[humyum]

I hope all these Al Cheapo Maruti Sticker job RS nonsense not sell at all. I MEAN, COMMON. BLACK WHEEL CAPS. Either make an effort or don't do it at all. Maruti does not need these kind of limited editions to keep sales up, they already have a lot of numbers going for them.

The right move IMO would be to really get a 90 to 95 bhp Swift, a 6 speed Gearbox, some fancy alloys, Xenon headlight and then test the market by the speed at which this version sells by initially calling it a limited edition with numbers like 5 to 10 K max to be sold. If its a success, launch it full fledged and kill the Hyundai I20, Polo ( the to be launched one) and the TSI to some extent.

[rosh_aveo1.4]

What a freaking joke! I mean this trick used to work on people a decade earlier (remember the 'sports' version of the Ikon). I mean seriously, putting some bunch of childish stickers and a black wheel cap (that was so stupid). What are the nuts in Maruti thinking? Hats off to Toyota and VW that actually do make some mechanical changes like engine swap and suspension upgrade or so to make it worthy of the name sport.

[sinharishi]

Toyota plonked 1.5 in the LIVA,VW launched the polo TSi,Nissan's Micra CVT.

And maruti?
Dzire regal ,Ritz Buzz and now this!

Introducing limited edition variants with only cosmetic changes.

Would have been nice to see Maruti promoting their Safety loaded variants. No offence to anyone on the forum but the way i see people driving the swifts(especially the L & V variants), ABS and AIRBAGS should be offered on all the variants!

Safety First

[me_sid]

The fact remains that the audience for Indian car makers primarily have their first question as "kitna deta hay". Frankly speaking plonking a bigger engine resulting in a reduced mileage would actually be detrimental to the image of being "ECONOMIC" and hence the sales chart . Having said that in my opinion they should have been a shade more serious about this car to do justice to the RS badge, since it’s a "Limited Edition". Anyways I guess we will have to be satiated with underpowered, detuned engines unless we are ready to elevate to the higher segment. Till then lesser mortals like us have to be happy with STICKERS and paint jobs for bumping up the BHP.

[abirnale]

Regardless of the price, this seems like MSIL making fun of the entire automobile terminology and customers! RS must be "Rangeen Stickers" for them and nothing to do with Rally Sports! They always found to be making this thing with their almost every vehicle - add some stickers and paint options, few minor facelifts and call it "All new" model. Being MSIL customer for past many years, I am very sad and disappointed with their treatment :(

[anachronix]

If I am am buying them from MGA, yes! If not, all these kits can be done up for less than the quote price.

MSIL should have been a little kind to the 'RS' moniker.

Originally Posted by Loud

No way! You get a body kit, music system, Illuminated sill plates, different upholstery and some graphic work on the outside. I think it would eat up more than 25k at least. Yes, ABS and Airbags would have given a tough competition to the Liva GD SP.

[saket77]

I would swim against the tide here. IMO, first of all, the price is very well justified for the offerings. To those who are under the impression that 24.5K is overpriced for what this model brings with it, I am sure that if they go out in the market and try to get it done, the cost will be much much higher and of course, will not be a factory fit.

Just have a detailed look at the new offerings:

RS 3-Piece Body Kit (Front Bumper, Rear Bumper and Roof Spoiler)
Black and Blue Motorsport Inspired Body Graphics
Black Wheel Covers
Blue Theme ORVMs
Illuminated Door Sill Plates
Art Leather Black and Blue Upholstery
Music System with CD, Aux, USB
RS Theme Floor Mats

Again, the Swift has a very good engine already, which is great fun to drive, and a very nice stock suspension set-up, so should we complain, esp at this price? All specs of the Swift stand very well against its competitors like the Figo, Polo, i10 or even i20.

About the European Swift, it would have been great if MSIL had offered this in India. Could have been saved as the next gen. Swift?

Regards,
Saket

[Skyline GT-R]

But this is expected from MSIL, isn't it?

The black wheel cover got me though...

Audi "RS5" & MSIL Swift "RS" were launched around same time coincidentally :-D

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by rlvl

It's just sad to see them launch this new paint job with the RS moniker. Changing the looks doesn't make a normal car into a RS. I see this as a lowly attempt by Maruti to bump up sales.
I also predict a new Swift coming soon. Pehaps August.. Anyone remembers Wagon R Primea? 2 months after they launched it they replaced the model with the new look Wagon R! Expecting the same treatment for the Swift..

