Suzuki

Suzuki Motor Corporation (スズキ株式会社, Suzuki Kabushiki-Kaisha?) is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines. Suzuki Motor Corporation is the 9th largest automobile manufacturer in the world by production volume,[4] employs over 45,000 people, has 35 main production facilities in 23 countries and 133 distributors in 192 countries.[citation needed]

"Suzuki" is pronounced [suzuki] in Japanese, with a high tone on the [ki]. It is pronounced /səˈzuːki/ sə-ZOO-kee in English, with a stressed zu. This pronunciation is used by the Suzuki company in marketing campaigns directed towards this demographic.

In 1909, Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the small seacoast village of Hamamatsu, Japan. Business boomed as Suzuki built weaving looms for Japan's giant silk industry.[5] In 1929, Michio Suzuki invented a new type of weaving machine, which was exported overseas. Suzuki filed as many as 120 patents and utility model rights.[citation needed] The company's first 30 years focused on the development and production of these exceptionally complex machines.[citation needed]

Despite the success of his looms, Suzuki realized his company had to diversify and he began to look at other products. Based on consumer demand, he decided that building a small car would be the most practical new venture. The project began in 1937, and within two years Suzuki had completed several compact prototype cars. These first Suzuki motor vehicles were powered by a then-innovative, liquid-cooled, four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. It featured a cast aluminum crankcase and gearbox and generated 13 horsepower (9.7 kW) from a displacement of less than 800cc.