Safer, stronger Swift

The important new-generation Swift will go on sale in Britain during the northern hemisphere autumn, Suzuki's UK PR office has announced. That equates to our spring, but the Aussie-delivered car is still some way off, as we reported previously.

Even the Brits can't say for sure how the new Swift will be priced and specified, but they seem pretty certain that the small Suzuki will offer a 1.3-litre diesel and a 1.2-litre petrol engine when it arrives there.

Peak power is around 70kW at 6000rpm for the petrol engine, which features variable valve timing for the intake and exhaust valves. Maximum torque of 118Nm arrives at 4800rpm. According to European specs, the petrol powerplant, matched to a manual transmission, uses fuel at the rate of 5.0L/100km in the combined-cycle test. In the same test, the diesel consumes 4.2L/100km. CO2 emissions are 109/g/km for the diesel and 119g/km for the petrol engine.

Suzuki states that the Swift will be launched in Britain first with the petrol engine -- and the diesel will follow early next year. It's not by any means definite that either engine will make it to Australia though. What we can safely say, as already reported, is that the new car will be larger than the current model and is likely to offer greater cornering ability. The new car will be lighter but stronger and, as in other markets, the Aussie-delivered Swift will be safer for pedestrians, the manufacturer claims.

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