SUZUKI - background & news

Suzuki is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan.

It specialises in manufacturing compact automobiles, a full range of motorcycles, All-Terrain Vehicles, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines.

It is the 12th largest automobile manufacturer in the world by production volume, employs over 45,000 people, and has 35 main production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries.

This year it produced more than 975,000 cars globally.

It was in 1909 that Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Company. 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 cars. These first Suzuki motor vehicles were powered by a then-innovative, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine.

By 1954, it was producing 6,000 motorcycles per month and had officially changed its name to Suzuki Motor Co. Ltd.

Following the success of its first motorcycles, Suzuki created an even more successful automobile.

Suzuki showcased its penchant for innovation from the beginning. The Suzulight included front-wheel drive and four-wheel independent.

Suzuki has always been well engaged in motor sport, knowing that it involves sales. Iti won the 50cc F.I.M. road racing World Championship in 1962 and became the first Japanese manufacturer to win a motocross world championship when Joel Robert won the 1970 250cc title.

In the 1970s, Suzuki established itself in the motorcycle racing world by winning world championships in the premier 500 cc division in road racing and motocross respectively. It continues to compete in Moto GP and last won the title in 2000.

Suzuki current range includes six different models. The very funny Jimny, Splash, Swift and SX4, the well know Grand Vitara, and to finish with, the Alto.

GREEN CREDENTIALS

Suzuki is making all of its plants ISO 14001 compliant to show that they are places of good environmental practice. It also sells some natural gas-powered vehicles and has developed a hybrid model for the Japanese market.