FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2001

SUZUKI BREAKS GROUND FOR U.S. ATV MANUFACTURING PLANT

American Suzuki holds ceremony in Rome, Georgia

Brea, California -- American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) in Brea, California, and Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) of Hamamatsu, Japan, broke ground yesterday on a new ATV manufacturing plant in Rome, Georgia. Attending the ceremony were ASMC President Rick Suzuki and Shigeo Narita, SMC senior executive counselor. They were joined by local representatives John Mayes, chairman of Floyd County, and Bill Fricks, commission chairman of Rome.

"We have been selling Suzuki motorcycles and ATVs in the United States since 1963, and our dream has always been to build our products here," Rick Suzuki said. "At Suzuki, one of our core values is a commitment to helping improve the communities where we do business. Our new facility represents a $40 million investment and will employ 150 people in its first year. I hope this demonstrates beyond any doubt our long-term commitment to the North American marketplace.

The plant, Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation (formerly announced as American Suzuki Motor Manufacturing Corporation), was incorporated in February and is scheduled to begin producing ATVs in the spring of 2002. Production capacity is targeted at 40,000 units per year.

• The new Rome plant will be Suzukis first manufacturing facility in the U.S.
• Suzuki Motor Corporation currently has 60 manufacturing plants in 31 countries, including ATV manufacturing facilities in Korea and Taiwan.
• Suzuki made the decision to have its own manufacturing plant in the U.S. based on its strong commitment to the North American market and its aggressive support of the growth trend in the U.S. ATV business.
• The Rome plant also will produce ATVs for export to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

American Suzuki will introduce three new ATV models in the U.S. (not all to be produced at the Rome facility) in the first half of 2001: the LT-A50, the LT-A400F and the LT-A400 -- as well as another four new models later in the year.

The motorcycle and ATV division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC) was founded by Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) in 1963. Headquartered in Brea, California, ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs in the U.S. through a network of 1001 dealerships in 49 states.

ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer, selling a variety of products (automobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, outboard motors and others) in 191 countries. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it is based in Hamamatsu, Japan and has 120 distributors in 175 countries.

For more information, visit our website at www.suzuki.com.