[rajeev k]

Autocar India says that Suzuki is developing an all-new diesel engine family that will power a wide range of vehicles, which will include a small pick-up truck (code: Y9T), hatchbacks, saloons and a compact SUV.
The next big leap will be a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine, which will essentially be derived by joining two of the 800cc, two-cylinder diesels. Mathematically, this would result in a 1.6-litre four-cylinder motor, but it will be downsized to below 1.5 litres for the obvious tax benefits that can be gained.

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by rockporiom

Got some info on price of zdi swift and dzire.

swift zdi to be priced at 7.5 lacs ex showroom ahmedabad
Dzire zdi to be priced at 8.12 lacs ex showroom ahmedabad.

Current price

swift zdi: 6.99 lakhs ex showroom ahmedabad
dzire zdi: 7.6 lakhs ex showroom ahmedabad

Maruti must be very optimistic here, considering the Grand i10's sales figures are uncomfortably close to the Swift, in its second month of sale. There is really no point in launching the car at an optimistic pricing only to offer discounts later. The strategy hasn't gone down well with Indian buyers in the past.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Maruti must be very optimistic here, considering the Grand i10's sales figures are uncomfortably close to the Swift, in its second month of sale. There is really no point in launching the car at an optimistic pricing only to offer discounts later. The strategy hasn't gone down well with Indian buyers in the past.

Though Hyundai considered i10 to be Swift competitor and i20 as a segment above, Maruti always thought of Swift in the i20 segment. With more features added to Swift, it would again be getting closer to i20 than i10 which is Maruti's plan. They've got Ritz to compete with Grand i10. The need of the hour is a comprehensive update to Ritz to be pitched against Grand which would happen only in 2015.

In the middle of all this scramble, the real losers are the other premium hatches which are no longer capturing any attention.

[blue_pulsar]

Originally Posted by zenren

Though Hyundai considered i10 to be Swift competitor and i20 as a segment above, Maruti always thought of Swift in the i20 segment. With more features added to Swift, it would again be getting closer to i20 than i10 which is Maruti's plan. They've got Ritz to compete with Grand i10. The need of the hour is a comprehensive update to Ritz to be pitched against Grand which would happen only in 2015.

Hyundai has strategically placed the Grand i10 half a level up from the older i10. It is meant to be a Swift competitor. When it comes to interior space, quality and engine (CRDi only), the i20 was always half a level above the Swift.

The Grand i10 manages to beat the Ritz in every aspect apart from the MJD. The Ritz is simply no competition for the Grand i10.

[RSR]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

Hyundai has strategically placed the Grand i10 half a level up from the older i10. It is meant to be a Swift competitor. When it comes to interior space, quality and engine (CRDi only), the i20 was always half a level above the Swift.

I think every manufacturer would like the market to believe their own products are half-a-segment up from their closest competitors. They may either position it like that (features & price) or create a marketing buzz to indicate the same.

As far as Hyundai are concerned, they try to load their hatchbacks with more features and position it just above the closest direct competitor from Maruti Suzuki, who are the leaders when it comes to hatchbacks. It's the same scenario from the Eon (versus the Alto800) right up to the i20 (versus the Swift).

The i10 was never a direct competitor to the Ritz, though Hyundai would have liked us to believe otherwise. The 1.1 lit. i10's direct competitors should be the A-Star and Wagon R. The 1.2 lit. (now discontinued) i10's natural competitors would be the Beat, Brio & Micra Active (the age old Indica V2 can also be included). The i10 is a tad smaller (and lacks a diesel engine) to compete in the segment of the Ritz, Figo etc. The i20 competes directly against cars like the Polo, Punto etc.

Maruti Suzuki initially positioned the Ritz and Swift (1st gen.) too close to each other, resulting in poor sales of the Ritz. With the 2nd gen. Swift, they widened the gap and positioned it higher. With this facelift that seems to get many more features, they would want to position the 2014 Swift squarely against the i20, Polo, Punto, outgoing Fabia & upcoming Jazz.

That leaves the Ritz to take on the other large hatchbacks. Hyundai finally got in a product in this crucial sub-segment in the form of the Grand i10 to compete directly against the Figo, Liva, Micra, Pulse, Ritz, U-VA & Vista.

One could say that the sub-segment boundaries are not exactly rigid but fluid, and some cars straddle across sub-segments with a variety of trim levels and variant families, such as the Micra/Active.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by blue_pulsar

The Grand i10 manages to beat the Ritz in every aspect apart from the MJD. The Ritz is simply no competition for the Grand i10.