Its not a paint job. its a sticker job

There are hints on updated swift but it is more of cosmetic changes like we had with previous generation. It took them 2005-2011 to come up with all new swift . So I dont think another all new swift will come before 2015

[gops2009]

Maruti should not have taken the enthusiasts for granted by these cosmetic buffoonery and calling it RS, threatened as they are by the launch of Amaze, Toyota Liva TRD Sportivo Polo GT and now with Ford Ecosport, IMO this is a desperate flanking move . Like someone commented on this thread, RS is simply "Rally Sticker" Sad that India's largest car maker did not use this opportunity to take an already great car to the next level and gave their competition a run for their money...

[Sebring]

If customers put their foot down and refuse to buy, this shall indeed become a 'limited edition'

[vvb8530]

Black painted wheel caps . Come on MSIL what is wrong with you? Is that your level of innovation??

[Octane_Power]

Originally Posted by saket77

About the European Swift, it would have been great if MSIL had offered this in India. Could have been saved as the next gen. Swift?

Saket, I fear we might not get the Euro Swift even in the next gen launch cuz, as few other BHP-ians have pointed out, people will just not buy it because they are already so obsessed with good mileage figures and this obsession for mileage is just going to increase with the ever-increasing fuel prices.Only things which we can expect in the next-gen Swift are Xenons, interior and exterior changes maybe (that's it , I can't think more).

The only I want to say here is, if VW can sell the Polo GT alongside the standard 1.2l petrol and diesels why can't Maruti do the same?
I mean, it has the potential to blow away the GT TSi hands down!
I may be expecting much , but MS may even price it 50-60k lesser than the Polo GT.

Limited editions, should be such that customers should flock in huge numbers to the showrooms to get their hands on the vehicle and be really different from the normal models, I doubt people would even enquire enthusiastically about such LEs.

Moreover, these sticker jobs and fancy paint schemes look good only for the 1st few months. Then they start sticking out like a sore thumb, with the stickers degrading due to the weather and etc.

It's as simple as ABC; you want a car with decent power,acceptable levels of features and good mileage go for the normal Swift; and if you want a performance oriented car with compromise on the mileage go the Swift Sport way!

-Bhargav

[StrangeWizard]

I saw a different Swift sport limited edition at Vitesse andheri.

That car comes in white and has different bumpers and a black roof. Maybe different alloys too. No stickers.

Now that car looks much better than this Swift RS which is just a sticker and paint job for 24k. You can paint the wheel caps black for 100 bucks each, which even I have done on my car

[saket77]

Originally Posted by Octane_Power

Saket, I fear we might not get the Euro Swift even in the next gen launch cuz, as few other BHP-ians have pointed out, people will just not buy it because they are already so obsessed with good mileage figures and this obsession for mileage is just going to increase with the ever-increasing fuel prices.Only things which we can expect in the next-gen Swift are Xenons, interior and exterior changes maybe (that's it , I can't think more).

The only I want to say here is, if VW can sell the Polo GT alongside the standard 1.2l petrol and diesels why can't Maruti do the same?
I mean, it has the potential to blow away the GT TSi hands down!
I may be expecting much , but MS may even price it 50-60k lesser than the Polo GT.

Limited editions, should be such that customers should flock in huge numbers to the showrooms to get their hands on the vehicle and be really different from the normal models, I doubt people would even enquire enthusiastically about such LEs.

Moreover, these sticker jobs and fancy paint schemes look good only for the 1st few months. Then they start sticking out like a sore thumb, with the stickers degrading due to the weather and etc.

It's as simple as ABC; you want a car with decent power,acceptable levels of features and good mileage go for the normal Swift; and if you want a performance oriented car with compromise on the mileage go the Swift Sport way!

-Bhargav

Thanks Bhargav for your detailed explanation. Quite right about the sticker job.
But plonking bigger engines, as you have yourself suggested will be a big risk for Maruti & moreover its image. Going by the law: why fix something that ain't broke? Also, the 'economical' image of Maruti makes it difficult to venture in the premium segments, Kizashi is a glaring example, while MSIL continues to be the leader in sales just riding on the back of entry level to B+ segments. Hence, to sell its LEs, MSIL may not risk into getting a bigger engine and hence increasing the cost of the car significantly. What's sad to see in the whole episode in my opinion is that MSIL tends to look only towards the mass buyers (& not enthusiasts), as they are its bread & butter. Hence, even their LEs are targeted towards mass segments only! Not a food for enthusiasts, totally agreed but still IMO, the price increase justifies what one is getting. For eg. the upholstery and music system can alone add upto significant number in that price increase, isn't it?

Regards,
Saket