20110818

Maruti-Suzuki launches new Swift in India

At last, the most awaited and the most important automotive event of the year 2011 happened yesterday when Maruti-Suzuki took the wraps off the all-new second generation Swift. It's no secret that the previous Swift achieved an iconic status in India and was a perennial best-seller until the very last month of its existence. So, it’s quite obvious that the all-new Swift is going to have its task cut out as it has to match and beat the legacy of the model it replaces.

At first sight, the new Swift looks remarkably similar to the previous model. Only on close inspection do we realize the subtle yet effective changes like the stretched headlamps and taillamps and the bigger profile of the new model. The front end of the new Swift now bears more than a passing resemblance to the bigger Kizashi sedan. With the design of the previous Swift being liked and appreciated by customers across the globe, its quite obvious why Suzuki has decided to play safe and not mess around with the design of the new model. It’s more of an evolution rather than a revolution as far as the looks are concerned.

Interior quality and rear passenger space, two of the major grouses of the old Swift has been rectified, with the new Swift apparently much better in these two critical factors. Other positive aspects of the old model like the peppy yet fuel-efficient petrol and diesel engines, sporty handling and good high-speed stability are said to be carried over to the new Swift with minor tweaks to make the car even better. Also, much to the relief of the customers who repented the lack of a top-end diesel variant in the old model, a new feature-loaded ZDi variant is now part of the line-up. In short, if you liked the old Swift for what it was, you will love the new Swift for what it is.

With a marginal price hike over the old model, Maruti-Suzuki has repeated what it always does best – offer terrific value-for-money. With a staggering 50,000 pre-launch bookings, there is already a long queue outside the company's dealerships for the new Swift. Go, stand in one right now to get your new Swift delivered atleast before the end of this year. With the company planning to increase production of the model to around 18,000 units per month shortly, I expect the new Swift to become the second largest selling car in India, next to only the top-selling Alto. Wow, what a way to start!

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