RSS
Suzuki’s revised Swift subcompact hatchback will make its first public appearance at the Paris Motor Show next month, and will launch in Japan and Europe shortly thereafter. Due to exchange rates and the tie-up with Volkswagen, however, the Swift’s U.S. launch has been delayed.
Suzuki pulled its Swift, a different model altogether, from the U.S. market after the 2001 model year, but has sold an updated Swift in other markets for the past decade. The car’s U.S. launch was scheduled for later this fall, and Suzuki made it as far as beginning to set pricing before those plans were put on hold.
The main reason for the delay, according to a Suzuki spokesman, is the rise of the yen against the dollar. “At the moment, if the exchange rate continues like it is, we couldn’t expect very much profit,” Takuma Mizuyoshi, a Suzuki spokesman, told Automotive News. “So that’s a concern right now.”
Suzuki’s first casualty because of the unfavorable exchange rate was its American marketing budget. Suzuki spent $14.9 million on marketing in the first quarter of 2009, a figure that dropped to only $3.9 million during the first quarter of 2010.
Another reason for the Swift’s delay is the company’s recent tie-up with German giant Volkswagen, which recently purchased 19.9 percent of Suzuki. The two companies are investigating how best to align product strategies, and are expected to have an indication of where platforms and powertrain development can be combined in a few weeks. After that, the Swift could be given the green light for importation to the United States.
Although the Swift’s U.S. launch was frozen, Suzuki is now waiting for more favorable exchange rates and VW-Suzuki product decisions. Even with those delays, we can still expect the Swift to launch in 2011, at the earliest.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)
YEAH IM STILL WAITING SUZUKI! WOULD SOMEONE AT SUZUKI GIVE US THE AMERICAN PEOPLESOME KIND OF NEWS UPDATE ABOUT WHEN THE SWIFT WILL BE AVAILABLE HERE??????????????????IM JUST GETTING IMPATIENT!
WELL THIS COULD BE GREAT NEWS!NOW THAT ITS TAKEN A WHOLE YEAR LONGER TO GET THE SWIF TO THE U.S. WHEN IT DOES LAUNCH HOPE THE TYPE R VERSION COMES WITH IT. SUZUKI HAS HAD A WHOLE EXTRA YEAR TO GET IT READY THEIR SHOULD BE NO MORE EXCUSESS! PLEASE BRING THE SWIFT HERE SOON!!!!!TYPE R IS WHAT IM WAITING ON! HINT HINT
Hey summer is almost over this year already and the new Swift will be here by next summer, that’s less than a year away! That’s about how much time alot of people would need to save up a good sized downpayment anyways LOL. It might be a bit delayed but what matters is that THE SWIFT IS U.S. READY AND ON IT’s WAY!!!!!!!! And yeah, more selection, more choices, more brands in the compact hot hatch catagory is a GOOD THING! Gotta love all of this competition, it’s great for the consumer!
This is a bit disappointing. It’s a good looking car and Suzuki desparately needs some new products to get people into the dealerships (what’s left of them). They have a long way to go-we haven’t forgotten the rebadged Daewoos or the rewarmed Equinox: the XL-7.
Crap!