model year.
In November 2012, Suzuki announced that its US division would file for bankruptcy and would stop selling automobiles in the United States. It plans to continue to sell motorcycles, ATVs, and marine products in the US. In ten months of 2012, Suzuki only sold 21,188 automobiles in the US. The combination of a strong yen and Suzuki's own limited offering of models has been blamed for the downturn.
Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited
Following the terms of the joint-venture agreement between Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan (SMC) and Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO), Pak Suzuki Motors, Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) was incorporated as a public limited company in August 1983.
The new company assumed the assets including production facilities of Awami Autos Limited. PSMCL started commercial operations in January 1984 with the primary objective of passenger cars, pick ups, vans and 4x4 vehicles.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the company's green field automobile plant at Bin Qasim was performed by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan in early 1989.
On completion of first phase of this plant in early 1990, in-house assembly Suzuki engines started. The new plant was completed in 1992, and Suzuki production was transferred to new plant – and Three-box styling, three-box 1,300 cc Margalla car was also added to its range of production.
In September 1992 the company was privatized and placed directly under the Japanese Management. At the time of privatization SMC increased its equity from 25% to 40% Subsequently, SMC progressively increased its equity to 73.09% by 31 December 2001.
The Bin Qasim Plant further expanded its production capacity to 50,000 vehicles per year in July 1994 and 300,000 vehicles had been manufactured at this plant by December 2003.
Suzuki Canada Inc.
* 1973 – 1 June, Suzuki Canada Ltd. was incorporated with offices at
North York
North York is one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly north of York, Old Toronto and East York, between Etobicoke to the west and Scarborough to the east. As of the 2016 Census, it had a popu ...
, Ontario. Product lines included motorcycles, parts and accessories to Suzuki dealers throughout Canada.
* 1974 – Vancouver branch office and warehouse inaugurated to service dealers in western Canada.
* 1980 – Autumn – Suzuki Canada began its automotive sales with the marketing and sales of the four-wheel-drive LJ80 in eastern Canada. 1 November, the name of company changed from Suzuki Canada Ltd. to Suzuki Canada Inc.
* 1982 – Introduction of a line of Suzuki all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in Canada.
* 1983 – Introduction of a line of Suzuki outboard motors in western Canada. 1 February 1983 – Western Branch moved to enlarged facilities in Richmond, British Columbia, Richmond, British Columbia.
* 1984 – Began the sales of 'Suzuki Forsa' ( Suzuki Cultus) automobile.
* 1986 – A$600 million Suzuki-GM joint venture CAMI Automotive Inc. announced for the manufacturing of vehicles. Production was set to begin in 1989 at Ingersoll, Ontario, Ingersoll, Ontario.
* 1987 – 25 January – Suzuki Canada Inc. moved to a new . head office and warehouse facility at Richmond Hill, Ontario, Richmond Hill, Ontario.
* 1988 – Autumn – Suzuki began selling the CAMI-built 2-door Suzuki Escudo, Suzuki Sidekick.
* 2009 – Autumn – Suzuki sold its participation in CAMI to GM.
In 2013, Suzuki Canada announced that it would follow the US division and stop selling automobiles in Canada after the 2014 model year. Suzuki Canada will continue to provide parts and services to vehicles through dealer network, as well as selling motorcycles, ATV and outboard motors.
Suzuki GB PLC
''Suzuki GB PLC'' are the manufacturer's agent and distributor of automobiles, motorcycles, ATV's and Marine engines in the United Kingdom with a head office based in Milton Keynes. A wholly owned subsidiary of the ''Suzuki Motor Corporation'' operates as ''Suzuki Cars (Ireland) Limited'' in Republic of Ireland, Ireland.
* In 1963, Suzuki commenced official import of motorcycles, via an independent distributor called ''Suzuki (Great Britain) Limited''.
* In 1968, ''Suzuki (Great Britain) Limited'' went into receivership and Hambros bank sold the company to Peter Agg of Trojan_(automobile). He formed a new company called ''Suzuki GB Limited'' that took over Suzuki's independent UK distribution.
