In 1909,
Michio Suzuki (1887–1982) founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the seacoast town of
Hamamatsu, 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 cars. These first Suzuki motor vehicles were powered by a then-innovative, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. It had a cast aluminium
crankcase and
gearbox and generated from a displacement of less than 800 cc. 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" petrol-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 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 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. The Suzulight sold with front-wheel drive, four-wheel independent suspension and
rack-and-pinion steering, which were not common on cars until three decades later. From 1981 to 1982, Suzuki played a prominent role in setting up the first largely foreign owned car company in India,
Maruti Suzuki. Though originally majority-owned by the Indian government, Suzuki, which initially owned 26%, would obtain more shares of Maruti Suzuki in 2003, and later acquire the majority of the India-based subsidiary in 2007. 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. An international arbitration court ordered Volkswagen to sell the stake back to Suzuki. In November 2012, low sales forced Suzuki to closes its branches in the United States.
Leadership The company was founded by
Michio Suzuki. In 1978, the company would be taken over by
Osamu Suzuki, Osamu Suzuki, the 91 year old Chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation, retired in June 2021, handing over to his son Toshihiro; Osamu Suzuki, who is credited with building the company into its current status and who also still stayed on as an advisor following his retirement as chairman, died in December 2024.
List of CEOs • Michio Suzuki (1909–1957) • Shunzo Suzuki (1957–1973) • Jitsujiro Suzuki (1973–1977) • Osamu Suzuki (1977–2000) • Masao Toda (2000–2003) • Hiroshi Tsuda (2003–2008) • Osamu Suzuki (2008–2015) • Toshihiro Suzuki (2015–present)
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 engines, Suzuki Motor Corp. was known for its
two-stroke engines (for motorcycles and autos). After the war, Suzuki made a two-stroke
motorized bicycle, but eventually the company would be known for
Hayabusa and
GSX-R 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 Canada and the United States.
1909–1960 • 1909: Michio Suzuki founds Suzuki Loom Works founded in
Hamamatsu,
Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. • 1920: Company is reorganized, incorporated, and capitalized at ¥500,000 as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co. with Michio Suzuki as president. • 1954: Company name changed to Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. • 1957: Michio Suzuki designated as adviser, and his son Shunzo Suzuki appointed company president. • 1958:
S mark adopted as corporate emblem. • 1960: In March Suzuki's new modern assembly line plant is finished.
1961–1969 • 1961: Separation of the loom machine division from the motor company, as Suzuki Loom Manufacturing Co. with two riders from the team of
Mitsuo Itoh, Michio Ichino, Sadao Masuda, Toshio Matsumoto,
Paddy Driver,
Hugh Anderson and Alastair King placing 10th and 12th in 250 cc Isle of Man TT races. • Production of the Suzulight
Carry 360 cc, two-stroke lightweight truck begins at new plant in
Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. • 1962: First victory in the inaugural season of
50 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing comes at the end of a three-way battle between Suzuki,
Honda and
Kreidler at the
Isle of Man TT. The winning RM62 machine was ridden by
Ernst Degner 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 50 cc race after Suzuki teammate Degner breaks down. Suzuki wins both the rider's and manufacturer's championships, in both 50 cc and 125 cc classes, for this season of World
Grand Prix motorcycle racing. • 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. •
T20 motorcycle introduced as "the fastest 250cc motorcycle in the world", aimed at the US market but gets worldwide attention. • 1967:
Thailand gets the first motorcycle assembly plant outside Japan, creating Thai Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. • Debut of
Fronte 360 cc, two-stroke minivehicle. • Frank Whiteway easily wins the 500 cc class at the Isle of Man TT race on a production
T500 motorcycle prepared by Eddie Crooks. •
LJ10, the first mass-production
4x4 domestic mini-car, becomes available in Japan, powered by a 360 cc twin cylinder air-cooled two-stroke engine. • 1971: Production plant for medium to large motorcycles is built in
Toyokawa, Aichi, Japan. • Suzuki's production motocrosser, the
TM400, arrives to participate in 500 cc class
Motocross World Championship racing. • Suzuki rider
Roger De Coster becomes the 500 cc class World Motocross Champion on his 396 cc RN71 factory machine, while teammate (and fellow
Belgian)
Joel Robert becomes 250 cc class champion. • 1972: Suzuki Parts Manufacturing Company, Ltd., is established in
Akita Prefecture, Japan. • 1975: Delays in compliance with car emission regulations cause severe difficulties for the company. •
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 won the 125 cc World Motocross GP championship. From 1975 to 1984, Suzuki dominates this class 10 years in a row with Gaston Rahier,
Akira Watanabe,
Harry Everts,
Eric Geboers and
Michele Rinaldi. 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). • Barry Sheene wins 500 cc World Championship for Suzuki • In late 1976, the
LJ50 Jimny became the first Suzuki automobile to be assembled in New Zealand, initially at the modest rate of four cars per day. • 1977: Debut of
Cervo two-stroke minivehicle for domestic market, export version introduced the next year with four-stroke engine. Barry Sheene wins second 500 cc World Championship for Suzuki • 1978: Appointment of
Osamu Suzuki as president, Jitsujiro Suzuki appointed chairman. • 1980: Suzuki Australia Pty. Ltd. established in
Sydney, Australia. • Suzuki enters general-purpose engine field by marketing three electric power
generator models. • Launch of the
GSX series of motorcycles with four-stroke,
DOHC four-valve engines.
