Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation (Suzuki) agreed to start discussing new joint projects in the fields of technological development, vehicle production, and market development. After having concluded a memorandum of understanding toward business partnership on 6 February 2017 (earlier post), Toyota and Suzuki have been pursuing concrete forms of cooperation and have announced the mutual supply of vehicles for the Indian market (earlier post) and other joint efforts.

Meanwhile, the two companies have also been broadening the scope of their partnership considerations to include joint efforts related to production and market development.

Topics under discussion include:

• Denso Corporation and Toyota to provide Suzuki with technological support for a compact, ultrahigh-efficiency powertrain to be developed by Suzuki.

• Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Ltd. (TKM) to produce models developed by Suzuki for sale in India through each of the Toyota and Suzuki brand network.

• Supply of models developed by Suzuki, including those to be produced by TKM (as mentioned above), from India to African and other markets by Toyota and Suzuki, employing each of the Toyota and Suzuki sales networks to sell such vehicles, and advancing cooperation in the domains of logistics and services.

Details related to the above are to be discussed going forward.

Suzuki was the first among Japanese companies to enter India, and, together with the people of India, has been a presence for pulling forward India’s automotive society. Such represents the spirit of “Let’s do it” that I mentioned when announcing the conclusion of our memorandum of understanding on beginning concrete examinations for business partnership. Or, as I like to say, Suzuki is a company that puts into practice being “The Best in Town.”

—Toyota President Akio Toyoda

It is my hope that the new joint projects will contribute to the future success of both companies, not only in India, but also in the global market.

—Suzuki Chairman Osamu Suzuki