* Around 1975, ''Heron Corporation plc'' bought into ''Suzuki GB Limited'' and the company was thereafter known as ''Heron Suzuki GB Limited''.
* From 1975 and into the 1980s, Heron International sponsored the Suzuki MotoGP, Suzuki factory racing team in
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...
, with riders including Barry Sheene, Randy Mamola, Graeme Crosby, Mick Grant and Rob McElnea.
* in 1989, ''Heron Suzuki GB Limited'' became ''Heron Suzuki Plc''.
* In 1994, ''Suzuki GB PLC'' took over the direct distribution of all Suzuki products in the United Kingdom.
Suzuki Indomobil Motor
''PT Suzuki Indomobil Motor'' (formerly ''PT Indomobil Suzuki International'' until December 2008) is a joint venture between Suzuki Motor Corporation and the Indomobil Group. The company is located in
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, Indonesia and specialized in manufacturing Suzuki vehicles for the local market. A separate company, ''PT Suzuki Indomobil Sales (SIS)'', previously ''PT Indomobil Niaga International'', handled sales and marketing of Suzuki automobiles and motorcycles.
Suzuki has done its first activities on the Indonesian market in 1970 about its import firm PT. Indohero Steel & Engineering Company. Six years later they were built the manufacturing facility in Jakarta which is the oldest part of the Indomobil Group.
Their first product was the Suzuki Carry#ST20, ST20 Carry (introduced in 1978), it saw extensive use as an Share taxi, Angkot. Nicknamed "Trungtung", it was built until at least 1983. This is an Onomatopoeia, onomatopoetic word for the sound made by the Carry's two-stroke engine.
In 2011, the company invested $800 million for producing Indonesian car, Low Cost Green Car (LCGC) in Indonesia. In 2013, Suzuki opened another plant in Cikarang with a total investment of $1 billion. The plant manufactured Ertiga MPV for both domestic and export markets and K10B engine for Karimun Wagon R.
Suzuki Motorcycle India, Private Limited
''Suzuki Motorcycle India, Private Limited (SMIL)'' is the wholly owned Indian subsidiary of Suzuki, Japan. The company has a manufacturing plant at Gurgaon, Haryana having the annual capacity of 5,40,000 units.
Gurgaon
Gurgaon (pronunciation: ʊɽɡãːw, officially named Gurugram (pronunciation: ʊɾʊɡɾaːm, is a city located in the northern Indian state of Haryana. It is situated near the Delhi–Haryana border, about southwest of the nationa ...
,
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ar ...
.
*
Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki India Limited, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited, is an Indian automobile industry, automobile manufacturer, based in New Delhi. It was founded in 1981 and owned by the Government of India until 2003, when it was sold to the ...
(automobiles and engines)
**Manesar and Gurgaon, Haryana.
Indonesia (Suzuki Indomobil Motor):
*Cakung Plant (engines)
**Cakung, East Jakarta,
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
.
*Tambun Plant I and II (automobiles and motorcycles)
**South Tambun, Bekasi Regency, West Java.
*Cikarang Plant (automobiles)
**Central Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java.
Pakistan:
*Pak Suzuki (automobiles)
**
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
Magyar Suzuki
Magyar Suzuki Corporation is an automobile manufacturing plant, subsidiary of Suzuki, located in Esztergom, Hungary and founded in 1991 with investments from Suzuki Japan, the Hungarian Government, Itochu and the World Bank. __NOTOC__
History
T ...
Bien Hoa
Bien may refer to:
* Bien (newspaper)
* Basic Income Earth Network
* Bień, Poland
{{disambiguation ...
, Dong Nai Province, Dong Nai.
Philippines:
*Suzuki Philippines Inc. (motorcycles)
** Calamba, Laguna.
Cambodia:
*Cambodia Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. (motorcycles)
**Sangkat Chom Chao, Phnom Penh.
Myanmar:
*Suzuki (Myanmar) Motor Co., Ltd. (automobiles and motorcycles)
**Thilawa Special Economic Zone, Thanlyin Township, Yangon Region.
United States:
*Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) (motorcycle parts and ATVs)
**
Rome, Georgia
Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia metropolitan area, Rome, Georgia, metropolitan statisti ...
