OzVMX Forum

Marque Remarks => Suzuki => Topic started by: Marc.com on March 15, 2010, 07:18:03 pm

Title: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 15, 2010, 07:18:03 pm
Have been reading quite a lot at the moment in the press about VW, yep thats right Volkswagen taking over the motorcycle division of Suzuki. Sounds far fetched, Suzuki automotive is bleeding cash, VW already has big JV going to produce hybrid cars, The CEO of VW is a big bike fan and almost bought Ducati in 85, he is cash rich and looking for M&A opportunities.

Volkswagen Motern Werks, Suzuki may be VMW by this time next year. OR more likely the touring bikes and big road stuff will be and the Suzuki name will remain where there is strong brand loyaty.

Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: VMX247 on March 15, 2010, 07:36:46 pm
Shit............I knew Doc would be worth a fortune one day. ;D
oh well better get collecting fast before the market starts to rise on them  :P
cheers
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Mick D on March 15, 2010, 07:47:09 pm
Shit allright!!!!!!.....That’s a worry......... Shattering news, but then again, I just bought a PE400 engine with a standard cylinder, & new standard piston & rings. A lot of my best and memorable mounts Have been Suzuki.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 15, 2010, 08:24:52 pm
Like I said some bikes like the RMZ would make sense to keep Suzuki, expect a revamped Hayabusa or similar as the first VMW.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Hotelmoto on March 15, 2010, 08:37:13 pm


"Volkzuki"  has a nice ring to it
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 15, 2010, 08:44:17 pm


"Volkzuki"  has a nice ring to it

Sushivagen would definitely be a great name for a big touring bike. The 'artists impression' of future bike showed basically a 1200 whatever its called with panniers and a full fairing, all very dull, but probably appeals to people who buy tourers. I am thinking flat six turbo diesel from Porsche to take on the Goldthing but that may be wishful thinking.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: DR on March 15, 2010, 09:17:36 pm
I kinda like VMW as it has a vintage ring to it 8) might have to start re-badging soon eh :D
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: firko on March 16, 2010, 12:25:31 am
Volkswagen owning Suzuki is hard to fathom but the one that breaks my heart is my beloved Jaguar being owned by the Indian company Tata :o. There'll be much more of this kind of brand name ping pong down the line as big business gets deeper into the shit and they're forced sell  or write off brands to raise or save capital. At GM Oldsmobile and Buick are gone altogether and Pontiac and Vauxhall aren't looking too good. Who owns Husaberg today? I read somewhere it's moving on again. One good thing is that Maico is now British owned and it's rumoured that they're on the verge of coming back as a major player. ;)
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 12:52:28 am
so far they own 1/5th,

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/volkswagen-done-it-bought-15-of-suzuki-motorcycles.htm

As for Jag they are seem to be bleeding cash out of Tata like hell, time to shift production to Calcutta me thinks.

Other fun stuff is Harley have managed to screw themselves albeit the finance division this time rather than the bikes. Harley produced the V Rod and got more women on bikes....how could they alienate their traditional market any further.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2009-01-23-harley_N.htm
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Mick D on March 16, 2010, 12:55:10 am
Who owns Husaberg today?
I believe KTM. I believe all of the Husaberg engineering staff are to be embraced by KTM as well, which should  bring about a great melding of minds. 
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Tim754 on March 16, 2010, 12:58:21 am
 Now Harley has shit canned the Buell range ::)?????
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Tim754 on March 16, 2010, 01:01:45 am
Now back to Suzuki,, Were not Suzi and Kawasaki bed mates there not so long ago?

 Tank badges for VW / Suzuki / Kawasaki      "Kumandsucmesuzi"
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Mick D on March 16, 2010, 01:10:32 am
SUZAKI, Now WUZUVI'S,  bloody hell whats next? Maybee it won't be long before we see a Montesa Phamtom after all ;D MONDA is probably working on it right now, understandable why they would want to keep it under tight wraps ::) They wouldn't want JATUAR getting wind of it, or next thing you know some Enfield builder with a towel for a beanie will take two wheels of a JATUAR and realise he has just invented the ROYAL JATUARA. That's all the movement needs now, to see somebody(traitor) turn up to the Races with a GREATWALL full of ROYAL JATUARS. I'm not sure i will be able to cope with this strange new world. I think I might glad wrap the ariel on the Comodore tomorrow, just so the grand kids will have something to appreciate down the track. 
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 07:53:41 am
Now Harley has shit canned the Buell range ::)?????

Yeah Harley has some serious financial problems with thier finance division, the irony. Ford had similar problems a few years ago.Plus Harley has 30% over capacity, they will get out of it but just be smaller, or sold off.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: TT on March 16, 2010, 08:00:05 am
When I was working in Alice Springs, Lotus brought over their new little sports car to test.
Trouble was that all the techs were Korean because Lotus was owned by Kia at that stage. And that car had an engine that was an exact copy of a Ford Laser/Mazda 323, to the point where a Laser rocker cover fitted straight on.  ::)
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 08:17:26 am
. And that car had an engine that was an exact copy of a Ford Laser/Mazda 323, to the point where a Laser rocker cover fitted straight on.  ::)


Yeah Kia produced quite a few cars under license including Honda/Mazda. The Benz 4x4 is the same with the Diesel made by Kia as a joint venture.

