Volkswagen to take stake in Suzuki by end of year – report
September 22, 2009 by Matt Brogan
Following weeks of rumour, German publication Automobilwoche has today published a report that states ‘Volkswagen is expected to take a stake in Suzuki by the end of this year’, citing an unnamed Suzuki executive as reference.
“We expect that there will be a basic agreement this year,” the unnamed source was quoted as saying at Frankfurt Motor Show. “For Suzuki and VW this connection would be a win-win situation. Suzuki would have access to a variety of VW’s technology, while Volkswagen would have a solid supporting leg in India and Southeast Asia.”
There has been speculation previously that VW would be interested in such a partnership with Suzuki with an article in June stating the two manufacturers were in talks on the topic of ultra-small car production, a claim later denied by both parties.
Last Monday, VW’s CEO Martin Winterkorn said that the product portfolio of Suzuki would fit well with that of VW, declining to comment further.
CarAdvice will keep you posted on any developments with the situation as they come to hand.
Print it: 
well i want a swift sport and a golf r, so this should be good
How bout a Swift Sport With a bit of tuning from the boys who tune the GTI. Now thats a pocket rocket
Great we might get extraordinary reliable VW’s now!
I hope so but I doubt it, Skodas are known to be reliable and how long has VW owned them for now?
Skoda’s also break down down as well…Just look at this months edition of Wheels Mag where the Octavia long term test car suffered electrical problems leaving the journo’s wife oadside and stranded.
It had less than 3,500km on the clock. If that happened to me I would be furious.
Simply Clever….I think not…simply unreliable
Busy tonight. Giving the Camry a rest?
Seems silly IMO. Different mindsets culturally and economically. I think VW will struggle to incorporate Suzuki into its company umbrella. Also, to me, doesn’t seem to make great sense to buy into a comparatively small company.
“..that the product portfolio of Suzuki would fit well with that of VW..”
I don’t see how, tbh. Suzuki has a range of small and light vehicles (and motorcycles), which the VW-Audi Group also have covered within its own portfolio of vehicles (theres the low-cost, high-volume light vehicles like the VW Fox, and then theres VW’s own Polo, and the Skoda/SEAT cousins etc).
Even if its to increase its economies of scale, VAG is one of the largest automakers in the world, the addition of Suzuki would add little, I would think. So instead, the last logical input for Suzuki would be its manufacturing base in India, but doesn’t Skoda already have a plant there?
Maybe I’m just missing something..?
Mate suzuki is a massiv player in the world market. In australia they are small because of their slim product line up , but if they set their minds to something they can succeed. Look at the Kizashi, when that arrives the large locals will have to look back to keep safe.
In addition, Suzuki is one of the only manufacturers who has never turned over an annual financial loss since day one!
Maybe Volkswagen wants to simplify their small vehicles again and make them more reliable, as the beatle once was. Suzuki are good at this, but they have limited experience with diesel engines and euro driving dynamics. In comes VW with their euro-rich capital, diesel expertise and their is a potential healthy partnership to be made.
God help us !
So the Suzuki’s will be transformed to boring middle of the road cars with lousy quality………