Rumor Control

[rc51ny]

So today I heard this "unconfirmed"--and I repeat "unconfirmed" rumor. Since most folks here know more than I do--I thought I'd check it here first. Here's the story:

Suzuki is pulling all sales of its products out of the US market. That includes autos, cycles, atv's. It seems that the auto arm of the company is in such bad shape (so many dealers closing) that the Corporation can't afford any more blood letting of money and therefore will pull completly out of the US market.

NOW---Please tell me what I heard is WRONG!lease:

 

[badazgtp]

???

 

[NickSully]

I can't believe that but I don't have any proof.

 

[jhammer71]

I found an article on superbikeplanet.com dated Sunday, November 23, 2008 that mentions a pull out because Suzuki and Kawasaki wanted less stringent rules for superbike racing, but other than that I found nothing else.

 

[k03gsxr750]

source Analysts to Mitsubishi, Suzuki: “Forget America”

Searched and this is all I can find, nothing to suggest that this rumor will be true beyond the car market though. If I hear anything more I will be sure to post up.

Several industry analysts have voiced outspoken recommendations for struggling Japanese automakers Suzuki and Mitsubishi to withdraw from the United States market. Way outpacing the average industry decline, both automakers have seen sales slip by more than 50 percent this year.

“It’s time for them to decide whether they pay a high price to continue business there or stop the bleeding,” Yuuki Sakurai, the chief of Fukoku Capital Management told Bloomberg.

Sakurai is hardly alone in his recommendation. Auto industry analyst Yasuaki Iwamoto of Okasan Securities said that Suzuki, in particular, should focus on the small cars that have helped make it Japan’s fourth largest automaker. None of those small vehicles are sold in the U.S. and few analysts see a market for them outside of Asia.

“It makes more sense for Suzuki to put its limited resources into small cars,” said Iwamoto. “Forget about America.”

Suzuki will be adding a midsize sedan to its North American portfolio soon, however, when it unveils the production Kizashi. The sedan was designed with North America in mind.

Mitsubishi, which has debated what to do with its Illinois plant and has closed its California design studio, doesn’t have a promising new model for the North American market. It is heavily promoting its electric car technology with the MiEV, but analysts don’t predict much demand in the U.S.

Yet the company’s leader said that the automaker is committed to the North American market.

“We will never give up the U.S. market,” Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko said on July 9 in Tokyo. “The U.S. will return to being the world’s biggest market.”

Neither automaker is on track to exceed sales of 50,000 units this year.

 

[outlawbusa]

Hard to believe~!~

 

[ultimatenate]

Guys I work in a Suzuki dealer in richmond, va and I can tell you from experience it would be stupid for them to pull out of America because we sell the hell out of them and everyone comes back when they break to buy parts service and Suzuki accessories theres no way this is true because the least they would have done is told the dealers dont put alot of stock into what you hear its all good

 

[jdsbusa]

Suzuki drop out of the US bike market when they're one of only 4 companies catering to the wide variety of bikes that they manufacture?? BAH!!! Harley doesn't cater to the sportbike market, Buell is dead.....Ducati ONLY caters to the sportbike, no real "cruisers" or baggers. KTM....well, they're unique in their own right but certainly not nearly as varied as Suz/Kaw/Yam/Hon. There's a handful of others out there but only the big 4 Japanese builders actually have a bike for every style of rider. I'd doubt anything along those lines would ever happen. Despite what the doomsayers say we are coming out of the recession but it does take time....this isn't our first rodeo!

 

[dolilind]

Hardly think this could be true. Suzuki started off as a sewing loom company and then started to build bikes. The bikes is what made the company i dont see them gonna drop there biggest stepping stone.

 

[tclause]

Suzuki is not going out of business here is the deal, nothing to do with the bikes or the car company closing. Like all brand some of the car dealerships are closing.

GM Sells Suzuki Stake in Its Effort to Raise Cash. Cash-strapped General Motors will sell its entire stake in the Japanese automaker for $230 million.
G.M. Sells Suzuki Stake in Its Effort to Raise Cash


By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 17, 2008
TOKYO (AP) — General Motors will sell its entire stake in Suzuki Motor Corporation, the Japanese automaker, for 22.37 billion yen ($230 million), G.M.’s latest move to stay afloat while awaiting a decision from Washington on aid for the industry.



Suzuki Motor Corp

Suzuki said Monday that it would buy back the 3.02 percent stake from the American auto giant, which is seeking a $25 billion government lifeline, together with the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler, to weather the deepening economic crisis.

Hit by the worst sales slump in more than 25 years and frozen credit, G.M. has warned that it might not survive through the year’s end without the federal government’s financial support.

Some Republican opponents of a bailout have branded the auto industry a “dinosaur” whose “day of reckoning” is near, while Democrats on Sunday pledged to try to get Detroit a slice of the $700 billion originally earmarked for a Wall Street rescue.

Suzuki said G.M.’s stake sale was necessary for the ailing American automaker to raise capital, but the Japanese company insisted it would continue a business partnership with G.M.

“We fully understand the necessity for G.M. to raise cash,” Suzuki’s chief executive, Osamu Suzuki, said in a statement. He said he was in close contact with Rick Wagoner, G.M.’s chief executive, and the two companies would keep joint projects, including the development of hybrid vehicles and a joint venture for sport utility vehicles in Canada.

The partnership dates to 1981 but those ties loosened after G.M. sold a 17 percent stake in Suzuki in 2006, leaving it with 3 percent.

G.M. reported on Nov. 7 that it lost $2.5 billion in the third quarter

______________________________________

 

[AlanS]

My dealer told me there might not be any '10 bike models at US Suzuki dealers, but if not, they'd release the '11's a little earlier than usual. The bad economy is driving the decision, lots of NOS on dealer floors and in the warehouse... I talked with the manager, who does the ordering. He said if the '10 model year is released in the US, it won't be until after the beginning of the new year. According to dealer, no decision yet (as of about 2 weeks ago).

 

[SFC RICK]

My multi-brand bike dealer got rid of Suzuki a couple of months ago, told them no way could the dealership move any Suzuki's like they did in the past, so they let it go. Also heard from the dealer owner Suzuki has lost about 150 dealers Nationwide in the last couple of months.

Maybe something is going on behind closed doors?

 

[Blazing-Saddle]

I find this hard to believe since Suzuki has been selling here since the 60's and has weathered all the downturns in our economy thus far.... ???

 

[StromBusa]

WTF we need our Zukes

 

[racerV]

This would be a goldmine opportunity for us current owners if this is true.

 

[frisbee]

Over 85% of all busa's are sold in the US. I doubt that its true Amereica buys more suzukis than any other country

 

[carlsbadbusa]

 

[MAN U R SlOW]

I dont think this is right. As the dealer here on my kisland has 2 2010 busas. I just looked at them last weekend. 1 is all black with a red kanji and the other is similiar to the white grey, and blue scheme.

 

[Pardini]

Over 85% of all busa's are sold in the US. I doubt that its true Amereica buys more suzukis than any other country

Not true North America is the smallest market.

Suzuki is also the little guy in Japan. Would make sense that they would be the first to go.

 

[slash]

good, makes our bikes worth more!