.
Brazil:
*J. Toledo da Amazonia (motorcycle parts)
**Manaus, Amazonas (Brazilian state), Amazonas.
Egypt:
*Suzuki Egypt S.A.E. (automobiles)
**6th of October Governorate, 6th of October, Giza Governorate.
Japan:
*Takatsuka Plant (original)
**Kami-mura, Hamana-gun, Shizuoka.
New Zealand:
*South Pacific Suzuki Assemblers (automobiles)
**Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui.
Spain:
*Santana Motor (automobiles)
**Linares, Jaén, Andalusia.
*Avello (motorcycle), Suzuki Motor España (motorcycle)
**Porceyo, Gijon, Asturias.
China:
*
Changan Suzuki
Changan Suzuki (officially Changan Suzuki Automobile Co., Ltd.) was an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Chongqing, China and a joint-venture between Chang'an Automobile Group and Suzuki. Chang'an began assembling subcompact com ...
(automobiles)
**
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...
*
Changhe
Changhe, officially Jiangxi Changhe Automobile Co Ltd, is a Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China.Jiangxi
Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...
.
Canada
*
CAMI Automotive
CAMI Assembly (formerly CAMI Automotive) is an assembly plant wholly owned by General Motors Canada. The plant occupies and has of floor space of which was added in 2016 as part of a $560 million investment.
CAMI uses the CAMI Production System ...
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.
Argentina:
*General Motors de Argentina (automobiles)
Colombia:
*GM Colmotores (automobiles)
**Bogota, Cundinamarca Department.
Malaysia:
*Suzuki Assemblers Malaysia Sdn, Bhd., (motorcycle)
**Perai, Penang.
*HICOM Automotive Manufacturers (Malaysia) (automobiles)
**Pekan, Pahang.
Taiwan:
*Prince Motors (Taiwan), Prince Motors Co., Ltd., (automobiles)
**New Taipei City
Automobiles
Production automobiles
Concept automobiles
* Suzuki GSX-R/4, GSX-R/4 concept car was presented in 2001. It is fitted with a engine taken from the Suzuki Hayabusa, GSX1300R Hayabusa motorcycle in an attempt to split the difference, merging the posture of an automobile and the disposition of a sportbike (Suzuki had been particularly successful selling motorcycles in the United States). Its high-revving inline-four engine supplied about 175 hp to a bare-bones, two-seat roadster weighing less than 1500 pounds.
* Pixy + SSC concept was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show#2007, 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. The Pixy is an enclosed three-wheel, single-seat personal transport pod, similar to the Toyota i-unit, and Toyota i-REAL, i-REAL, but dissimilar in that two Pixies can dock inside the SSC (aka Suzuki Sharing Coach) for highway driving. Electric power is generated by a hydrogen fuel cell and solar panels to drive the SSC carrier van, and to recharge the Pixy at the same time.
*X-HEAD is a concept vehicle that debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show. It has a somewhat unusual design, looking similar to a dump truck. It has an X pattern on is tires, but the X in its name is attributed to its multipurpose capability.
* Suzuki Concept X debuted at the North American International Auto Show#2005, 2005 North American International Auto Show as a significant departure in styling for a Suzuki mid-sized sport utility vehicle aimed at younger buyers in the North American market. This concept vehicle evolved into the second-generation XL7 introduced late in 2006.
* G70 appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show#2011, 2011 Tokyo Motor Show as the Regina, but was renamed before the 2012 Salon International de l'Auto and Auto China shows to signify that it met the goal of Motor vehicle emissions#Carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions no higher than 70g/km (and perhaps that ''Regina'' as a model name would be a marketing fiasco). The G70 is a concept for the next-generation global compact car, possibly replacing the
Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: ''altus''), historically refers to the contrapuntal part higher than the tenor and its associated vocal range. In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by ...
