Maruti Suzuki has announced that it will offer dual airbags and ABS as an option in all variants of Swift hatchback and Dzire compact sedan. The addition of these features is expected to make the cars safer.

With other manufacturers such as Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota providing safety features on all their cars, Maruti is responding by offering them on its cars as well. In September 2015, it launched VXi (O) and VDi (O) variants of the Ciaz sedan and earlier this month, it started providing dual airbags and ABS on all the variants of the WagonR and Stingray as on option.

The Swift and Dzire are among the best-selling cars in India. In FY 2014-15, Swift and DZire maintained an average sale of over 17,000 units each per month.

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):

Swift

• LXi (O) - Rs. 4,90,000
• VXi (O) - Rs. 5,60,180
• LDi (O) - Rs. 6,04,341
• VDi (O) - Rs. 6,43,184

Dzire

• LXi (O) - Rs. 5,40,000
• VXi (O) - Rs. 6,14,555
• VXi AT (O) - Rs. 6,93,974
• LDi (O) - Rs. 6,19,450
• VDi (O) - Rs. 7,06,963

Maruti Suzuki has launched a limited edition of the Swift hatchback. The "Glory Edition", as it is called, is based on the V (VXi and VDi) trim level and features a number of cosmetic changes.

The car features a white paintjob with a red roof, spoilers, skirting and door mirrors and decals on the bonnet, roof, sides and hatch. The C-pillar of the car is blackened and there is a Glory Edition badge on the hatch.

The interiors of the car features black upholstery with red detailing, a red black and red steering wheel cover, black and red gear level boot and floor mats. The car also gets a new infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity. Safety features include ABS with EBD and reverse parking sensors and camera.

Mechanically, the Glory Edition is identical to the regular Swift. The car is available with a choice of two engines:

• 1.2-litre, VVT petrol, 83 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 115 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
• 1.3-litre, DDiS diesel, 74 BHP @ @ 4,000 rpm and 190 Nm @ 2,000 rpm

Both engines are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

Maruti Suzuki is likely to manufacture the next-generation Swift hatchback and Dzire compact sedan at its upcoming plant in Gujarat. Maruti Suzuki plans to produce 4.5 lakh units of the two cars and the production is likely to be shared across the company's manufacturing facilities.

Codenamed YSD, the next-generation Swift and Dzire are expected to come with a new body, which will be lighter. The cars are also expected to get a Suzuki-developed 1.5-litre diesel engine (codenamed E15A). Using this engine will help the company save on the royalty it is paying to Fiat from whom it is sourcing the 1.3-litre DDiS engine, that is used to power various cars across the Maruti-Suzuki line-up.

The company is also expected to use the SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle from Suzuki) technology in the Swift and Dzire. This engine will be mated with the 1.3-litre diesel engine.

The next-generation Swift and Dzire are expected to go on sale in FY 2018.

Maruti also plans to use its 1.5-litre diesel engine in the next-generation Ertiga MPV (codenamed YHA). The car is expected to make its debut in the October 2017 - January 2018 period. The company plans to sell 80,000 units of the MPV annually.

Source: Economic Times

Note: Image used for representation purpose only

Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to launch a limited edition of the Swift hatchback. The car is likely to be based on the L trim level (LXi / LDi) and called the Swift SP.

According to the information available, the Swift SP will get features such as fog lamps, wheel covers, blacked out A and B-pillars, body-coloured door mirrors, body side mouldings and SP badges.

On the inside, the Swift SP will be equipped with an integrated music system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity and four speakers, seat and steering covers, a 60:40 split rear seat, memory foam cushions and power windows at the front and rear and.  Other features include reverse parking sensors and central locking.

The Swift SP is not expected to get any changes to its engines or transmissions. It will use the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel power plants and 5-speed manual transmission from the regular Swift.

Maruti will be offering a discount Rs. 10,630 on the car. There will be offers that help customers save up to Rs. 21,000 as well.

Source: Gaadiwaadi

Earlier this year, we had reported that Maruti Suzuki could launch the hybrid version of the Swift hatchback in India in or after 2017. The car had been undergoing homologation and now, a convoy of Swift Range Extenders has been spotted being driven on Indian roads.

According to a report by Gaadi, the convoy was being driven back to the company's plant. All cars in the convoy are seen with testing number plates. The cars could just have been taken out for the FAME Eco Drive that took place on June 5, 2015, which was celebrated as World Environment Day.

The Range Extender hybrid is powered a 658 cc, 3-cylinder, petrol engine, along with a 55 kW electric motor that is powered by a 5 kWh lithium ion battery. The battery takes about 90 minutes to charge fully, upon which, it is said to be able to give a range of 25.5 km stand-alone. The car is said to have a combined fuel economy of 48.2 kpl as per the company's internal test results. The car weighs 1,600 kg.

Earlier this year, Suzuki unveiled the iK-2 hatchback concept. The car is powered by a new 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine. Now the company has announced that it will use this engine in the next-generation Swift hatchback as well - at least in international markets. There is no confirmation from the company if this engine will come to India.

The 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine belongs to a new family of turbocharged petrol engines with direct injection. Details about the power and torque that this engine will develop, have not been disclosed.

