Great Marques—The Suzuki Story
With origins that lie in the Japanese silk industry, Suzuki grew into a world-renowned maker of motorcycles and cars. It has proved expert in producing small, low-cost cars, 4x4s, and commercial vehicles with a global appeal. The marque is now expanding its range into larger, more luxurious passenger cars.
“We make small cars, so we worry about cutting costs by even one yen.”
OSAMU SUZUKI, 1993
Suzuki logo (introduced 1958)
MICHIO SUZUKI, born in Hamamatsu in 1887, founded the Suzuki Loom Works in 1909 to manufacture weaving looms for Japan’s extensive silk industry. After many years of success, Suzuki decided to diversify and began working on designs for a compact car in 1937. The prototypes were equipped with a 13 bhp, water-cooled, four-cylinder engine of less than 800 cc, which was notable for its innovative cast-aluminum crankcase. However, the start of World War II halted the project.
It was not until 1951 that Suzuki again attempted to diversify into vehicles, this time beginning with a motor that could be clipped on to a bicycle (just as Honda had done a few years earlier). In 1954 the company changed its name to the Suzuki Motor Co. and built its first complete motorcycle, the Colleda. The first Suzuki production car, the Suzulight SF, followed in 1955. Closely modeled on the German Lloyd, the SF was powered by a 360 cc, two-cylinder, two-stroke engine that drove the front wheels. The SF was a kei car, built to comply with Japanese kei jidosha (“light car”) regulations. Cars that fall within the limits on vehicle size and engine power specified by these rules qualify for lower tax and insurance.
Ignis S1600 at Rally Finland
A supermini-hatchback, the Ignis was produced from 2000 to 2008. Per-Gunnar Andersson and his co-driver Jonas Andersson took a competition S1600 model to victory in the Junior Class of the 2004 Rally Finland.
The first SFs had all-around independent suspension, but they could not cope with the poor roads of the time, so leaf springs were substituted in 1956. From 1958 only van versions of the SF were built, and they were replaced in 1959 by the Suzulight TL van, a more modern design with a side-opening tailgate. A passenger-car version, the Suzuki Fronte, was launched in 1962. A new Fronte 360 was announced in 1965, this time with a more powerful three-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-mounted engine; a larger-engined export model, the Fronte 500, became available in 1969.
In 1970 Suzuki introduced the first of a long-running line of tiny, four-wheel-drive utility vehicles. The LJ10 was based on the HopeStar ON360 produced by the Hope Motor Company. Only 15 of this Mitsubishi-engined 4×4 were made before Hope ran into financial difficulties. In 1970 Suzuki bought Hope and redeveloped the ON360 as the LJ10, installing one of its own two-stroke, two-cylinder engines, restyling the body, and moving the rear-mounted spare tire into the load area to reduce the overall length. This enabled the LJ10 to qualify for kei car status—the first 4×4 to do so. The LJ20 of 1972 switched to a water-cooled engine, and the LJ50 (SJ10 in Japan) of 1974 gained a new 539cc, three-cylinder engine with 33bhp. Finally, in 1977 Suzuki unveiled the definitive LJ80 (SJ20 in Japan) with a water-cooled, in-line four-cylinder engine of 797 cc and 41 bhp. The LJ80 became a huge export success. There was also an LJ81 pick-up version, called the Stockman in Australia.
Creating a stir
The stylish, two-seater Cappuccino embodied Suzuki’s desire for a model that would give the marque a sporting image.
The second-generation of Suzuki 4x4s —the longer, wider SJ-series—was introduced in 1981. Export models were available with larger engines that considerably improved performance. The SJs were sold under a number of different model names, and also as Chevrolets in the United States and Holdens in Australia. They were manufactured under license by Santana in Spain and Maruti in India.
