Automotive Business Review February 2015 | Page 34

Vehicle Launch

| by Howard Keeg

Suzuki Shows its Metal
When attending the Suzuki Celerio launch in Durban on 20 January 2015, I experienced strong feelings
of déjà vu. It seemed like yesterday when I attended Suzuki’s re-entry into the South African car market
with the launch of the Sprint and SX4 models on 4 June 2008 at their gleaming new head office in
Linbro Park, Johannesburg.

S

uzuki originally entered the
South African market in
1964 when Suzuki South
Africa was formed, but solely as
an importer and distributor of
motorcycles, marine engines and
the like, and it wasn’t until General
Motors started importing the tiny
SJ410 in the early 1980’s that fourwheeled Suzies hit the local scene.

Venter says that Suzuki is aiming
for 50 dealerships by the end of
2015, and that Suzuki is gearing
for the eventuality of a million
vehicle market, which will make
South Africa an even more
important market than it now is.
Suzuki also sees South Africa as
a strategically important entry
point for the sub-Saharan market,
which is considered as the market
with the biggest global growth
potential, and an ideal market for
a manufacturer such as Suzuki,
with its strength in the A and B
segments.

Then came the Vitara and the
Grand Vitara in the 1990’s, which
together with the SJ410 created
a small but passionate fan base.
But it all ended in 2005 when GM
stopped supporting the brand,
which necessitated the creation of
Suzuki Auto SA, and the launch on
4 June 2008.

Proof of this strength is Suzuki’s
impressive 43% market share in
India, and an eye-popping 55 %
in Pakistan.

Suzuki Auto SA started with
15 dealerships, and the model lineup soon increased with the speedy
introduction of the Grand Vitara
and the Jimny, and later we were
introduced to the Alto and Kizashi,
and then the Splash and Ertiga,
giving Suzuki customers a choice
of sporty, family orientated, and
executive vehicles.

But the proof of the pudding is in
the eating, and what better way
to make an informed judgement
on Suzuki’s prospects than to test
drive their vehicles.

➲ Andre Venter, divisional manager, Sales and Marketing,

And the Namibians were even
luckier, with the Gypsy, a 4x4
half-ton bakkie, being available in their
market (homologation issues stymied its
introduction to SA).
Suzuki was showing its mettle, and its
metal, and 2008 to 2013 was all part of a
brand building phase and consolidation,
according to Andre Venter, divisional
manager, Sales and Marketing.
2014 was the time for action, with Suzuki
adopting a more focused approach to
its multi-faceted product presence in the
South African market by integrating all of
its divisions into a new, single business
entity.

Suzuki Auto South Africa, energised and upbeat at the
Celerio launch
As of 1 April 2014, all of Suzuki’s brand
interests in SA were united, trading under
the auspices of Suzuki Auto South Africa
(Pty) Ltd. and it has borne fruit, with Suzuki’s
four wheel customers having access to 40
dealers by the end of 2014, and vehicle
sales growing by 33% in the year (second
highest growth, behind Renault). This was
significant, considering that the passenger
car market was down 2.5%. And Suzuki is
looking for similar, if not better, growth levels
in 2015, as they introduce additional models,
such as the previously mentioned Celerio,
the aspirational Ciaz, and the beefed up
Vitara SUV.

| words in action

32

FEBRUARY 2015

Over and above the Celerio
launch, I had the opportunity in
the past month to do a road test
on the SX4 and the Splash.

Driving all three vehicles
confirms why Suzuki is doing
well, and one wonders why
they are not higher than their
current 10th place in the global
rankings, based on volumes,
as the lasting impression
is that of outstanding build
quality, irrespective of the size
of the car.