Just a clarification, the MJD, although same as that in Swift, is tuned differently in Ritz. FYI excerpts from ACI comparo of Diesel hatches:

The quickest car here is the unassuming Ritz, which does the same sprint in a relatively brisk 15.18sec. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as it’s powered by the same engine as the Swift. But while this punchy engine is a hoot on the highways, the turbo lag below 2,000rpm makes it feel a lot more laidback than the others in the city. You will find yourself working the gearbox a lot more often, hunting for that meaty mid-range, and this can be a tiring exercise on a daily basis.

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-fea...-364808.aspx/0

... & despite being the costliest of these hatches, Grand i10 wins the comparo. So IMO Ritz definitely needs much more than the MJD to sustain against Grand i10 & the dwindling sales numbers of Ritz are a testimony of the fact.

... & this is where the Swift is special for average buyer, though weak brakes on the lower variants need getting accustomed to (even for a Maruti loyalist).

But, the new Swift should not tread in the class of sedans (as @rockporium has posted earlier), just imitating pricing of other premium hatches, like i20, VW Polo (TSi/ 1.6L TDi), as these offer much more than good handling, & also pricing vrs sales in higher reaches (sedan category) has always been a headache for Maruti-Suzuki (despite a couple of good products in portfolio).

[D'Artagnan]

Consider the people who own a swift, majority would be young college boys who aren't yet independent financially, next we have people from mid 20's who want to relive their glory days and lastly it's the family man who just wants a good looking, popular, easy to maintain, good mileage car. The last two categories wouldn't want to spend more on a swift because of various reasons, drowsy economy, inflated bills to pay and add to that the plastics in the swift aren't worth speaking much about let's not even speak about the rattles that creep up. To a car owner who pays his bills, he will think twice on spending more money for his daily commute and occasional outing on what is essentially a maruti product that still needs to come to good standards for the money they demand. To a student he really wouldn't mind rattles or noises as they will be drowned by the uber loud amp and speakers he has retro fitted.

The current gen swift has come miles ahead in terms of quality but the journey is not yet over because there are still issues that plague the swift. Increasing the price and saying its worth it will pool in some customers but not all them.

Maruti give a good car to India after all doesn't this display your workmanship in India, do you want to be seen as someone who could've done better or someone whose given the best?

[volkman10]

Maruti has announced the launch of its face lifted two new models of Maruti Suzuki Swift as well as Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire in the first quarter of next year.

These new arrivals of Maruti Suzuki will arrive in market with a increment in its price expected to be 50000-60000 more on its top end ZXi and ZDi models in comparison with the current price.

The hatchback Maruti Suzuki Swift as well as compact sedan Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire will have these new features which include daytime running LEDS, a cruise control, a new 16 inch alloy wheels, a keyless entry with a start-stop button, a dual tone dash board, the new leather wrap for steering wheels and will add a new feature of auto up and down power windows functions for driver side. Moreover, these models will have the features like revised front bumpers as well as revised front grille.

http://carsizzler.com/news-detail/00...e-in-2014.html

[a4anurag]

The announcement of the that the launch is expected in around March'14 but the deliveries etc will start by May first week mostly.

My hands are itching to go buy the Swift ZDi just like what Rockporiom did.

Anurag.

[rockporiom]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

The announcement of the that the launch is expected in around March'14 but the deliveries etc will start by May first week mostly.

My hands are itching to go buy the Swift ZDi just like what Rockporiom did.

Anurag.

I am getting my silver knight on 27th. Me and my friend are getting it on the same day. So as I said earlier total increase would be nearly 80-90k if you calculate the absence of discounts and govt. Price rise.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Maruti has announced the launch of its face lifted two new models of Maruti Suzuki Swift as well as Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire in the first quarter of next year.

http://carsizzler.com/news-detail/00...e-in-2014.html

I hope the dual-tone dashboard does not make it to the Swift. The black interior is what set the Swift apart from other hatchbacks.

Hopefully the beige interior will be for the Dzire only.

[chncar]

Originally Posted by volkman10

The hatchback Maruti Suzuki Swift as well as compact sedan Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire will have these new features which include daytime running LEDS, a cruise control, a new 16 inch alloy wheels, a keyless entry with a start-stop button, a dual tone dash board, the new leather wrap for steering wheels and will add a new feature of auto up and down power windows functions for driver side. Moreover, these models will have the features like revised front bumpers as well as revised front grille.