Alongside these small but capable off-roaders, Suzuki continued to produce passenger cars. The Fronte Coupe, launched in 1971, offered a unique combination of kei-car size, 2+2 seating, styling by the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, and up to 37 bhp—giving it excellent performance for its size. The Fronte was joined in the 1970s by the Cervo and Alto, and a restyled Cervo coupé called the SC100, all of which increased Suzuki’s export sales.
Suzuki Swift structure
To stiffen the frame of 2009’s Swift Sport, Suzuki made some sections of hyper-tensile steel (in red). This greater rigidity boosted road-handling and also improved safety.
General Motors (GM) bought a 5.3 percent stake in Suzuki in 1981, which it later increased to 20 percent. From then on, all Suzuki passenger cars sold in the United States went under GM’s Chevrolet brand name. A new compact SUV, known as the Vitara in some markets and the Escudo or Sidekick in others, was introduced in 1988. The three-door Vitara’s handy size, neat styling, and good blend of on-and off-road performance made it a huge success, and its appeal was enhanced when a five-door version was added to the range in 1990.
The next year Suzuki unveiled the Cappuccino, one of its best-loved cars. This roadster kei car came with a turbocharged, 657 cc, twin-cam engine mounted at the front, and rear-wheel drive. The two-seat Cappuccino had removable roof panels that could be stowed in the luggage area. It continued in production until 1997, outliving rivals such as the Honda Beat, Daihatsu Leeza Spyder, and Autozam (Mazda) AZ-1.
Under the leadership of Osamu Suzuki, the company expanded into Pakistan and India in the 1980s, and in the 1990s it signed agreements to establish factories in Hungary and South Korea. The tiny Wagon R+, jointly developed by Suzuki and GM, went into production in Hungary in 2000. The company also expanded its range of full-size cars, adding the seven-seat Grand Vitara SUV, new versions of its Swift and Alto hatchbacks, plus the “crossover” SX4—a car with 4×4 looks but the on-road performance and running costs of a conventional car.
In 2009 Volkswagen bought almost 20 percent of Suzuki, and the two companies entered into a long-term partnership. With the stability afforded by Volkswagen’s investment, the launch of the Kizashi model (taking Suzuki into the important mid-size sedan market), and with Osamu Suzuki back as chief executive, the future for the company looks bright.
1909 Michio Suzuki opens the Suzuki Loom Works in Hamamatsu.
1937 Work begins on the first Suzuki car, but the project is suspended at the outbreak of World War II.
1951 Suzuki introduces the Power Free bicycle motor.
1954 The newly renamed Suzuki Motor Co. produces its first motorcycle, called the Colleda.
1955 The first Suzuki production car, the Suzulight SF, is unveiled.
1958 Suzuki adopts the “S” logo.
1962 The Fronte passenger car is launched.
1970 Suzuki buys the Hope Motor Company; the HopeStar 0N360 compact 4×4 is relaunched as the Suzuki LJ10.
1977 The Cervo, introduced in 1977, the SC100 coupé of 1978, and the Alto of 1979 all help to boost export sales.
1978 Osamu Suzuki becomes chief executive.
1981 General Motors buys a 5.3 percent stake in Suzuki, later raising it to 20 percent.
1982 Suzuki establishes production facilities in India and Pakistan.
1988 The Vitara SUV is introduced to wide acclaim, becoming a major export success.
1989 Total production of Suzuki cars reaches 10 million.
1990 Suzuki establishes a factory in Hungary, and changes its name to Suzuki Motor Corporation.
1991 Cappuccino roadster launched; Suzuki begins building cars in South Korea.
1993 Suzuki signs a joint-venture agreement to produce cars in China.
2000 Osamu Suzuki steps down as chief executive, but remains chairman.
2008 Now in his 80s, Osamu Suzuki returns to the position of chief executive.
2009 The Kizashi sedan takes Suzuki into a new market sector.
2009 Volkswagen and Suzuki form a strategic partnership; Volkswagen takes a 20 percent stake in Suzuki, giving Suzuki greater stability.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
