Maruti takes Swift step to check rivals

Its official now. Suzuki Swift, the new 1.3 litre hatchback from the Maruti Udyog Ltd is priced at Rs 3.87 lakh (introductory price ) for the entry level LXi version and Rs 4.05 lakh and Rs 4.85 lakh for the VXi and ZXi versions, respectively.

MUL officials said the introductory price will be applicable for a 'reasonable time' but refused to give any definite time frame. Delivery of the vehicles are expected to start from the first week of June 2005.

The Swift will be directly pitted peer models like the Getz from Hyundai Motor India, Fiat's Palio and Corsa Sail from General Motors.

While the Getz available at an opening price of Rs 4.93 lakh sells around 1100 units a month and the 1.4 litre engine Corsa Sail from General Motors, priced at Rs 3.99 lakh sells around 300 units a month.

The Swift which was first talked about three years back as Concept S, will be produced at MUL's facilities at Gurgoan with a local content of around 86 per cent. It will be fitted with a 1.3 litre engine, an improvised version of the engine fitted into the three box model Esteem.

Though MUL officials refused to share the monthly sales target for this new offering, it is understood that the current capacity for production is around 200 units a day on a two-shift basis, which takes the monthly production to around 5,000 units.

A product that is claimed by MUL as technically advanced than its peers, has been developed as a 'world car' by Suzuki.

The version that is produced and sold in India has been developed with 25 engineers from MUL working along with their counterparts in Japan. The Swift is produced in four countries across the world. MUL officials said that export of Swift was not under consideration for now.

Though the demand for hatchback models in India is low for now, MUL is betting high on its new offering in this segment to fetch numbers far ahead of its predecessors from competition. MUL, according to market sources is eyeing close to 5000 units a month for the Swift.

In an attempt to ensure this, MUL groomed a sales team of 1,000 people called Swift Energizers' who will be on the rolls of the dealers to focus only on the sales of the new product.

Good & bad
BS Motoring verdict Three good things about the Swift

Contemporary design

Safety features like ABS and Airbags

Ride and handling

Three bad things about the Swift

Tried and trusted yet old but improvised engine from Esteem

Lacks powertrain refinement

Safety comes with a price.