, and at long and wide with a weight of , the G70 is smaller and lighter than the Alto. It has an extremely economical , direct-injection turbo gasoline engine mated to a continuously variable transmission, and a claimed fuel mileage of .
* Q-concept, first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show#2011, 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, is a bubble car like the MIT CityCar, Nissan Pivo or Toyota PM. Just in length, the Q-concept has its driver and one passenger riding in tandem but is more comfortable than a motorcycle, being enclosed and having seats instead of a saddle. Intended primarily for short trips (within ) it ought to be able to park in nearly any available space.
* Suzuki, has unveiled the iK-2 concept at the Geneva Motor Show#2015, 2015 Geneva Motor Show.
* Suzuki shown the 4x4 mini SUV concept iM-4 concept at the Geneva Motor Show#2015, Geneva Motor Show in 2015.
Motorcycles
Suzuki started manufacturing motorcycles in 1952, the first models being motorized bicycles. From 1955 to 1976 the company manufactured motorcycles with
two-stroke
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a Thermodynamic power cycle, power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being comple ...
engines only, the biggest two-stroke model being the water-cooled triple-cylinder Suzuki GT 750, G2F5.
A large factor in Suzuki's success in two-stroke competition was the German Democratic Republic, East German Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix racer
Ernst Degner
Ernst Degner (born Ernst Eugen Wotzlawek on 22 September 1931 in Gleiwitz, Upper Silesia, Germany - died 10 September 1983 in Arona, Tenerife, Spain) was a professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer from Eastern Germany. Degner was noted f ...
, who defected to the West in 1961, bringing with him expertise in two-stroke engines from the East German manufacturer MZ Motorrad- und Zweiradwerk, MZ. The secrets Degner brought with him were three crucial technologies: the boost port, the expansion chamber, and the rotary valve. Walter Kaaden of MZ was the first engineer to combine these three crucial technologies.
Suzuki hired Degner, and he won the 50 cc, 50 cc class
FIM
FIM may refer to:
Organizations and companies
* Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, the International Motorcycling Federation
* Flint Institute of Music, in Michigan, United States
* Fox Interactive Media, now News Corp. Digital Media
* ...
road racing List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champions, World Championship for them in the 1962 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, 1962 season. Suzuki became the first Japanese manufacturer to win a List of motocross World Championship results, motocross world championship when
Joel Robert Joel or Yoel is a name meaning "Yahweh Is God" and may refer to:
* Joel (given name), origin of the name including a list of people with the first name.
* Joel (surname), a surname
* Joel (footballer, born 1904), Joel de Oliveira Monteiro, Brazili ...
won the 1970 250 cc title. In the 1970s, Suzuki established themselves in the motorcycle racing world with Barry Sheene
Marco Lucchinelli
Marco Lucchinelli (born 26 June 1954) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He was 1981 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He is a MotoGP Legend.
Career
Lucchinelli was born in Bolano.
He began his ro ...
1981
Franco Uncini
Franco Uncini (born 9 March 1955) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racing. He was 1982 FIM Road Racing World Champion with Suzuki. He was inducted into the F.I.M. MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2016.
__TOC__
Career
Uncini ...
1982 winning world championships in the premier 500cc class.
In 1976 Suzuki introduced its first motorcycles since the Colleda COX of the 1950s with four-stroke engines, the Suzuki GS series, GS400 and Suzuki GS series, GS750.
In 1994, Suzuki partnered with Nanjing Jincheng Machinery to create a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer and exporter called Jincheng Suzuki.
Suzuki continued to compete in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, MotoGP and last won the title in the 2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, 2000 season. From 2006 to 2011, the team was sponsored by Rizla and was known as Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team. On 18 November 2011, Suzuki announced that the GP racing was suspended, partly due to natural disasters and recession, until 2014. Suzuki returned to MotoGP in 2015.
The next few years in MotoGP were rather experimental for Suzuki, with some spotty success; but in 2020, on Suzuki's 100th anniversary, Spanish rider Joan Mir surprised the world by cinching the 2020 MotoGP World Championship, Suzuki's first GP conquest since Kenny Roberts Jr's World Championship win in 2000.
