Suzuki reaches 20 million sales in Japan

1955 Suzulight : Suzuki's first passenger car

Suzuki Motor Corporation is pleased to announce that cumulative domestic car sales in Japan have recently passed the 20 million units milestone. Car production began in Hamamatsu in October 1955 with the Suzulight; Suzuki’s first compact vehicle, powered by a 360cc two stroke engine.

2010 Suzuki Swift

The company quickly developed its expertise in the manufacture of small vehicles; introducing the Suzulight Carry Pick-up in 1961 and the Fronte 800 City car in 1967. This was followed in 1970 by the introduction of the Jimny, the world’s first compact and lightweight 4x4 which really showed the way forward in off road capability.

The introduction of the Alto in 1979 was the foundation for Suzuki’s success in Japan’s mini vehicle segment as well as in many other countries including India, where over four million are in daily use.

Record high overseas production

In 2009, Suzuki produced 1,479,231 vehicles outside of Japan; a record for the company and a 5.3 per cent increase over 2008. The majority of these vehicles were produced by Maruti Suzuki in India where Suzuki holds a 54 per cent market share of passenger vehicles sold. China also played an important part due to rapidly increasing demand for low cost mini vehicles.

Magyar Suzuki Corporation

In Europe, Magyar Suzuki in Esztergom, Hungary produced 180,000 units in 2009 for Europe and domestic and recently celebrated a 13.48 per cent share of the Hungarian market with sales of 8,110 vehicles. Suzuki remained the domestic market leader for the thirteenth consecutive year in a row, despite a 60 per cent decline in the Hungarian passenger car market.

Magyar Suzuki supply Swift, Splash and SX4 to many markets in Europe including the UK and employs 4,300 people as well as thousands more through its circle of local suppliers.

Domestic sales and production

Demand in Japan for mini vehicles remains very strong with Suzuki enjoying a 32.7 per cent market share of that sector of the market in 2009, representing an increase of 1.1 per cent over 2008. Domestic Suzuki car sales across all segments reached 624,723 units.

Total global car production reached 2,387,533 units in 2009, a slight decrease for the first time in 11 years due to the current global economic climate.

Globally, Suzuki continues to be well known as the ‘small car experts’ and plan to further develop small and flexible engines for even lower emissions and exceptional fuel economy while still reinforcing it’s reputation for customer focused and value products that are fun to drive and inexpensive to own.

[Source : SUZUKI]