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American Suzuki Motors files chapter 11, will no longer sell cars in the United States

As much as we knew it was a possibility, we have to say that Suzuki's announcement this afternoon that it is filing chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings caught us a bit off guard. American Suzuki Motor Corporation - the sole distributor of Suzuki automobiles in the United States - will realign its business to focus on motorcycles, ATVs and the marine market.
What does this mean in simple terms? In short, new Suzuki cars and trucks will no longer be sold by Suzuki in the United States once current supplies run out. Period.
Suzuki cites "low sales volumes, a limited number of models in its lineup, unfavorable foreign exchange rates, the high costs associated with growing and maintaining an automotive distribution system in the continental US and the disproportionally high and increasing costs associated with stringent state and federal regulatory requirements unique to the US market."

Suzuki Chapter 11 bankruptcy plans approved by US court

It's pretty much a done-deal now, folks. A US bankruptcy judge has approved Suzuki's plans to wind down its operations in the States. As part of Suzuki's Chapter 11 proceedings, its automotive unit will cease to exist in the US, leaving the motorcycle, ATV and marine units to function as Suzuki Motor of America.
It's not clear how many vehicles are left on the 219 remaining Suzuki dealership lots - the company reported sales of 1,764 in February - but the automaker has assured customers that warranty service and parts will remain available. Suzuki made an investment of $45 million to ensure its past and current customers aren't completely left in repair-work limbo.
Check out the complete announcement from Suzuki below for more information, and please join us in mourning the loss of the Kizashi sedan and SX4 hatch, two vehicles we are legitimately going to miss when this whole sordid affair is done and over with.

Meet the Jeep Wrangler's tiny Japanese doppelganger, the Suzuki Jimny

We're all eagerly anticipating the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, but it's not the only two-door, body-on-frame off-roader coming out in the near future. Suzuki has its own on the way by the name of Jimny (no, that's not a typo). Long ago, we received the Jimny here in the United States as the eminently capable, though tipsy, Samurai. The Samurai was followed here by the more civilized Sidekick/Tracker, which eventually took on its original name of Vitara. But overseas, the rugged, truck-like Samurai survived as the Jimny. This newest version looks to retain much of its predecessors' capability. In addition to the body-on-frame chassis, it features a solid rear axle. Odds are that it will continue to offer a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range, as with the current one. We can't quite tell if it will still have a solid front axle, though. Styling-wise, the new Jimny does seem to have tougher, chunkier looks than the current one, pictured above. The corners have been squared up, and hard creases added to the flanks. The wheel wells are now more square and look to have bigger flares. We're also noticing some retro touches such as the roof that isn't flush with the rest of the body. The taillights mounted in the rear bumper are also reminiscent of the old Samurai. As nifty as the little Jimny is, we can safely say that we won't be getting it here — Suzuki doesn't sell cars here anymore. But even if Suzuki were still operating in the U.S., we probably wouldn't get the Jimny. It would probably be too crude for most buyers, and it could be tricky to get it to pass safety regulations. Its tall, narrow shape also could be rollover prone, and Suzuki wouldn't want to go through another rollover controversy. But hey, in roughly 25 years, you can import one of these if you really want. Related Video: Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny spy shots View 11 Photos Image Credit: CarPix, Suzuki Spy Photos Suzuki SUV Economy Cars Off-Road Vehicles suzuki jimny