So VW and Suzuki will build hybrids and plug ins using the Swift as base. Suzuki has done well in small cars for years and hybrid and full electric is the future. Honda will have hybrid touring bike/scooters in production shortly.

Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 08:19:09 am
What ever happens , happens . They are all guessing them selfes . First we are all about to brace our selfes for a rough 5 year ride conquering  the deflation or depression circle . Mainly the yanks and europeans  will be blessed with that

Australians are blessed with highest household debt in the world so we havn't dodged the bullet despite the spin.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Tim754 on March 16, 2010, 11:51:21 am
Lotus is owned by Malaysian company Proton.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: EML on March 16, 2010, 12:15:00 pm
I can see where all our bikes will be made in the Great wall factory and you will get a packet of stickers so you can decal it up yourself. I just hope they can build some decent wheels as the ones on the current range of Chinkers don'e last long enough to get them off the trailer!!
I can't wait for the new VW V10 turbo diesel engine to come out in a 2 wheeler. I'll put a chair on it and might just catch wally up the start straight. :D
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: oldfart on March 16, 2010, 04:38:13 pm
Weren't    GM and Suzuki in bed at some time.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: bazza on March 16, 2010, 04:47:35 pm
Have you seen the new 2011 Kombi Rh factory bike? 1200 cc flatbed single port
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: tony27 on March 16, 2010, 06:48:22 pm
Weren't    GM and Suzuki in bed at some time.
Thats where Suzuki's problem came from, GM was losing bulk cash through playing finance company & came up with the idea of telling Suzuki you either buy our shares back or we dump them on the sharemarket which will effectively kill your company. They had no choice but to fork out the money if they wanted to stay in business
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Mick D on March 16, 2010, 07:33:16 pm
Have you seen the new 2011 Kombi Rh factory bike? 1200 cc flatbed single port
;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 09:33:06 pm
Weren't    GM and Suzuki in bed at some time.
GM was losing bulk cash through playing finance company

Funny there is bike maker in Milwaukee with the very same problem/
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: MX? on March 16, 2010, 09:44:57 pm
Quote
Weren't    GM and Suzuki in bed at some time.
Quote
Were not Suzi and Kawasaki bed mates there not so long ago?

Sounds like ole Suzi is quite the tart . ;D
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 16, 2010, 10:26:10 pm

Sounds like ole Suzi is quite the tart . ;D
[/quote]

Yeah there are a few tarts about right now. I think VW is serious as for a very solvent car maker who owns already a chunk of it, buying the bike division is peanuts.

Suzuki has brand value both in cars and bikes so I don't think the name will disappear any time soon. Expect a hybrid Swift rebadged as a VW sooner though.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: oldfart on March 16, 2010, 10:42:36 pm
Hang onto your hats chaps, Vw has only bought  19.9 % of Suzuki  thats a long way short of Ownership. The Japs are still in control  :)
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: mx250 on March 17, 2010, 08:04:16 am
Hang onto your hats chaps, Vw has only bought  19.9 % of Suzuki  thats a long way short of Ownership. The Japs are still in control  :)
19.9% might make them the largest shareholder - that could be significant. (I don't know :P).
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 17, 2010, 08:21:30 am
Hang onto your hats chaps, Vw has only bought  19.9 % of Suzuki  thats a long way short of Ownership. The Japs are still in control  :)

No in a Japanese company thats a short way from selling ownership as shows they are willing to give up control. Real issue in Japanese companies is cross ownership where they trade debt for equity, so I know Suzuki may not be making the decision.

Anyway the story I got from someone senior and Japanese, who would probably know, is the main game here is the car division and a new German battery technology that VW has a big stake in, another major shareholder of Suzuki wants to make the new batteries under license and has Government funding to set up. Suzuki are trying to flick the loss making motorcycle divisions equity in on the deal to raise some funds.
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: Marc.com on March 17, 2010, 10:09:48 am
That makes all sense then  ;). So nobody is in absolut control anymoore and ship will sail sigg  sagg where ever the wind blows  from.

A lot of companies post Lehmann desperately issued equity in a bid to raise cash, and these issues were bought and sold on by finance houses so you have some fairly unlikely cross ownership. The ship sails wherever someone needs cash or can squeeze a profit. Osamu Suzuki CEO of Suzuki denied a deal in 2009, but VW links to Toshiba allow them to combine stakes in Suzuki and then Mr Suzuki can go whistle.

The CEO of VW (Winterkorn) is firmly in control, I believe they have the leverage and the cash. 
Title: Re: The End of Suzuki ????
Post by: vmx42 on March 17, 2010, 10:52:47 am
The CEO of VW (Winterkorn) is firmly in control, I believe they have the leverage and the cash. 

Well they might have the leverage, but any cash they have is somebody elses. They are carrying huge debts just like pretty much all the manufacturers. Doesn't mean they don't want Suzuki though…