Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Osamu Suzuki, the president and CEO of the Suzuki Motor Corporation jointly drove the new Suzuki Swift model off the conveyor belt on Thursday. The premiere for the new model was held in Esztergom but it will be manufactured in several countries.

In his words of welcome the prime minister said that Suzuki's economic success sent an important message to Hungary, i.e. the economic crisis need not be feared and pessimism leads nowhere. He added that along with the Suzuki factory's new model, Hungarian policy has brought in a new economic system.

What is common in the Japanese and the Hungarians is that we believe in the future and we have the strength to change, said Viktor Orbán, who added that two days before the new Swift's world premiere a new product rolled off the Hungarian government's conveyor belt. "We laid down the basis for a new economic order, the centre point of which is job creation. In ten years we will create one million work places," he said.

At the press conference, after the appearance of the first cherry red model - which traditionally is "introduced" by the prime minister and the director of the company - Osamu Suzuki said that 170 thousand cars would be manufactured in Esztergom this year and that there would be 40 thousand of this model. Europe plays a vital role in the company's business strategy and that is why they brought their factory here and invested 250 million euros in starting it off. The car will be available in Hungary in the autumn of 2010.  In answer to reporters' questions he said that they would counter the effect of a weak euro by producing spare parts at a European level, but that the model would also be manufactured in Japan.

Suzuki's share of the Hungarian market in 2009 was 13.48 percent and with this it retained its leading position of 13 years against other makes. The company's most popular cars are its models manufactured in Esztergom: 3,084 have been sold of the SX4, while 2,480 were sold of the Swift and 2,209 of the Splash model. Of the models that have come from Japan 339 have found owners.

Suzuki Motor Corporation is the tenth biggest car manufacturer in the world, employing 51,500 people with production units in 23 locations and carrying out business in 198 countries and regions. In the financial year of 2009 it sold 2.35 million motor cars and 3 million motorcycles. The company had a net turnover of 18.8 billion euros at an operating profit of 605 million euros.

Since it was founded in 1991 Magyar Suzuki Zrt has invested in excess of 280 billion forints in the Esztergom factory. In addition to the 3,900 workers the supply side of the business provides work for several thousand people. On Thursday afternoon Osamu Suzuki will be decorated with the Maria Theresa award by the Entrepreneurs for Esztergom Association for his contribution to the economic development of Esztergom and the region.