In addition Suzuki have recorded a total of 94 victories at the Isle of Man TT Races. Suzuki have also taken the runner up spot in the various race categories 100 times and a total 92 third places.
Models
Some notable Suzuki motorcycles include the following:
Two-stroke engines
* Suzuki T20, X6 Hustler twin (aka T20 Super Six) was sold from 1966 to 1968 as "the fastest 250cc motorcycle in the world". It had Suzuki's new Suzuki T20#Posi-Force system, Posi-Force automatic oil injection system (later called Suzuki GT550#Automatic oil/gas mixing, Suzuki CCI). Production peaked at more than 5000 units per month. In 2013, Suzuki renewed the ''Hustler'' motorcycle trademark for Europe, leading to rumors of a retro style 250 twin. A 1967 T20 Super Six was included in the Las Vegas show of ''The Art of the Motorcycle'' exhibition.
* Suzuki T series, T500 Titan (aka T500 Cobra, GT500) had a 500 cc air-cooled parallel-twin engine which overcame problems with durability, overheating and vibration. With an output of at 6,500 rpm and top speed of , it became Suzuki's flagship machine in 1968, and remains popular with collectors and café racers.
* Suzuki GT750, GT750 Le Mans with a
straight-three engine
A straight-three engine (also called an inline-triple or inline-three) is a three-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
Less common than straight-four engines, straight-three engines have noneth ...
was the first Japanese motorcycle with a liquid-cooled engine, earning it the moniker "Water Buffalo." The :ja:自動車技術会, Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan includes the 1971 Suzuki GT750 as one of their ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology''.
* List of Suzuki motorcycles, TM400 Cyclone production motocrosser was designed to participate in 500cc class
Motocross World Championship
FIM Motocross World Championship is the premier championship of motocross racing, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), divided into two distinct classes: MXGP and MX2. Race duration is 30 minutes plus two laps per ...
racing. Introduced in 1971, it was notoriously difficult even for skilled riders to control. Redesigned in 1975.
* The RM125 production motocrosser debuted in 1975 to replace the TM125. It was a successful forerunner of the future Suzuki RM series, RM series line-up from 50cc to 500cc.
* Suzuki RM series, RM250 was fully redesigned in 1982 and the liquid-cooled single-cylinder delivered more power than any production 250cc motorcrosser of the time. It had Suzuki's original full floater, link-type rear suspension introduced a year earlier.
* Suzuki RG250 Gamma, RG250 Gamma of 1983 was one of the new generation of race replica sport bikes of the 1980s. It had an aluminum frame, a Motorcycle fairing, full fairing and a high output straight-twin engine. The 1983 RG250Γ is one of the :ja:自動車技術会, JSAE ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology''.
* Suzuki RG500, RG500 Gamma of 1985 was like RG250, but with a U engine, square-four engine.
* Suzuki RGV250, RGV250 Gamma, the road-racing replica of Kevin Schwantz's RGV500 GP race bike, replaced the Suzuki RG250 Gamma, RG250 in 1988 with a V-twin engine.
Four-stroke engines
* Suzuki GS series, GS series – The 1976 GS750 was the first 4-stroke machine released by Suzuki in 20 years. The following year saw Suzuki's first 1-liter machine, the GS1000E, and then in 1979 the GS1000S copy of a Pops Yoshimura, Yoshimura GS1000 Superbike.
*
Katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
– The GSX1100S was released in Europe in 1980; the GSX1000S arrived in the U.S. and Canada later that year as a 1981 model, and revolutionized sportbike styling. A 1982 Katana GS1000SV is on the American Motorcyclist Association, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fames list of "classic bikes" that have been shown in the museum, and was in ''The Art of the Motorcycle'' exhibition.
*
GSX-R750
The Suzuki GSX-R750 is a Types of motorcycles#Sport bike, sports motorcycle made by Suzuki. It was introduced at the Intermot, Cologne Motorcycle Show in October 1984 as a motorcycle of the Suzuki GSX-R Series, GSX-R series.