Is there any advantage to larger 16 inch rims over 15 inch ones on the current ZDi? For that matter, what are the advantages of the 15 inch ones on the ZDi over the 14 inch ones on the LDi/VDi?

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by D'Artagnan

Consider the people who own a swift, majority would be young college boys who aren't yet independent financially, next we have people from mid 20's who want to relive their glory days and lastly it's the family man who just wants a good looking, popular, easy to maintain, good mileage car. The last two categories wouldn't want to spend more on a swift because of various reasons, drowsy economy, inflated bills to pay and add to that the plastics in the swift aren't worth speaking much about let's not even speak about the rattles that creep up. To a car owner who pays his bills, he will think twice on spending more money for his daily commute and occasional outing on what is essentially a maruti product that still needs to come to good standards for the money they demand. To a student he really wouldn't mind rattles or noises as they will be drowned by the uber loud amp and speakers he has retro fitted.

The current gen swift has come miles ahead in terms of quality but the journey is not yet over because there are still issues that plague the swift. Increasing the price and saying its worth it will pool in some customers but not all them.

Maruti give a good car to India after all doesn't this display your workmanship in India, do you want to be seen as someone who could've done better or someone whose given the best?

Would humbly disagree with your analysis. As you rightly pointed out, one big reason for the Swift's success has been it's acceptability by both the young at heart, as well as conservative folks.

And for more than 90% of them, rattles is something they can gladly live with. Presence of rattles has not made one bit difference in it's sales figures, probably since the other aspects are so strong. In fact, this is especially true about those plonking their own hard earned money.

Same will be case going forward. To illustrate, take a look at the current prices and what it used to cost 3-4 years back. If such an increase hasn't made any impact, it's quite unlikely that another will. Add to it, it's tremendous resale just tilts the balance in it's favor to a considerable extent.

Swift is an aspirational product for both first time buyers and those graduating from small hatches. Also, It must be mentioned that even on the rattle front, Swift has made significant improvements. Things should hopefully improve even further with the next iteration.

Although I agree with you that acceptability towards such silly things as rattles needs to reduce now that we have such competent products in the market, but purely from the perspective of the people who form a bulk of sales number for Swift/Dzire, it just does not seem to matter.

[benzinblut]

I was keen on waiting to get a 2014 model. But the already overprices Swift will become even pricier. Plus, most of the features wont make it to the Vdi and almost all of them are not important to me. Infact I don't want DRLs and am not willing to have dual tone interiors).

I plan to retain the Swift for about 6 years and resale should not be very different for the facelift. Infact, the total discounts I am getting are in the range of 30,000 and the Vdi now strarts making a little sense. May be the discounts are higher in the following months, but I am happy with the offer and wont repent.

I have booked Swift Vdi in white. Its a Dec 2013 model to be registered in Jan14.

[Vik0728]

Guys, me ain't no Guru and neither am I a big fan of Maruti. IMHO, Maruti got nearly 3 decade head start over the competition and thus became the "Most sort after or trust worthy brand" in India. Driving dynamics of the Hyundai's might be pathetic but the efforts they put into making their cars is Commendable, FIAT may have one of the mediocre after sales, but common people they are listening to their customers more than anybody, VW is surely not the cheapest to maintain but their cars make you feel privileged.

Please don't get me wrong, I really respect the Swift but I sure as hell don't adore one. Consider the variants and models that Maruti have launched in the recent times. Swift, with its diesel engine (actually Fiat's) almost single handedly stood up for the competition. Since this thread is about Swift, I am not considering other options. It took Maruti nearly 10yrs to realize that they could not sell a Flimsy, feature stripped diesel car just because its a Maruti.

Deja vu, Maruti gets the message from the competition and they standardize the Swift line up with ZXI & ZDI. Awesome Latesome !!

But they still retain the same engine, which by the way gets de-tuned for a better economy. Car gets bigger on the outside, but on the inside, is smaller than the outgoing model.

Autocar has recently listed the "10 Most Useless Features" on Indian cars. Here is the link:

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-fea...-367887.aspx/0

So, Cruise control & DRL are 2 of the 5 (projected) new features on the All New Swift, which are pretty useless on Indian roads. So, this probably means Maruti is coming up with another "Wink and you Miss" kinda crap.

Of course, if Maruti launches the Swift diesel engine with a lot more pep, then I might just eat my words.