Suzuki's history stretches back over 100 years, to its start in 1920 as a maker of textile looms. But this month marks 70 years since it delivered its very first car, the Suzulight.
A global decline in the cotton industry prompted company founder Michio Suzuki to diversify into motorised transport: first with a motorcycle in 1953 and then, two years later, a car.
Initial research and development of Suzulight had actually begun in 1937, although it was shelved with the outbreak of the Second World War. It resumed in 1954, when Suzuki Motor Co Limited was formed.
Suzulight was a compact sedan measuring less than 3 metres in length and weighing just over 500kg. It was powered by a 360cc, 11kW, 2-cylinder, 2-stroke engine. It was the first car in Japan to feature a front-drive/front-engine layout; it boasted independent coil-spring suspension, and rack & pinion steering.
Suzulight met Japanese Keijidosha or "kei" mini-car legislation. As a prototype, its most memorable early drive was a 300km trip across the Hakone mountainous region (still a favourite for challenging drives today) between Hamamatsu and Tokyo, on unpaved roads. The team arrived late in the evening to present the car to the president of Yanase Auto, Japan’s car authority.
The president also tested the car, immediately giving Suzuki full approval to put Suzulight into production. Production commenced in October 1955 with initial production of 3-4 cars per month, but by early 1956 monthly volume had climbed to 30 units.
Michio Suzuki personally delivered the very first Suzulight, to a local doctor who had previously been conducting his house calls on a bicycle.