Maruti, Bring The 140PS Swift Sport To India; Price It Under Rs 10 Lakh
..and it’s not impossible either. We have reasons
The Swift Sport was launched in Japan late last year and the performance-oriented of the Swift has now landed in Europe. Priced at £16,499 (~ Rs 15.09 lakh) in the UK, it is around Rs 1 lakh more expensive than the regular top-spec variant of the hatchback that comes equipped with the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine and costs £15,499 (~ Rs 14.18 lakh) there.
The Suzuki Swift Sport is not just aggressive-looking but powerful too. It gets a 1.4-litre Boosterjet turbo petrol engine that puts out 140PS of max power and 230Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that drives the front wheels.
The sub-1 tonne kerb weight (975kg) of the Swift Sport – thanks to the lightweight Heartect platform – gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 142PS per tonne. This helps it shoot forward from standstill to 100kmph in just 8.1 seconds. The Swift Sport’s claimed acceleration figure is 2.51 seconds quicker than the 105PS Polo GT TSI we get in India (based on our road test data).
Why should it come to India?
The Swift has been amongst the top-three best-selling cars in India ever since the first-gen model arrived here in 2005. However, we’ve always felt that the first and second generation of the popular hatchback had a lot more to offer in terms of performance and what better way to fulfil our wishes than introducing the third-gen Swift Sport!
Pictured: Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS
Maruti Suzuki’s first-ever performance-oriented offering, the Baleno RS, isn’t as hot-selling as the regular Baleno. The Baleno RS packs Suzuki’s 1.0-litre Boosterjet DITC (Direct Injection turbocharged) engine that produces 102PS. The same package is available in other global markets sans the RS badge. While the Baleno RS does get some cosmetic enhancements over the stock hatchback, it still lacks the visual appeal that could justify the premium Maruti charges for the more powerful forced induction motor. In fact, it didn’t even bother changing the RS’ alloy wheels either.
The Swift Sport, on the other hand, is a proper hot hatch. Not just in terms of performance, but also in the way it looks. Apart from the exclusive Monroe suspension setup, sports seats, bigger brakes and, of course, the flagship 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine, you also get a reworked front profile with a massive grille and redesigned dual-tone rear bumper with twin exhaust outlets. I
t rides on 17-inch alloy wheels that go with the performance-oriented theme of the Sport. Also on offer are exclusive colour shades such as the Champion Yellow that you see here.
In the UK, the Swift Sport is around Rs 1 lakh dearer than the regular Swift powered by the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine. The Swift is heavily localised in India and by just importing the engine and suspension components along with a few other bits, Maruti Suzuki can keep the Sport’s price in check. Needless to say, the Sport can be exported from India too. Considering the price difference between the UK-spec Swift and Swift Sport, we think the Swift Sport could cost around Rs 9.5 lakh in India.
Competition: If priced under Rs 10 lakh, the 140PS Swift Sport will compete against the 147PS Abarth Punto (Rs 9.67 lakh, ex-Delhi) and the 105PS Polo GT TSI (Rs 9.33 lakh, ex-showroom).
The Swift Sport could achieve what the Baleno RS failed to. Moreover, with a power-to-weight ratio of 142PS/tonne, the Swift Sport could help enthusiasts relish a proper hot hatch at half the price of what Volkswagen charges for the imported Polo GTI (Rs 19.99 lakh, ex-India). Maruti’s Nexa showrooms, from where it sells its premium cars, could become the retail platform for the Swift Sport.
Check out: Comparison Review: Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS vs Volkswagen Polo GT TSI
Read More on : Swift AMT
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