Air and oil cooled
...
was one of the Japanese sport bikes of the 1980s that began the modern race replica era. It had air/oil cooling, light weight, and a powerful engine. The :ja:自動車技術会, Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan includes the 1984 Suzuki GSX-R750 as one of their ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology'', and was in ''The Art of the Motorcycle''.
* Suzuki Intruder, Intruder 750 with its Overhead camshaft, OHC 4-valve 45° V-twin engine was the first Japanese Cruiser (motorcycle), cruiser motorcycle (designed to appeal to U.S. riders) in 1985. By 1997, cruiser-style motorcycles would account for nearly 60 percent of the U.S. street-bike market.
* Suzuki GSX-R1100, GSX-R1100, related to the GSX-R750, appeared in 1986. The same basic engine would reappear in 1995 to power the Suzuki Bandit series, Bandit 1200 and remain in production through 2006.
* Suzuki GSF1200 Bandit - Released in 1996 after the fully-faired RF900, the big, GSXR-powered Bandit offered stunning performance with real-world ergonomics and capabilities, and has become something of a "cult" model. These units have been used widely from road-race to Open Road Touring, were renowned for their versatility, robustness and massive torque production. Many are still in operation. The carbureted, air (and oil)-cooled design ran from 1996 to 2002; afterward Suzuki moved into fuel injection and liquid cooling on subsequent models. The last of the series was the GSX1250Fa. Though not technically labeled as a "Bandit", it was obviously the last in the long, popular line. Black, with a full-fairing, the GSX/Fa sold for only two years, between 2010 and 2011. Critics praised the model, like the earlier GSF, for its ergonomics and practical, "Do-It-All" capabilities; but market desire sagged due to the final model's heavy weight and relatively low power output.
* The ''DR-BIG'' aka ''Desert Express'' :de:Suzuki DR 800 S, DR800S off-roader was existent for two model years as the :de:Suzuki DR Big 750 S, DR750S until 1990, when its displacement increased to 779cc, still the world largest single cylinder engine in a production motorcycle. Available in Europe through 1999, it was not exported to the U.S. market. Replaced by the Suzuki V-Strom 1000, V-Strom twin, the ''DR-BIG'' has now come full circle as the design inspiration for a 2014 overhaul of the V-Strom 1000 ABS. As of 2020, the DR-BIG acted as the inspiration of the revisioned Suzuki V-Strom 1050.
* Suzuki RF Series The Suzuki RF series are sport touring motorcycles. They came with three engine variations: 400, 600 and 900 cc. It was in production from 1994 to 1998.
* Suzuki TL1000S, TL1000S debuted at the 1996 Motorcycle Live, International Motorcycle and Scooter Show as the first Suzuki sport bike with a V-twin engine. This was a liquid-cooled, 90° V-twin,
DOHC
An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...
engine with 4 valves per cylinder, which would be in production through 2012. Although the TL1000S motorcycle ceased production in 2001, the engine would carry on in the Suzuki TL1000R, TL1000R, the Suzuki SV1000, SV1000 and SV1000S, as well as the Suzuki V-Strom 1000, V-Strom 1000 and the Suzuki V-Strom 1050.
* Suzuki GSX-R600, GSX-R600 – a smaller version of the GSX-R750. There were earlier pretenders, but the genuine article arrived in 1997 and has received frequent updates after that.
*
Hayabusa
was a robotic spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa to Earth for further analysis.
''Hayabusa'', formerly known as MUSES-C ...
(GSX-1300R) was introduced in 1998, and remains Suzuki's flagship
sport bike
A sport bike (sports motorcycle, or sports bike) is a motorcycle designed and optimized for speed, acceleration, braking, and cornering on asphalt concrete race tracks and roads. They are mainly designed for performance at the expense of comfor ...
. The 1998 Suzuki Hayabusa is included in the :ja:自動車技術会, JSAE ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology''. The development of a Suzuki Hayabusa#Second generation (2008– ), second generation Hayabusa for the 2008 model year facilitated the 2007 roll-out of the GSX-1300BK Suzuki B-King, B-King, a highly stylized Types of motorcycles#Standard, naked variant.
