AFTER ITS LAUNCH IN INIDA, soon became one of the more popular small cars of the country because of its value for money, distinct design and a slick drive. And now the Swift has been overhauled and the 2011 version will be longer, more spacious and interestingly lighter and stronger thanks to the extensive use of higher strength steel. Based on an all-new platform, the overall length of the car will increase by 90mm inturn allowing for an extention of the wheelbase by 50mm and hence carve out more legroom. It carries similar design cues but has a longer bonnet line, larger headlights and new tail lights. A distinct line running through the waist and a sharper roofline are welcome changes. The new Swift promises to offer a better performance and economy with lower CO2 emissions. The front tracks are wider by 10mm and the rear tracks by 5mm for improved dynamics.

            The interiors are similar to the current Swift with black and matte silver trims, but promises to be more sophisticated and appealing. The new Maruti Swift will be powered by the existing 1.2L K-Series petrol engine and we believe that the Variable Valve Timing technology (VVT) that has been introduced in the SX4 sedan, may be featured in the Indian version. The diesel variant will continue to sport the DDiS (Fiat’s 1.3-litre Multijet) mill from the existing model. With several new players entering the hatchback segment of late, Maruti will be careful not to hike the price of the new Swift drastically. The new Swift will be hitting Indian shores by mid 2011.