Suzuki Achieves Significant Growth and Gains Momentum for 2005

Record Sales, New Product, Expanded Dealer Network and Unveiling of First-Ever Midsize SUV Concept Vehicle Move Suzuki Closer to 357 Plan of Tripling Sales by 2007


DETROIT, (January 10, 2005) - By every indication, American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) begins 2005 well positioned to meet its 357 Plan of tripling sales by 2007:
U.S. Sales in 2004 were up a record 26 percent over 2003 - the largest increase of any non-luxury automotive brand in the U.S.
American Suzuki leveraged its two innovative new products - the Forenza Wagon and five-door Reno, arriving in showrooms in late 2004 - to score points with critics and value-seeking buyers alike.
Suzuki's dealer network, fueled by the success of the Suzuki Square Retail Brand Image Program, grew to more than 540, on track to a 2006 goal of 600.
Thanks to the popularity of the 2004 Forenza premium compact and Verona midsize sedan, introduced just over a year ago, the automaker solidified its perception among the American public as a leading manufacturer of value-packed cars and SUVs.

"Suzuki Motor Corporation's strong global sales make 2004 one of the most successful years in company history, said Koichi Suzuki, ASMC president. "While most of the world already knows us as the best-value auto manufacturer with small-car expertise, we're excited to be introducing the Suzuki nameplate to a whole new generation of U.S. buyers."

Concept-X
Clearly, Suzuki looks to follow 2004 success with an even brighter 2005. Suzuki will introduce a small SUV in 2005 and midsize SUV in 2006, representing two of the five remaining new vehicles to be introduced as part of its 357 Plan. As an indication of the design, performance and feature possibilities of these future new SUV products, Suzuki today took center stage at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit to unveil its daring Concept-X, the automaker's first-ever midsize SUV concept vehicle.

Commissioning its designers to immerse themselves in the lives of Suzuki's spirited SUV customers in order to re-evaluate the sport-utility market from the ground up, the automaker took the wraps off a bold new concept incorporating the five key ingredients buyers say they really want in a midsize SUV: versatility; functionality; safety; "infotainment," a seamless blend of navigation, music, news and information; and performance.

While the Concept-X is planned as a concept only, a derivative of the vehicle is slated for production

Expanded Product Line
Today's unveiling of the Suzuki Concept-X comes after the launch of four all-new Suzuki production vehicles in just two years. The new models are the first four of an eventual nine new vehicles Suzuki will introduce as the cornerstone of its 357 Plan.

Continuing to fulfill its 357 Plan, Suzuki will continue its rapid product expansion with a 2.7-liter V6-powered small SUV in 2005; a new midsize SUV with 3.5-liter V6 engine and new sport crossover vehicle with a high performance engine in 2006; and a new sport sedan and a sport wagon in 2007.

Expanded Dealer Network
As part of its 357 Plan, Suzuki will continue to bolster its U.S. dealer network in 2005 through new programs and initiatives designed to make Suzuki franchises more competitive, profitable and successful than ever before. Thanks to these efforts and Suzuki's expanding product line, Suzuki dealers now number more than 540 and are expected to grow to 600 by the end of the 2006. Most importantly, the majority of these new facilities are Suzuki Square dealerships, part of the company's nationwide Retail Brand Image Program launched in 2003. Intended to ensure brand consistency and customer satisfaction across all Suzuki automotive retail dealerships in the U.S., Suzuki Square offers buyers a unique shopper-friendly environment featuring an open-air marketplace design, bold visual styling and themed interior and exterior displays showing how Suzuki vehicles fit various customer lifestyles.

To date, 40 Suzuki Square dealerships have opened in the U.S., with more than 100 planned to debut in 2005. Of Suzuki's more than 540 dealers, 363 - or approximately two-thirds - have signed up for the Suzuki Square program or started or completed construction. As an indication of the success of the program, when comparing third quarter 2003 to 2004 sales results, dealers with completed Suzuki Square facilities report an average 82-percent sales increase.