American Suzuki Dedicates 'Suzuki of Traverse City' in Traverse City, Mich.

- Among First Suzuki Square(TM) Dealerships in $200 Million National Retail Image Program -

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oct. 3 -- American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) today dedicated one of the first of a nationwide network of next-generation dealership facilities. Designed to attract potential buyers with a unique shopper-friendly environment featuring an open-air marketplace design, the showroom offers bold visual styling and themed interior and exterior displays showing how Suzuki vehicles fit various customer lifestyles.

Suzuki of Traverse City in Traverse City, Mich. is one of three pilot dealerships, as well as the first all-new dealership opened for business this month as part of the automaker's Suzuki Square(TM) retail image program. Suzuki Square(TM) is the dealer-development cornerstone of American Suzuki's aggressive plan to triple its U.S. sales by 2007 and propel it further into the U.S. automotive mainstream. The investment in Suzuki Square by Suzuki dealers is expected to top $200 million.

Other pilot Suzuki Square dealerships include Suzuki Auto Center in Corpus Christi, Texas and Augusta Suzuki in Columbia County, Ga.

"Suzuki is thrilled to open one of the first three pilot Suzuki Square dealerships in Traverse City -- as well as expand our recent investment in Michigan which began with our Suzuki Tech Center R&D facility in Wixom last month," explained Rick Suzuki, ASMC president. "Suzuki of Traverse City is the first all-new, from the ground up dealership to open and it demonstrates the ideal implementation of the complete Suzuki Square program."

Introduced at Suzuki's 2003 dealer meeting in March, the Suzuki Square retail image program has been met with immediate and overwhelmingly positive response. In fact, more than 300 of Suzuki's 450 automotive dealers in the U.S. are already participating in the voluntary program. Helping to ensure widespread dealer adoption has been an efficient modular design that can be adapted to new construction and retrofitted to existing dealer facilities.

Suzuki of Traverse City owner Derek Watson stated, "Suzuki of Traverse City is excited to open one of the first Suzuki Square dealerships in the U.S. The Suzuki Square design makes Suzuki of Traverse City striking and inviting -- yet unique to its community -- and we expect it to attract record numbers of value-seeking car and SUV shoppers."

Suzuki of Traverse City is located at 3938 Rennie School Road in Traverse City, Mich. The phone number is (231) 943-0314.

Suzuki is working with retail image consultant Miller Zell to customize a Suzuki Square environment that is right for each dealer location. Specific design highlights include customer-friendly floor plans emphasizing smooth operational flow and unobstructed visibility of all key dealership areas; bold colors and graphics encompassing the automaker's famous logo and identifying "s"; clean, uncluttered lines; extensive use of glass; efficient modular configurations for easy implementation; and interior and exterior lifestyle displays designed to make Suzuki vehicles relevant to target buyers.

The Suzuki Square retail image program enables Suzuki to capitalize on its plans to launch nine new vehicles in the next five years, in addition to attracting customers and showcasing the company's more than 80-year brand heritage. The first two of these new models -- the 2004 Verona midsize sedan and 2004 Forenza premium compact sedan -- arrive at Suzuki of Traverse City and Suzuki's other U.S. dealership this month.

American Suzuki's 357 Plan

In addition to intensified product development and dealer-support programs, Suzuki's plan to triple U.S. sales by 2007 encompasses increased advertising and promotions, including $100 million in media spending in 2004; and a new company-wide focus on customer service and satisfaction.

About American Suzuki

The Automotive Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, Calif., was founded in 1985 by Suzuki Motor Corporation. ASMC markets automobiles in the United States through a network of more than 450 automotive dealerships in 49 states. ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide automobile manufacturer. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 141 distributors in 127 countries.