In these ever-increasingly competitive times, it's good to make friends. Along with new bedfellows Daimler and Nissan-Renault, Suzuki and Volkswagen have strategically decided to share sleeping arrangements.
How could this provision work? Suzuki is one of the few car makers in the World that has figured out how to make selling small and very small cars profitable. Volkswagen has been a pro at delivering compact vehicles for many decades however, we could say that they stayed off that path a little while back especially when we think of the Phaeton and the Touareg.
Volkswagen will make benefit for great Hamamatsu-based car company (in Borat-speak) by learning just about everything there is to know about mass-manufacturing. Volkswagen is, after all, the World's most advanced volume manufacturer of cars that people actually want.
According to sources, Volkswagen is already evaluating the feasibility of badge-engineering Suzuki products for less sophisticated markets which would exclude Europe, North America and Japan, at least in the short-run. Amongst those considered for a VW foray into yet-untapped markets for the Giant German Group are the Suzuki Jimny (new version expected this year), the SX4 (next year) the Vitara/Grand Vitara (same as previous), and the Alto/Splash (some time between 2013-14).
In time, we could see more Suzuki-Volkswagens on our shores. As all makers rush to introduce new small vehicles, a lesser-Tiguan could make sense for North America. Crossovers and the like are real hot commodities at the moment and should be for the foreseeable future.
For those that don't know, the Jimny is the spiritual successor to the Samurai that once roamed our back-lots and sand pits. We certainly can imagine interest in this little product as people move away from Xterras and 4Runners.
Further down the line, this joining could really benefit Suzuki especially on our shores. A little more class to go with the Kizashi could do some real good in Suzuki showrooms.
Stay tuned.
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| Suzuki Alto (Photo: Suzuki) |
How could this provision work? Suzuki is one of the few car makers in the World that has figured out how to make selling small and very small cars profitable. Volkswagen has been a pro at delivering compact vehicles for many decades however, we could say that they stayed off that path a little while back especially when we think of the Phaeton and the Touareg.
Volkswagen will make benefit for great Hamamatsu-based car company (in Borat-speak) by learning just about everything there is to know about mass-manufacturing. Volkswagen is, after all, the World's most advanced volume manufacturer of cars that people actually want.
According to sources, Volkswagen is already evaluating the feasibility of badge-engineering Suzuki products for less sophisticated markets which would exclude Europe, North America and Japan, at least in the short-run. Amongst those considered for a VW foray into yet-untapped markets for the Giant German Group are the Suzuki Jimny (new version expected this year), the SX4 (next year) the Vitara/Grand Vitara (same as previous), and the Alto/Splash (some time between 2013-14).
In time, we could see more Suzuki-Volkswagens on our shores. As all makers rush to introduce new small vehicles, a lesser-Tiguan could make sense for North America. Crossovers and the like are real hot commodities at the moment and should be for the foreseeable future.
For those that don't know, the Jimny is the spiritual successor to the Samurai that once roamed our back-lots and sand pits. We certainly can imagine interest in this little product as people move away from Xterras and 4Runners.
Further down the line, this joining could really benefit Suzuki especially on our shores. A little more class to go with the Kizashi could do some real good in Suzuki showrooms.
Stay tuned.
 |
| Suzuki Jimny (Photo: Suzuki) |