Suzuki, Mitsubishi may quit America as sales fall

Suzuki Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp., suffering from plunging U.S. sales and excess North American plant capacity, may have to quit the market after a quarter century.

Suzuki, Japan's fourth-largest carmaker, reported a 78 percent drop in unit sales in June, pushing its first-half decline to 60 percent, the market's worst. Mitsubishi is down 51 percent this year, and is stuck in a slump that began in 2003.

Both carmakers "should withdraw from the U.S.," said Yuuki Sakurai, chief executive of Tokyo-based Fukoku Capital Management Inc., which oversees about $10 billion in Tokyo. "It's time for them to decide whether they pay a high price to continue business there or stop the bleeding."

Recession, joblessness and weak consumer confidence pushed U.S. auto sales to the lowest since 1976, bringing bankruptcies for General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC and a record loss at Toyota Motor Corp. Truckmaker Isuzu Motors Ltd., which halted U.S. consumer sales in January, is the only Japanese brand less familiar to carbuyers than Suzuki or Mitsubishi, according to industry analyst Alexander Edwards.

"Both are struggling with getting customers to initially even consider them," said Edwards, head of auto research for San Diego-based Strategic Vision Inc.

Currently, they rank in the "bottom five" of 35 brands Strategic Vision tracks, he said. To reverse that, both need to boost their U.S. marketing budgets, Edwards said.

"We're not talking about a one-time investment, but a consistent, sustained effort," he said. "If they're looking for a quick fix, continuing in the market will be tough."

'Never Give Up'

"We will never give up the U.S. market," Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko said on July 9 in Tokyo. "The U.S. will return to being the world's biggest market."

Masuko also said the company isn't pursuing alliances with other carmakers in the U.S. or planning to use its Illinois factory to supply vehicles to other brands.

Mitsubishi Motors had a 23.6 billion yen fiscal loss in North America last year, equal to 43 percent of its global loss of 54.9 billion yen. Suzuki had a 24.1 billion yen ($258 million) loss in North America in the fiscal year that ended in March, the only unprofitable region for the Hamamatsu Japan- based company, which earned 27.4 billion yen worldwide.

Suzuki sold 84,865 vehicles in the U.S. last year, a 17 percent drop. Mitsubishi sold 97,257 vehicles, down 25 percent.