More models required: Suzuki boss

Suzuki is targeting growth but needs a wider range of models to really hit its straps. That's the candid viewpoint of Suzuki Australia boss, Tak Hayasaki.

Speaking at the launch of the new Swift in the Japanese marque's hometown Hamamatsu, Hayasaki told the Carsales Network that the Australian market would have to change substantially or the company would need a wider range of models to achieve his target of five to six per cent market share.

"I'm not a dreamer, I need to be realistic. If we are to get to that sort of market share [with our existing model range] the market must change a lot... Or we will need more models," Hayasaki told the Carsales Network.

Hayasaki is bullish about the new Swift. At times accounting for over half of the brand's sales, he has to be. But it doesn't take long to appreciate he is genuinely excited about its prospects.

"We believe that the new car will create a steady increase in volume. We are not banking on anything rash, but we see great potential."

Hayasaki says there is still work to be done on the Alto -- "we are still building that market" -- and with the Kizashi medium car, he says the brand must create a confidence so it is "considered in the same environment as [Honda] Accord Euro".

He hints at the fact the size of his organisation currently makes it hard to cover all the bases at once. Other cars in the Suzuki range such as Grand Vitara and the SX-4 crossover might have slipped through the gaps in a marketing and awareness sense as the new models have rolled out, we argue.

So what new products is Hayasaki asking head office for.

"We are asking for many things," he quips.

Models such as a two-wheel drive variant of Grand Vitara could generate good incremental volume in Australia, he argues. Euro-centric models like a turbodiesel Swift, less so, he says.

"Our market research does not identify that fuel economy is an issue with Swift," he states.

Equally he says he is not convinced the Alto-sized European-built Splash could be brought Down Under without a sales-killing cost impasse.

"If you are Audi or BMW you can afford the added cost to ship from Europe. This is very hard on a car the size and price of Splash."

But there are some medium term prospects he's keen on. The potential of a more aggressively styled version of the all-wheel drive SX-4 hatch is something he'd like to explore. Wearing additional bodyside protection and other cosmetic and suspension tweaks, this vehicle is also something Suzuki USA is keen to pursue.

Kizashi too is on Hayasaki's agenda, though he admits different body styles and powertrains are some time away.

"If our European colleagues were keen to pursue a turbodiesel Kizasahi we would definitely consider it." A wagon too it seems.

For the time being Hayasaki is not unhappy with Suzuki's progress to date. After record sales months, this year the brand is up 24.6 per cent (November YTD) locally and is aiming to finish the calendar year with sales in excess of the 25,000-unit mark.

But there's work to be done -- even before the new models start to flow.

"There are more Japanese cars sold in Australia than in Germany -- a market many times the size of ours. We [Suzuki] have a higher profile than other Japanese brands in Europe but we are still relatively unknown to most Australian new car buyers.

"There is therefore great potential for Suzuki in Australia," he says enthusiastically.

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