Death of a Brand: Suzuki Files Chapter 11, Plans U.S. Market Exit

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Joining a long list of automakers who have contended with-- and ultimately withdrawn from-- the U.S. marketplace, Suzuki has announced?they will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and exit the U.S. market.?The Japanese manufacturer joins a long line of Asian automakers like Daihatsu and Isuzu who have withdrawn from the States, and cites reasons including "...?low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its line-up, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive distribution system in the continental U.S. and the disproportionally high and increasing costs associated with stringent state and federal regulatory requirements unique to the U.S. market."

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The move comes as a not-too-surprising culmination of a nearly three-decades long effort to compete in a market fraught with cutthroat competition and?strict regulations; though Suzuki's Kizashi seemed like a promising (albeit smaller) alternative to the usual midsize sedans when it debuted in 2009, its breakfast cereal name and scant dealer network kept the brand from achieving their lofty annual sales goal of 200,000 vehicles. Only 26,618 Suzukis were sold in the U.S. last year.

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Will Suzuki be remembered for its strengths as a quirky Japanese brand or its failure to attract a robust following? At the very least, we at least hope the manufacturer's remaining North American efforts in the motorcycle, ATV, and marine realms will keep the name from becoming completely extinct here.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/suzuki-exits-us-market?src=rss

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