Suzuki Would Say No If VW Wants to Increase Stake

This news story will surely make some people laugh, especially if they watched the development of the VW - Suzuki negotiations. In short terms, the Japanese manufacturer denied every possible link with Volkswagen until the very last moment, saying that it is not interested in selling a stake to the German company. However, this actually happened, and VW is now holding a 19.9 percent stake in Suzuki.

Under the "Yeah, sure" premise, Suzuki CEO says he would promptly refuse Volkswagen, in case the German manufacturer is eying an increase of its share. Basically, he refuses to make the company founded by his ancestors a Volkswagen brand and hopes to see the alliance continue as is.

"When Suzuki becomes a bigger and more successful company, Volkswagen will probably want to buy more of our shares," Osamu Suzuki was quoted as saying by Reuters. "If that happens, Suzuki will probably respond by saying, 'Let's continue as we are'," he said.

Volkswagen purchased a 19.9 percent stake in Suzuki, with the Japanese manufacturer also to take a stake in VW. The alliance will lead to the creation of several new models, plus the expansion in yet unexplored markets, and help Volkswagen become the world's largest carmaker by 2018. One of the first models to be launched under the Suzuki - VW alliance is an affordable car to be offered in India.

"If we fight over the size of the stake, it would do no good for either Volkswagen or Suzuki, so I don't expect there to be an altercation over this," Suzuki said in the statement.