* Suzuki SV650, SV650 was introduced in 1999 as a budget entry in the naked bike market, and since 2001, offered both naked and fully faired. In 2009 the naked bike version was redesigned and renamed the Suzuki SFV650 Gladius, Gladius in keeping with the Gladius, sword motif Suzuki established with the ''Katana.'' The Gladius motorcycle won a Good Design Award (aka ''G Mark'') from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.
* Suzuki GSX-R1000, GSX-R1000 – This top-of-the-line superbike debuted in 2000, and remains the largest model of the GSX-R series.
* Suzuki Burgman, Burgman 650 (AN650) was the largest of a series of urban scooters produced in Japan (marketed as ''Skywave'' domestically) as well as in Italy and Spain with engine capacities of 125cc and up. When it appeared in 2002 the 650 was the largest-displacement Scooter (motorcycle), scooter in the world, and first two-wheel vehicle to have an electrically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission. The Japan Institute of Design Promotion awarded the ''G Mark'' Good Design Award to the Skywave 650 in 2003, to the entire Skywave series in 2006 and to the updated Skywave 650LX in 2013.
** Choinori was a lightweight, inexpensive, 50cc scooter and the antithesis of the Suzuki Burgman, Skywave 650, but they were introduced at the same time in an effort to increase domestic sales in response to shrinking motorcycle exports. The 2002 Choinori is one of the :ja:自動車技術会, JSAE ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology''. The Choinori was awarded the ''G Mark'' Good Design Award in 2003.
* Suzuki Boulevard M109R, Boulevard M109R (VZR1800) V-twin, dubbed the Intruder M1800R in Europe, arrived in 2006 boasting a bore with a stroke, amongst the largest gasoline engine pistons ever used in any production motorcycle (or passenger car).
* Suzuki GSX 650 F, GSX-650F – introduced in 2008, this new sport touring model fills the void of the retired
Katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
. The 2009 model has Anti-lock braking system, ABS standard.
* Suzuki DR125 - a 124cc four stroke motorcycle
* Suzuki V-Strom 650, DL-650 V-Strom – a dual-sport motorcycle
* Suzuki Across (motorcycle), GSX-250F Across – a small 250 cc engine sport touring motorcycle produced from 1990 until 1998. It is mostly known as a practical sports/touring bike, due to its rear petrol tank and a fully enclosed helmet storage area where the petrol tank usually is.
* Suzuki GSX-R250 – a motorcycle that was manufactured from 1987 to 1994. A couple of years after the presentation of the GSX-R750 the 250 cc GSX-R250 was released. Like the larger bike, the GSX-R250 had a box-frame (steel, not aluminum), full fairing, full-floater rear swing and a four-cylinder four-stroke engine. But while the GSX-R750 engine was air and oil-cooled, the baby brother had a liquid-cooled engine. Not many examples are seen outside Japan. 17-inch cast wheels and 300 mm twin disc brake at the front. The GSX-R250 had impressive power and was made primarily as a road legal 250 cc racing bike reaching speeds of 200+km/h (124 mph). Imported specimens may be seen in Australia and New Zealand commonly. Also, around 350 units were exported to Denmark around 1989 to 1992. Starting in 2017, the engine continued in the Suzuki V-Strom 250.
Other power sources
* RE5 was the first (and only) Japanese motorcycle produced with a Wankel engine, Wankel rotary engine. That, and its Giugiaro styling, make it one of the oddest and most collectible motorcycles of the 1970s. The 1974 RE5 is one of the :ja:自動車技術会, JSAE ''240 Landmarks of Japanese Automotive Technology'', and a 1976 model is in the American Motorcyclist Association, AMA ''Motorcycle Hall of Fame''.
* Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter uses electric-motor propulsion, powered by an air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell; its only emission is water. Following on a concept model at the Tokyo Motor Show#2009, 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, in 2011 the Burgman Fuel-Cell Scooter became the world's first fuel-cell vehicle to earn Motor vehicle type approval, Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) in the European Union, enabling the vehicle to be sold in all member states. Suzuki is working toward commercial production of this scooter.
Concept motorcycles
* Falcorustyco concept model at the Tokyo Motor Show#1985, 1985 Tokyo Motor Show envisaged the motorcycle technologies that might be brought into play by 1995, including a 4-cycle square 4-cylinder 500 cc engine, frameless body, front-and-rear swingarm suspension, center hub hydraulic power steering, chainless hydraulic drive and pop-up screen cowling.
* Nuda was a full-time two-wheel drive prototype, incorporating power steering and a swing seat, in a carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque body, shown at the 1986 Tokyo Motor Show. Nuda concepts influenced the design of the Suzuki Hayabusa.
* Suzuki B-King, B-King – The concept model was well received by the public when it went on display at the Tokyo Motor Show#2001, 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. The addition of a turbocharger to the GSX1300R engine testified to massive power output, while electronics such as cellphone and GPS were stowed in the ultra-modern angular bodywork. The production model appeared six years later, largely unchanged except for its naturally aspirated engine. B-King styling is reflected in the award-winning design of the Suzuki GSR600, GSR600 and the Suzuki GSR750, GSR750, as well as the Suzuki Inazuma 250, Inazuma GW250 and GW250S.
* G-Strider concept model with 916 cc engine, made public at the Tokyo Motor Show#2003, 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, was a half-scooter, half-cruiser (motorcycle) mash-up with an electrically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission incorporating a push-button manual mode, similar to the Burgman 650. Accentuating luxury, the G-Strider's handlebars, footrests, seat backrest, passenger backrest and windscreen were all electrically adjustable while under way to ensure the most comfortable riding position possible.
* Suzuki Stratosphere, Stratosphere prototype was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show#2005, Tokyo Motor Show in 2005, with an 1100 cc engine pushed to the limits of space-saving design, resulting in an in-line six-cylinder as wide as a conventional in-line four-cylinder engine. Hammered aluminum and Damascus steel incorporate material characteristics into styling design. Prospects for a production model seemed good, considering that Suzuki's previous significant concept motorcycle, the B-King had made it into production, but the market changed before Stratosphere got the go-ahead.
* Biplane was a blue-sky concept announced at the Tokyo Motor Show#2007, 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, designed to convey the joy of two-wheel mobility, inspired by the feeling of flying an airplane. Its shape generates a feeling of openness in a modern machine powered by a V-four engine.
* Crosscage concept model was displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show#2007, 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Combining a high-performance secondary battery and a compact, lightweight air-cooled fuel-cell system from British specialist company
Intelligent Energy
Intelligent Energy is a fuel cell engineering business focused on the development, manufacture and commercialisation of its proton-exchange membrane fuel cell technologies for a range of markets including automotive, stationary power, materials ...
enabled quick activation with low fuel consumption. The lithium-ion battery assured reserve power as well as minimal environmental impact. Light weight not only made this bike environment-friendly but also sporty.
* Suzuki Gemma, Gemma prototype model was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show#2007, 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. The distinctive "full-flat 2-seater," 250 cc four-stroke single-cylinder scooter is low and sleek and gives the rider and passenger feel a greater sense of intimacy. The luggage compartment in front of the rider holds a helmet. Gemma went into production in Japan the following year for the domestic market.
* Suzuki Recursion, Recursion turbo parallel-twin middleweight, shown at the Tokyo Motor Show#2013, 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.
Suzuki is a major sponsor of luge, biathlon, and cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country skiing sporting events.
They were the title sponsor of the 2008 to 2020 edition of the ASEAN Football Championship (as the AFF Suzuki Cup), English Football League Two, League Two club Milton Keynes Dons F.C., Milton Keynes Dons, Italian Serie A club Torino F.C., Torino and Polish Ekstraklasa club Korona Kielce.
See also
* List of Suzuki engines
* Suzuki World Rally Team
References
External links
Suzuki Global website *
*
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