Mumbai/Tokyo: Amid fuel economy falling under immense scrutiny following revelations of a mileage cheating scandal by Mitsubishi comes another shocker; this time by Japanese car maker Suzuki Motor, who has admitted to using improper fuel economy tests.
The admission had a negative impact on the shares of Maruti Suzuki, the country’s largest car manufacturer by sales, sending its shares on a downward spiral. Maruti stock prices tanked 4 per cent. Back home in Japan, the carmaker’s stock prices crashed by around 14 per cent.
The revelation by Suzuki follows Mitsubishi’s admission last month that it falsified fuel economy readings for some of its mini-vehicle models. It also said it used non-compliant data to calculate mileage for other models.
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Following the Mitsubishi scandal, Japan's Transport ministry asked the country's automakers to re-submit fuel economy readings on all their vehicles by Wednesday, which apparently prompted Suzuki’s admission.
The automaker specialises in mini-vehicles, which have engines of up to 660cc and get preferential tax treatment under Japanese law. It commands roughly one-third of the country's mini-vehicle market.
Suzuki chairman Osamu Suzuki is expected to brief the media in Tokyo later today.
(With agencies)