1981–1989 • 1981: Consolidated (i.e., including
subsidiaries) sales for the
fiscal year reach ¥500 billion. • The
RG Gamma (RG Γ) makes its first appearance in
Grand Prix motorcycle racing; Suzuki wins sixth-consecutive manufacturer's title, and Suzuki rider
Marco Lucchinelli becomes the 500 cc class champion. • German designer Hans A. Muth uses the motif of the
samurai sword to create the original GSX1100S
Katana, a motorcycle that "typifies Suzuki". • 1982: Aggregate (i.e., sum-total) motorcycle production at the Toyama Plant reaches 5 million units. • The company and the
Government of India set up
Maruti Udyog as a joint venture for automobile production and distribution. • The company signs a technological tie-up contract with
Land-Rover Santana S.A., Spain. A joint venture with Pakistan Automobile Corporation (PACO), Pak Suzuki was established in September 1982 as Awami Auto Limited. • New
Alto minivehicle debuts. • 1983: Jitsujiro Suzuki steps down from the chairmanship. • Launch of the
Mighty Boy 550 cc, 4-cycle mini commercial vehicle. • Production of Suzuki cars begins at Maruti Udyog Ltd. in
New Delhi, India. • An upgraded SJ 4x4, with a 1.3-litre 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. • 1985: Aggregate sales of Alto in Japan reach 1 million units. • Suzuki of America Automotive Corp. established in
Brea, California.
Samurai 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. • 1986:
American Suzuki Motor Corp. is established in Brea, California, to consolidate operations in USA. • 1987: Aggregate car exports from Japan reach 2 million units. Annual global sales of automobiles reach 1 million units. • 1988:
Escudo (Vitara/Sidekick) 1.6-litre, four-cycle compact 4x4 vehicle debuts. • Magazine published by
Consumers Union claims the Samurai 4x4 is prone to rolling over. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rejects demands for a Samurai recall. •
Swift sales begin in the United States. • 1989: Aggregate car production reached 10 million units. •
Sidekick sales begin in the United States. •
Kei car standards are upgraded. New mini-vehicles are released under the latest specifications: engine capacity raised to 660 cc; overall length extended to . • 1991: Consolidated sales reach ¥1 trillion. • Production of Suzuki cars begins in Korea through a technical tie-up with
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Heavy Machinery Ltd. •
Cappuccino mini two-seater convertible debuts. • 1992: Production of Suzuki cars begins at the new plant of
Pak Suzuki Motors in Karachi, Pakistan. • 1993: Aggregate (i.e., sum-total) motorcycle production at Thai Suzuki Motor Co., Ltd. reaches 2 million units. •
Wagon R minivehicle debuts, wins 1993
RJC Car of the Year award. • 1994: Aggregate sales of Suzuki cars in Japan reach 10 million units. • Suzuki and Isuzu Motors Ltd. agree to dissolve their business tie-up. • 1996: Aggregate sales of
Carry in Japan reach 3 million units. • Production of Suzuki Motorcycles begins at
Jinan Qingqi Suzuki Motorcycle Co., Ltd., China. • American Suzuki Motor Corp. publicly accuses
Consumers Union of rigging 1988 test results for the Samurai 4x4, using videotape obtained through the discovery process in the
Suzuki v. Consumers Union lawsuit. • Suzuki goes to the
International Court of Arbitration over the Indian government's appointment of a senior executive at Maruti Udyog Ltd. • 1998: Suzuki and
General Motors 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 Automobile Co., Ltd. begins production of passenger cars in
Chongqing, China. • A new joint venture with the government of
Burma opens a manufacturing plant in
Yangon. • Introduction of GSX 1300R
Hayabusa 1299 cc
sport bike, the
fastest production motorcycle 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. • 2000: The corporation commemorates its 80th anniversary. • Aggregate car production at the
Kosai Plant reaches 10 million units.
2001–2009 • 2001: Aggregate worldwide sales of
Jimny/SJ reaches 2 million units, production of
Alto reaches 4 million units. • Suzuki achieves "Zero-Level" target of
landfill waste. • Suzuki Motor Corp. (Japan) and
American Suzuki Motor Corp. jointly create Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (SMAC) to build
all-terrain vehicles 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 and begins producing the Eiger series of
ATVs. • 2003: Suzuki is No.1 in
Kei car sales for the 30th consecutive year in Japan. •
Twin, the first
hybrid Kei car is launched in Japan. • Suzuki Motor Corporation and
Fiat Auto S.p.A. announce they will jointly develop and produce a compact sport utility vehicle at
Magyar Suzuki. • After eight years, the
Suzuki v. Consumers Union lawsuit about a magazine review that said the Samurai 4x4 easily tipped over, is settled out of court. • Second-generation
Swift compact car debuts at the
Paris Motor Show. • 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, expressed in the
Way of Life! slogan. This English phrase is used worldwide with two notable exceptions: • In
French-speaking Canada (not France) the
Un Mode de vie! slogan is a word-for-word translation of the English, but with the
indefinite article prefixed. • The
Entre e divirta-se. slogan in
Brazilian Portuguese (not in Portugal) translates as "Come and have fun" ending with a
full stop. • The new
Swift wins 2005–2006
Car of the Year Japan "Most Fun" award, and is awarded the 2006
RJC Car of the Year. • 2006: The
SX4 mini
crossover is introduced at the
Geneva Motor Show and the
XL7 crossover is introduced at the
New York International Auto Show. • 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 will build the
A-Star compact hatchback in India for export worldwide. • 2008: GM divests its remaining 3% stake in Suzuki. •
Equator midsize pickup truck exhibited at the
Chicago Auto Show • 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. •
Volkswagen and Suzuki announce the establishment of a global strategic partnership. The
Volkswagen Group 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, 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 completes its purchase of 19.9% of Suzuki's outstanding shares. • Its plant in
Yangon,
Burma, 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, 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. • 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 Asian 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 of
Loughborough 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. This will resume its vehicle and spare part production in Myanmar which was closed in 2012. |alt= • 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. •
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 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 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 for falsifying emission levels of
NOx within its vehicles. • 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==