For those of you in the dark, Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch a sedan version of the new Swift to battle it out in the new ‘Compact Sedan’ segment that will emerge in 2012.
Essentially, these sedans will be under 4 meters to take advantage of tax breaks, at the same time provide more boot space than a conventional hatchback. Currently, the only sedan sold in this format is the Indigo eCS. The Verito (Logan for rest of the world) and the Manza are likely to join this race next year.
Read more about the Tata Manza CS
Coming back to Maruti Suzuki, the company plans to design a compact sedan under four meters based on the current Swift which may be called ‘Swift 3.99’. Vicky claims to have gained access to the specifications of the Swift 3.99. Here are the details:
- It would be 3.9m in length, 1.6m wide and 1.5m tall
- The wheelbase will be 2.43m only
- The base variant of Swift 3.99 would run on 165/80 R14 tyres and more expensive variants would use 185/65 R15 rubber.
- It will weigh around a ton
- The petrol variant will be powered by 1.2L K series engine developing 87PS of max power at 6,000rpm and 114Nm of peak torque at 4,000rpm.
- It will only be offered in 5 speed manual
- Expected mileage is 18.5kmpl
How will the Mahindra Verito CS look?
We don’t know whether the Swift 3.99 will completely replace the Swift Dzire or will sell alongside it. However do you think the Swift 3.99 can compete against Verito CS and Manza CS?
If there is one company who knows how and where to place their products perfectly, it’s definitely Maruti Suzuki. When you think there is no space left or no new product can merge into the existing portfolio, Maruti rises and comes out with the product, successfully.
Few months back when Ritz was to be introduced, everybody was speculating where it would be placed. Some said it would be placed between Wagon R & Swift and some said it would be placed above the Swift as an answer to i20 & Jazz.
To every one’s surprise Maruti launched it in the price bracket of Swift, again every body said it would cannibalize Swift sales and again Maruti proves everybody wrong.
70% of Swift sales account for Diesel and rest Petrol but when it comes to Ritz its other way round, 70% of its sales account for Petrol and rest Diesel.
Rather than Ritz cannibalizing Swift sales, it is conquering the market where Swift was doing less.
The reason for the same is introduction of brilliant K-Series Petrol engine in Ritz which is very frugal and because it’s a 1.2 ltr engine, the Ritz in turn also becomes applicable for excise benefits which further sweetens the deal it its favor.
If the Swift gets the same K-Series engine, will the line distinguishing the two products become thinner?
You never know. Maruti might have an answer to prove that is false too.
For now all I have to say is its Ritzing Swiftly…!
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The recent worldwide economic crisis as we know, has had a severe impact on Automobile manufacturers. So severe that, Market leaders like Maruti have been forced to hike the prices of select models, before Diwali – during when they normally offer discounts! The rising steel prices has taken its toll on all car makers worldwide. So far, all companies had been trying to isolate the customer from the steel crisis, [ Read More ]
Since its debut in 1995 with the Honda City, Honda has never thought about a diesel car. Despite the lack of a diesel engine, Honda could somehow entice the consumers with its ultra smooth petrol engines. Even abroad, Honda offers its popular i-DTEC (diesel) engine option only for the Accord and CR-V. Until recently, Honda has found the necessity of launching a diesel engine variant for its City sedan and [ Read More ]
How many of you know that the Suzuki Swift’s styling was done with feedback principally from European markets? Regardless of that, here’s another country which has been bitten by the Swift bug. China can’t stop buying the hatch which now gets a minor upgrade. To be frank, nothing significantly has changed in this freshened Swift which is out on sale in China. But for the graphics, seats and spoilers, everything [ Read More ]
For those of you in the dark, Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch a sedan version of the new Swift to battle it out in the new ‘Compact Sedan’ segment that will emerge in 2012.
