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Kayaba, Sumitomo to pay millions for price-fixing in US

Kayaba Industry Co, which does business in the US as suspension parts maker KYB, and Sumitomo Electric Industries are facing payments in the millions to settle price-fixing cases about the components that they make. As part of the Department of Justice's ongoing crackdown of price fixing in the auto industry, KYB agreed to pay $62 million and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to set the cost of shock absorbers from the mid '90s through 2012. The company allegedly worked with co-conspirators to keep the cost of the parts high, and those components then made it into vehicles from Honda, Kawasaki, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, and Toyota. "Any collusive agreement among competitors to restrict price competition undercuts our free enterprise system and violates the law," said Carter M. Stewart, US Attorney of the Southern District of Ohio, in the DoJ's announcement. Over the past few years, the DoJ has brought cases against 37 parts suppliers and 55 executives, leading to over $2.6 billion in fines. The investigations haven't always been so successful – some of the Japanese execs fled from the US to avoid prosecution. Critics allege that price fixing is simply how business is done. According to Automotive News, Sumitomo Electric Industries is also facing a $50 million settlement in a civil lawsuit that's related to price fixing of parts like wiring harnesses and heater control panels. The plaintiffs include owners and dealers that purchased vehicles with these parts. The company asserts that the violations are from before 2010, and it now has different process in place to avoid further violations. KYB Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $62 Million Criminal Fine for Fixing Price of Shock Absorbers Kayaba Industry Co. Ltd., dba KYB Corporation (KYB) has agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $62 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix the price of shock absorbers installed in cars and motorcycles sold to U.S. consumers. According to charges filed today, KYB conspired from the mid-1990s until 2012 to fix the prices of shock absorbers sold to Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (manufacturer of Subaru vehicles), Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Nissan Motor Company Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Company, including their subsidiaries in the United States.

Here's the new Suzuki Jimny in official photos

Finally! The new generation Suzuki Jimny has been officially revealed, ready to replace the old model built since 1998. Or rather, Suzuki has at least l aunched a microsite dedicated to the small SUV's latest iteration, complete with color palette. The signature Kinetic Yellow launch color gets a similarly noticeable Brisk Blue alternative; the rest of the colors are more muted. Previously, photos of undisguised Jimnys had started coming out of the woodwork. Now we can have an official look at the neatly designed little Suzuki. It's not retro, but completely functional; these shots also show the fender flares missing from the JDM cars. When it comes to vehicles this small, the Jimny might be the boxiest thing produced since the original Fiat Panda ceased to be made in 2003. The rear hatch is the width of the entire rear, making cargo loading easy — the only hindrance we can see is that even on a left-hand-drive vehicle, the hinges are on the right, complicating things a little when one is street-parked. The interior has also survived transition into production quite nicely, with the big infotainment screen placed as high on the dash as possible. The materials on the dash look hard-wearing even in the official render, and the switchgear looks like it can be handled with gloves on. Engine specifications have not yet been announced on Suzuki's site at the time of writing, with the only technical photo a shot of the longitudinal engine perched on the ladder frame, accompanied by a mention of a three-link rigid axle suspension and part-time 4WD complete with low range. There are rumors of optional hybrid tech. Suzuki also says 2.85 million Jimnys have been sold through March 2018: If the pricing (about $18,500 for the old model in Europe) remains affordable, that number is sure to rise nicely. Related Video: Featured Gallery Suzuki Jimny official images Suzuki SUV suzuki jimny

Suzuki Chapter 11 bankruptcy plans approved by US court

It's pretty much a done-deal now, folks. A US bankruptcy judge has approved Suzuki's plans to wind down its operations in the States. As part of Suzuki's Chapter 11 proceedings, its automotive unit will cease to exist in the US, leaving the motorcycle, ATV and marine units to function as Suzuki Motor of America.
It's not clear how many vehicles are left on the 219 remaining Suzuki dealership lots - the company reported sales of 1,764 in February - but the automaker has assured customers that warranty service and parts will remain available. Suzuki made an investment of $45 million to ensure its past and current customers aren't completely left in repair-work limbo.
Check out the complete announcement from Suzuki below for more information, and please join us in mourning the loss of the Kizashi sedan and SX4 hatch, two vehicles we are legitimately going to miss when this whole sordid affair is done and over with.