[quote=Reuters]TOKYO, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp will pull the plug on its unprofitable automobile sales business in the United States after nearly three decades, hurt by a strong yen and a limited choice of vehicles that failed to excite consumers.
[B]Suzuki said on Tuesday it would use a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by its U.S. subsidiary in federal court in California to shut down the auto business and to focus instead on sales of motorcycles, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and boats.[/B]
The departure of Suzuki[B] ends a 27-year effort to gain traction in the world's second-largest auto market[/B] and should most benefit Kia Motor and Nissan Motor, the two brands that car shoppers most compared to Suzuki, according to car shopping website Edmunds.com.
[B]The bankruptcy could allow Japan's No.4 automaker to step away from its contractual responsibilities to the more than 200 dealers who maintain franchises, much as General Motors and Chrysler were able to drop dealerships in their 2009 bankruptcies.[/B]
Suzuki models did not catch on in the United States, and the company suffered from a [B]lack of investment in new vehicles. [/B]It also struggled from the strong yen that makes it more expensive to export products from Japan.
It [B]sold 21,188 vehicles in the United States[/B] through October this year, a 5 percent drop from the previous year at a time when the overall market was up by 14 percent. That made the brand the second worst-selling mainstream brand, behind the Smart micro-car.
Suzuki, which had marketed the Kizashi sedan and the Grand Vitara SUV in the United States, said [B]it would continue to honor warranties during the bankruptcy[/B] and did not see the need for outside financing during the restructuring.
American Suzuki Motor Corp, the sole distributor of Suzuki v ehicles in the continental United States, will file for bankruptcy with [B]$346 million in debt, of which $173 million is owed to Suzuki group companies[/B], the company said.
The Japanese parent company plans to buy the motorcycle, ATV and outboard engine operations out of bankruptcy and shift its auto business to service existing vehicles on the road. The new U.S. operating unit plans to keep the American Suzuki name, it said.
Suzuki's failed tie-up with Volkswagen on vehicle development had raised questions about its commitment to the U.S. market and whether it would be able to invest in a revamped product line-up months before Tuesday's announcement.
Shares of Suzuki sunk in early morning trade but were up 0.38 percent at 1842 yen as of 11:01 a.m. (0201 GMT), slightly outperforming the Nikkei index that was down 0.3 percent.[/quote]
[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/06/americansuzukimotor-chapter-idUSL3E8M58MP20121106[/url]
[t]http://i.imgur.com/EVSpv.jpg[/t][t]http://i.imgur.com/OLxaq.jpg[/t][t]http://i.imgur.com/uMDkE.jpg[/t]
It's a shame to see another small manufacturer go out of business; the newer Suzukis offered cheap fun to compete with Mazda.
What? Are you kidding me? :(
I've never seen a Suzuki anywhere ever, they're like the least purchased vehicles. But they're pretty sleek.
I know exactly 0 people with a Suzuki automobile. But at least they still have extremely popular motorbikes, ATVs and boats on the market.
This happened cause they started focusing on shitty small city cars and (get this) small city jeeps.
my aunt is the only person i know with a sukuki
not bad cars, but terrible advertisement
[QUOTE=Chickens!;38379648]This happened cause they started focusing on shitty small city cars and (get this) small city jeeps.[/QUOTE]
Suzuki's automotive branch has [I]always[/I] focused on small city cars and small jeeps.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg/800px-Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg[/t]
The Suzuki Swift/Cultus, better known in the states as the Geo Metro.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg/800px-Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg[/t]
Suzuki Samurai, also known as the Geo/Chevrolet Tracker.
They make ugly cars, but I've heard they're supposed to run pretty well.
[QUOTE=Saber15;38379682]Suzuki's automotive branch has [I]always[/I] focused on small city cars and small jeeps.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg/800px-Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg[/t]
The Suzuki Swift/Cultus, better known in the states as the Geo Metro.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg/800px-Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg[/t]
Suzuki Samurai, also known as the Geo/Chevrolet Tracker.[/QUOTE]
I'm aware, I was talking about making competitors for things like the Smart Car, which is already dominated by Mercedes.
[QUOTE=The First 11'er;38379659]my aunt is the only person i know with a sukuki
not bad cars, but terrible advertisement[/QUOTE]
My aunt also has the only suzuki I know of, but my uncle built it out of a broken suzuki and I'm pretty sure it has a lawnmower for an engine
[QUOTE=Rocko's;38379600]I've never seen a Suzuki anywhere ever, they're like the least purchased vehicles. But they're pretty sleek.[/QUOTE]
They're really common in Australia. My mum has one and it's never broken down
My motorbike has a suzuki engine, best bike I've owned as well
[QUOTE=Saber15;38379682][t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg/800px-Suzuki_Samurai_SJ410_photographed_in_S%C3%A9rres%2C_Greece.jpg[/t]
Suzuki Samurai, also known as the Geo/Chevrolet Tracker.[/QUOTE]
I quite like this one, honestly.
Shame, because they were really picking up their A-game recently. The new Kizashi is a pretty handsome car, and it drives well from what I hear.
Maybe once they sort out their financial woes they'll get it together and come back.
I still have my Vitara. It's sad to see them go.
They seem much more popular here in Australia. On my bike to school, I could easily spot ten in a kilometre.
EDIT: Didn't read, r8 me l8
I loved these Suzuki jeeps.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;38380282]I quite like this one, honestly.[/QUOTE]
The Samurai lives on, but it's not sold in the United States anymore because it flips at the slightest provocation. They're very good at offroading because they're so light; basically a baby Jeep weighs half a ton less.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Suzuki_Jimny_JB23_001.JPG/800px-Suzuki_Jimny_JB23_001.JPG[/t]
Aw man, I've had my XL-7 for almost 10 years now. Sad to see them go.
The samurai was my second choice for a car but they're still quite expensive.
This is only the US branch right, they're still pretty big in in Asia
[QUOTE=wraithcat;38382560]This is only the US branch right, they're still pretty big in in Asia[/QUOTE]
Only the US (and presumably the Canadian) branches are affected. Sales will continue in Asia, central America, and Europe.
What
Here in Denmark there's Suzuki's everywhere, especially Swift's
[QUOTE=Rocko's;38379600]I've never seen a Suzuki anywhere ever, they're like the least purchased vehicles. But they're pretty sleek.[/QUOTE]
Last time I've seen one was in 08
My dad owned one of those
I own an '05 Suzuki Forenza
[QUOTE=Saber15;38379682]Suzuki's automotive branch has [I]always[/I] focused on small city cars and small jeeps.
[t]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg/800px-Chevrolet_Metro_sedan.jpg[/t]
The Suzuki Swift/Cultus, better known in the states as the Geo Metro..[/QUOTE]
Um. Maybe I'm confused here but that's definitely a Chevy. It looks like a Cavalier. Maybe even a Lumina.
Wait I did some reading and apparently Suzuki makes some internal parts while Chevy rebrands the car?
The Samurais kick some ass man. My dad used to have one. They are awesome. I feel like this is my fault though. Months ago I prayed to the Automotive gods that they could have Suzuki, and Mini if they gave us back Pontiac :(
Suzuki car reliability are crap, but suzuki dirt bike are amazing.
[QUOTE=Archonos 2;38389149]Um. Maybe I'm confused here but that's definitely a Chevy. It looks like a Cavalier. Maybe even a Lumina.
Wait I did some reading and apparently Suzuki makes some internal parts while Chevy rebrands the car?[/QUOTE]
Yes, its very common practice. Ford and Kia did the same thing with the Ford Aspire in the 90s (aka Kia Avella). I'm assuming its for brand recognition.
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