The Suzuki Swift Gets 'Swifter'
2005, the year when India experienced the all new performance hatchback, the first generation Maruti Suzuki Swift. The car simply over steered, and that from a front wheel powered hatchback? No one could have ever imagined. In 2011 Maruti Suzuki went a step ahead and launched the Second generation Swift, the car had set up its image among the driving enthusiasts, the car could be thrown into corners at third gear, the performance was pure magical, the electrical steering was light in low speeds, and stable at high speeds. The second generation even though had a better low end, compared to the first generation, there was a low end lag, the mid rang was strong, and the top end that really pulled.
The 1.4 litre petrol engine produced 83 Ps of power and 113 Nm of torque and the diesel variant produced 74 Ps of power and 120 Nm of torque. The first generation Swift had rattle noise, which was looked upon in the second generation and the build quality too was improved in the second generation model. However on the downside, the Swift had less room on the rear seat, also due to its all black interior the car turned out to be claustrophobic for some, but the moment we sat behind the wheels every single thing was forgotten. The Swift unlike the Baleno, was never a comfort focused car, it was purely a driver focused car with suspension on the stiffer side, meant to roar on the roads and thrown on the corners, and we love it the way it is!
The swift now is ready with its third generation model, the car received a change in its dimension, making it 40mm wider and giving it a 20mm longer wheelbase, thereby reducing the car by 10mm, this will make it more stable, the boot space also has been increased, making it more practical, the Company even went on to soften the suspension for making it more of a daily use vehicle, this however, reduces the image of the car that was followed through generations.
Third Generation Swift Sports
No news can be better for all the adrenaline junkies, that the sports variant of the Swift was showcased on the 2017 Frankfut Motor Show, and the car will be showcased in India in the first half of 2018 in the auto expo, which means that the launch might exceed to the latter half of the year. The car has a different charm to it. The front end gets a projector headlamps, new grille, with a carbon fiber touch, the side gets a skirt, with carbon fiber touch, and the rear door handles are placed up on the window shield like that of the Chevrolet Beat, the tyre gets the 17 inch alloys with machine cut finish.The Rear is the part which is an eye catcher, it gets a dual exhaust, here too with carbon fiber touches. The interior gets a new bucket seat to keep the people in it intact, red design on the instrument cluster and, red stitch on the steering wheels for sporty finish.
Talking about the Engine, the car has the same 1.4 litre petrol from the Vitera Crossover, but the difference here is it is turbo charged, the car now produces 140 Ps of power and 230 Nm of torque, linked to a 6 speed manual and automatic transmission gear box and has a weight reduction of 80 Kilograms. It is capable of going from standstill to 100 in just 7.6 seconds, now can you believe that?
My Verdict
The expected price of the car is between 9 lakhs to 10.5 lakhs, that might be a little above the budget for many, but the driver oriented car, the swift already is with the Service that Suzuki has around the country makes it a perfect deal. The Car will compete against Volkswagen polo GT and the Abarth Punto. It is for you all to decide what you think of it.
