SPY PICS: Sleeker looks for Suzuki Swift

Suzuki has a new Swift in the works, as these grainy, screen-printed images reveal.

Snapped at a dealer presentation in France, the pictures indicate a smoother frontal styling treatment for the new, with a much larger grille. The silver vehicle is the Suzuki Swift Sport, while the vehicle in red is the shopping variety model.

Information is very scant at present, but the new Swift is expected to come with a 1.0-litre 'Boosterjet' engine coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic. A hybrid-drive system going by the name of SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) is reportedly on the agenda for the Swift, as an alternative to the conventional drivetrain system. Suzuki apparently claims the new Swift will deliver class-leading fuel economy. We expect the Swift Sport will be powered by a peppier mill, in the form of a 1.4-litre Boosterjet engine coupled to a six-speed manual transmission.

In size the new Swift will come in at under four metres (3.84m) in length and will measure 1.74m wide. That is around the same length as the current model, but wider. Weight reduction will be a major goal for the new model.

Timing is uncertain at present, but the new Swift is expected to make its global debut in December, followed by regional launches, probably from around the second quarter of 2017. Suzuki Australia has received no information about the new Swift, but is hopeful the new model could reach Australia as early as four or five months after the car's global launch.

Given the recently introduced Vitara was originally slated for local launch in the second quarter of 2015 but didn't arrive in Australia until September of last year, we would anticipate the Swift will be similarly delayed reaching our market. Based on that and Suzuki Australia's estimate, our best guess would be Q3 or Q4 of 2017 for local launch of the new Swift.