Suzuki News

Suzuki Motor Corporation has decided to build a new automobile assembly production plant in St Petersburg to meet the growing demand for new cars in the Russian market. The 243,000 square metre sized plant will be built in St Petersburg’s Shushary industrial zone.

An agreement on the new plant’s construction was signed on 8 June, 2007 by Suzuki’s Chairman and CEO, Osamu Suzuki, and Russia’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Herman Gref, who were attending the St Petersburg Economic Forum.

Mr Suzuki also signed a memorandum with the Governor of St Petersburg, Valentina Matvienko, agreeing to conduct studies on strategic investment in the Shushary industrial zone.

The St Petersburg plant will represent an investment of approximately 90 million euro (14 billion Japanese yen) and is scheduled to start operating in the latter half of 2009. Models planned for production are the Grand Vitara compact sport utility vehicle and the SX4 sport crossover vehicle.

With 500 employees in the new plant, Suzuki targets production of 5,000 units in the plant’s first year of operation and future annual production of 30,000 units. In 2006, Suzuki’s 30 dealers in Russia sold 16,000 units of the Grand Vitara and other models.

Overview of new plant

Company name (tentative): SUZUKI AUTO MFG RUS LLC

Location: St Petersburg’s Shushary industrial zone

Investment ratio: 50% Suzuki Motor Corporation,

50% Itochu Corporation

Plant site area: 243,000 sqm

Total investment: approx. 90 million euro (14 billion Japanese yen)

Models to be produced: Grand Vitara and SX4

Number of employees: 500

Suzuki’s Grand Vitara has received a ringing endorsement from Germany’s leading off-road magazine, AutoBild allrad. More than 35,000 readers – half its circulation – voted the Japanese SUV their compact 4×4 of the year 2007.

AutoBild allrad is Germany’s largest-selling 4×4 title and in scooping the top spot, Grand Vitara beat off the challenge of 19 other competitors. The accolade vindicates Suzuki’s philosophy of providing a combination of genuine off-road competence and comfortable on road performance.

Available as 1.6-litre VVT and 1.9 DDiS 3-door and 2.0-litre 16v and 1.9 DDiS
5-door models, the Grand Vitara range effectively provides customers with the choice of two levels of four-wheel drive capability. The 1.6 3-door VVT petrol engined model is essentially a ‘soft roader’, while the rest of the range supplements permanent four-wheel drive with a centre differential lock and a low range to deliver serious and outstanding off road capability.

A unique lightweight monocoque body combined with a stiff, built-in ladder frame means rigidity matches the most traditional of off roaders, yet the all-independent suspension offers excellent driving comfort and responsive handling.

Furthermore, equipment levels are generous and include climate control air conditioning, front electric windows, an integrated radio/CD player with steering wheel mounted audio controls, tinted glass, tilt adjustable steering, reclining rear seats, heated and folding door mirrors, immobiliser, alloys and front fogs. Outstanding safety credentials include front, side and curtain airbags for front seat occupants, plus curtain airbags in the rear.