While the next-generation Swift is not expected before 2017, Maruti Suzuki is likely to launch the iK-2 in India either in late 2015 or early 2016. It has been codenamed YRA and will be positioned above the Swift. It will compete against the Hyundai Elite i20 and Honda Jazz.

Source: Autocar India

Note: Image used for representation purpose only

The Maruti Suzuki Swift has crossed the 13 lakh cumulative sales mark. The car has achieved this milestone in less than ten years. It was launched in May 2005, and has been the best-selling car in its segment.

The Swift is sold as 5-door hatchback in India. The car is powered by a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 84 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 115 Nm of torque @ 4,000 rpm. The car is also available with a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder diesel power plant that develops 74 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 190 Nm of torque @ 2,000 rpm. Both engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Maruti claims that the fuel efficiency of the current Swift diesel is improved by 10%, while that of the Swift petrol is improved by 9.5% over the older models.

Timeline - Swift concept to reality:

• 2002 Paris Motor Show : Rally inspired Concept S showcased reflecting influences from two and four wheel racing activities
• 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show : Concept S2, an open-top sports car unveiled
• 2004 Paris Motor Show : Concept Swift showcased
• 2004 Nov : Launched in Japan
• 2005 May : Launched in India

Swift's journey in India:

• 2005: India launch
• 2007: Diesel variant
• 2010: Minor change
• 2011 (Aug): Full model change
• 2014 (Oct): Minor change

Swift sales milestones:

• Jan 2007: 1,00,000 units
• Mar 2008: 2,00,000 units
• Feb 2009: 3,00,000 units
• Jan 2010: 5,00,000 units
• Sep 2013: 10,00,000 units
• Apr 2015: 13,00,000 units

To mark the milestone, the company has lined up month long celebrations to engage with Swift owners.

Maruti Suzuki has always focused on its brand image as an affordable, fuel efficiency focused car maker. The Celerio hatchback is expected to get a diesel engine that delivers a fuel economy of over 30 km/l and a recent media report suggests that the highly successful Swift could be launched in a hybrid avatar in or after 2017.

Hybrid cars as a concept haven't gained much impetus in India, largely because the batteries imported and subsequently expensive. According to the report, Maruti is betting on economies of scale, government subsidies and most importantly, local production by making India an export base for hybrid powertrains.

Maruti Suzuki showcased the Swift Range Extender at the 2014 Delhi auto expo. The Indian government was believed to have shown interest in acquiring an undisclosed number of units, though there doesn't seem to have been any further development in the acquisition.

The Range Extender hybrid uses a 658 cc, 3-cylinder, petrol engine, along with a 74 BHP electric motor that is powered by a 5 kWh lithium ion battery. The battery takes about 90 minutes to charge fully, upon which, it is said to be able to give a range of 25.5 km stand-alone. The car has a combined fuel economy of 48.2 km/l as per Maruti's internal test results. The battery, electrical motor and other components are imports from Japan. For Maruti to make the Swift hybrid a passenger vehicle reality, localization of the major components will be of the essence to keep prices attractive.

Source: Business Standard

*Image for illustrative purposes only

Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker in terms of sales, is planning to increase its market share with a slew of new launches this year. The products that the company plans to introduce include new models as well as new variants and facelifts of existing products. Among them is a variant of the Swift diesel hatchback with an automated manual transmission (AMT).

According to a media report, the Swift AMT diesel will be launched in India in November. The AMT gearbox for the car will be provided by Italian auto component manufacturer Magneti Marelli, which is a subsidiary of Fiat. The car uses a 1.3-litre engine, which is also sourced from Fiat. The unit produces 74 bhp and 190 Nm of torque.

Tata Motors uses a combination of the 1.3-litre diesel engine, albeit in 89 bhp state of tune, and a Magneti Marelli AMT in the Zest compact sedan. However, it has not revealed any plans to use the technology in the recently launched Bolt hatchback, which competes with the Swift.

If Maruti's plans to launch the Swift AMT diesel materialise, with no real challengers in sight, the segment leader could increase its lead over its competitors. 

Source: Business Standard

Maruti is known for the plethora of "limited editions" it introduces time and again. These models are supposed to add some spice to the existing line up of cars with the sticker jobs and additional kit on offer.

Recently, Maruti introduced a limited edition of its popular hatchback called the Swift Windsong. Based on the regular 'V' trim, the base price of the Windsong edition is actually lesser than the regular 'V' trim variants but comes with additional kit at an added cost.

Exteriors of the Windsong edition include body graphics all around the car. Mud flaps and a rear spoiler are standard too. Maruti has added parking sensors on the rear bumper.

On the inside, the seats are wrapped in black seat covers with yellow borders. The same theme is carried on the steering and gear lever. The illuminated door sills with 'Swift' badge, illuminated footwells and PVC floor mats are added too.

A Sony touchscreen music system with 4 speakers is included in the Windsong edition. This unit supports CD/DVD/VCD, USB, AUX-in, bluetooth and external mic. It also doubles up as a rear parking display.

The remaining equipment list remains the same as the 'V' spec Swift. Do note that this edition is available in Arctic White colour only.

Ex-showroom Delhi prices of the Swift Windsong edition are:
VDI - Rs. 6,10,246 (Rs. 14,351 cheaper than the standard VDI)
VXI - Rs. 5,14,973 (Rs. 11,350 cheaper than the standard VXI)