Suzuki Toyota Partnership Locked In

The partnership between Japanese carmakers Toyota and Suzuki is firming, with the pair further committing to jointly-develop key technologies in their products.

Following an initial understanding between the pair last year, the Japanese duo has now confirmed it is working together on safety, information technology and environmental projects.

Also, the pair will share particular components in a bid to reduce costs, while also compiling an “implementation framework” - perhaps summarised as a ‘plan’ - to fast-track the partnership.

“The words of Chairman Osamu Suzuki at our joint press conference in October last year - ‘If you are running a company, you have to continue to take on challenges. You are running your company for the benefit of society, and this remains unchanged.’- deeply resonated within me,” Toyota President Akio Toyoda said.

“This, I felt, was indeed the spirit of (the local expression) “Let’s do it”. Both of our companies, which trace their roots to Enshu (the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture), intend to apply to the fullest the spirit of “Let’s do it”, and we want to cooperate toward enabling all people throughout the world to truly experience the joy of mobility and to achieving a society of future mobility full of smiles.” 

Also smiling was Suzuki President Osamu Suzuki, who added that his company sought out Toyota’s guiding hand in a period of uncertainty with rapidly-progressing technologies. 

“We now stand at the starting point for building a concrete cooperative relationship. I want to give this effort our fullest and to aim at producing results that will lead Toyota to conclude that it was the right thing for Toyota to have decided to work together with Suzuki,” Mr Suzuki said.

For Toyota, the Suzuki partnership adds to the carmaker’s majority stake in Daihatsu and part ownership of Subaru.

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