Archive for Suzuki

[ UPDATE: The Suzuki SX4 1.6 automatic has been launched in Malaysia! Click here for more details, specifications, photos and most importantly PRICES! ]

Remember the Suzuki SX4? That joint venture car-SUV crossover platform between Suzuki and Fiat which spawned two cars - the Suzuki SX4 and the Fiat Sedici. Styled by Giugiaro ItalDesign, the little car could look like either a hatchback of a mini SUV depending on the trim level you choose. There was even a WRC Concept released by Suzuki. As if an SUV and a sporty hatch form was not enough, now photos of a sedan version have surfaced on the internet. This is one versatile design!

This could very well be Suzuki’s replacement for the Forenza based on the Daewoo/Chevrolet Optra, since General Motors cashed out on it’s alliance with Suzuki earlier this year. Or it could be a replacement for the Liana sedan. If it arrives on local shores, Suzuki could position it against the City and the Vios, who seem to be having a duopoly in their class. Either way, more photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Suzuki SX4 Sedan Spotted!

DRB-HICOM Bhd unit Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd will be introducing the Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 liter soon. A definite time was not given but it is likely to be sometime later this year. More details after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 coming soon

Nissan and Suzuki will be expanding their collaboration with sharing vehicle platforms and rebadging. Currently Suzuki supplies some small cars for Nissan to rebadge. An example would be the Suzuki MR Wagon, which Nissan rebadged as the Nissan Moco. These small cars are usually sold in the Japanese market only.

The agreement cites the possibility of new products for the Japanese market. If feasibility studies go well, Nissan will be supplying a minivan to Suzuki to rebadge, and Suzuki will supply another mini-car like the Suzuki MR Wagon to Nissan to rebadge. This is expected to begin at the end of 2006.

From 2008 onwards, Nissan might supply a compact pick-up truck to Suzuki to rebadge for the North American market. This might be a pick-up like the Nissan Frontier, as it’s considered small by American standards of huge 4 liter engined monster pick-ups. Nissan and Suzuki will also begin manufacturing collaboration by sharing facilities. The first facility to do this will be Suzuki’s Indian plant.

This is an example of a successful collaboration between car manufacturers.

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As the result of the new CBU and CKD car tax structure and gazetted CBU pricelist under the new National Automotive Policy, prices for the CBU Suzuki Swift and CBU Suzuki APV have gone up. To make up for the price increase, Suzuki has added bodykits as standard options for both the Swift and APV. The price for the Suzuki Grand Vitara remains the same. Here’s the new prices.

The price of the Suzuki Swift 1.5 (A) baseline without leather seats and tinting has actually gone up by quite a bit, but don’t worry as manufacturing of CKD Suzuki Swift cars is expected to begin in 2007. Tax on CKD cars are not as high as CBU cars, so you will be able to enjoy a cheaper but locally assembled Suzuki Swift next year.

DRB-HICOM plans to aggresively start CKD operations following the announcement of the National Automotive Policy in order to capitalise on new opportunities and incentives that arise directly or indirectly through the new policy. DRB-HICOM’s company Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd has already signed a contract with Suzuki Motors to assemble the Suzuki Swift as a CKD here, and is currently in talks with General Motors Asia Pacific to begin assembling certain Chevrolet models here in Malaysia. I would think the most likely models would be the Chevrolet Aveo and the Chevrolet Optra. However there was no timeline stated for the Chevrolet CKD operations.

DRB-HICOM is also undergoing a VSS (Voluntary Separation Scheme) exercise to cut down it’s workforce to something leaner. Currently it employs about 28,000 people and does not require that much to be operational, especially at the headquarters. The headquarters alone employs 340 employees and this is seen to be too much. It is offering 1.5 months salary compensation for every year served with the company. Rumours are that Datuk Abd Rashid Abd Rahim, group director services; Riduwan Shaari, chief executive officer of DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd, Datuk Mohd Nor Mohamad, senior group director of legal affairs and corporate governance, and Datuk Wan Ghaffar Ahmad, chief executive officer of Malaysian Trucks and Bus Sdn Bhd have tendered their resignations.

DRB-HICOM is also rumoured to be taking over AV Ventures Corp Bhd, a producer of automotive components listed on the second board.

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[ UPDATE: Click here to read a test drive report of the new locally assembled Suzuki Swift! ]

[ UPDATE: The locally assembled Suzuki Swift CKD has been launched in Malaysia and goes for RM71,943.50 for the normal version and RM78,099.50 for the Swift Premier. Click here for more details. ]

The popular hot hatch by Suzuki, the Suzuki Swift will appear on Malaysian shores in CKD form by Q1 2007. The Suzuki Swift has been in Malaysia in CBU (fully-imported) form since May 2005, and has enjoyed monthly sales of about 300 units before Suzuki encountered hiccups with the AP system, causing imported Suzuki Swift cars to be stuck at the port.

Suzuki and DRB-HICOM’s subsidiary Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd who will be assembling the cars signed an agreement on the 17th of March 2006, allowing DRB-HICOM’s SMA to non-exclusively assemble CKD kits for the Suzuki Swift for 4 years for the ASEAN market.

There are many many people I know who really like the Suzuki Swift, however are put off by it’s high price as it’s a fully imported CBU car. The CKD version will most definitely be cheaper, and it’s 1.5 liter DOHC engine’s frugal fuel consumption will probably be a favourite in these times of high petrol prices. Coupled with it’s hot MINI-like looks, relatively large interior space in it’s class, easy parking and a cheaper CKD price, I think we’ve got ourselves a winner. The Hyundai Getz and the Chevrolet Aveo has some serious new competition in 2007.

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GM is going on a share dumping spree. It previously unloaded Subaru shares partly to Toyota and the rest onto the open market. It’s recent stake dump is in the form of Suzuki Motor Corp shares. Suzuki Motor Corp and General Motors recently engaged a 17% share buyback transaction worth USD$1.96 billion. Most of the transaction is complete.

This is part of GM’s efforts to raise cash to continue operating and execute it’s turnaround plans after losing USD$8.6 billion last year. GM will continue to hold about 3% stake in Suzuki Motors after the transaction is complete.

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This is Suzukis’ SX4 WRC Concept. I previously blogged about the third in Suzuki’s new trio of cars the Suzuki SX4 here. The four wheel drive equipped Suzuki SX4 is a joint-venture together with Fiat, which will produce the same car as the Fiat Sedici. More details at the original 2007 Suzuki SX4 blog post.

Suzuki has announced the third of a series of new models, joining the Swift and Grand Vitara. The SX4 is the Grand Vitara’s ‘little brother’ and it’s platform is a joint venture development with Fiat. Fiat’s model is called the Fiat Sedici.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Suzuki SX4

The Suzuki LC Concept is a K-car concept designed to target the segment that loves the Austin Mini’s design cues, much alike the Daihatsu Mira Gino.

Click here to read the rest of Suzuki LC Concept