Magyar Suzuki Passes 3,5 Million Model Production

By: Trademagazin Date: 2020. 09. 08. 10:40

3.5 million Suzuki models were made in about 30 years to 123 countries at the Esztergom plant of the Japanese subsidiary. The international automotive company has come a long way in Hungary from its 1991’s beginnings to the jubilee reached recently, having been the first company to bring car production back to Hungary after half a century, becoming the 10th largest company in the country for today. The 3.5 millionth car was a hybrid version from the audience-favourite Vitara model. The company is producing exclusively Vitara and SX4 S-CROSS models equipped with the new 48V ISG technology for the European Union countries including Hungary in 2020.

3,5 million Suzuki vehicles

The 3.5 millionth model rolling down the production line recently in Esztergom – Suzuki’s third-largest plant after Japan and India – was a snow-white, hybrid-powered Vitara. The most Esztergom made vehicles were Vitaras, followed by SX4 S-CROSS-es, with first-generation Swifts – Suzuki’s first home-made model – on the third stage of the podium during the nearly 30 years of existence of Magyar Suzuki Corporation. Of the 3.5 million Hungarian Suzukis made so far at the Esztergom plant, a great number run on the roads of the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, or Vanuatu located in the southwestern region of the Pacific Ocean, among others. In addition to domestic sales, the company served a total of 123 export markets last year with about 180,000 vehicles produced. 88% of the total production was for export.

„Such a milestone is always a great celebration for us, and all our employees have a role to play in this success. In addition, we have several colleagues who have been involved in the production of all the 3.5 million Suzukis, either working by the production line or in the office.” – said Yoshinobu Abe, managing director of Magyar Suzuki Corporation on the occasion of the significant event.

In constant development

The company produced 1,000 vehicles in 1992, and today an average of approximately 700 rolls off the production line in two shifts per day. Iconic models such as the three generations of the Swift (1992, 2005, 2010), the Wagon R+: Hungary’s first minivan (2000), the Ignis (2003), the SX4 (2006), the Splash (2008), the SX4 S-CROSS (2013), or the most popular model to date: the Vitara (2015) left the Esztergom factory during this time.

It the first generation Swifts, everything was assembled by hand, only 4-6 robots helped the production in the welding plant, now all points are welded by robots. The technology has essentially evolved with each new model launch. The company manufactured the first car for 3 days, today vehicles are completed in 1 day at the Esztergom plant.

The fact that the 3.5 millionth car has become a hybrid version of the popular Vitara model also shows that Magyar Suzuki Corporation has been striving for innovation since its establishment.
In the spirit of sustainable production and operation, new models and model upgrades are continuously being developed at Suzuki in line with market trends, needs and the regulatory environment to ensure a safe driving experience for as many people as possible. Since last December, the company has been exclusively manufacturing new Suzuki Vitara and SX4 S-CROSS models with 48 Volt ISG technology for the Hungarian and other EU markets.