[Aditya]

The Maruti Suzuki Swift has reached a cumulative worldwide sales figure of 5 million (50 lakh) units. The car has achieved this milestone in April 2016; 11 years and 5 months since the start of sales in 2004. India accounts for 54% of the 50 lakh units with 27 lakh units of the Swift and Swift Dzire sold so far. Europe and Japan account for 17% and 10% respectively.



Launched in November 2004, the Swift has been produced in various countries including Japan, Hungary, India, China, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. It is sold in more than 140 countries and regions across the world including emerging as well as developed markets.

In India, the Swift was launched in 2005. It accounts for approximately thirty percent (approximately 4,30,000 units) of Maruti Suzuki's annual sales units in the country. The company has added diesel variants and sedan variants of the car to keep its appeal strong.

Milestones:

• November 2004 - First-generation Swift released and launched in Japan
• February 2005 - Production begins in Hungary
• May 2005 - Production begins in India
• June 2005 - Production begins in China
• May 2007 - Production begins in Malaysia
• June 2008 - Cumulative worldwide production reaches one million units
• November 2009 - Production begins in Pakistan
• September 2010 - Second-generation Swift launched in Japan
• January 2011 - Cumulative worldwide sales reach two million units
• March 2012 - Production begins in Thailand
• January 2013 - Cumulative worldwide sales reach three million units
• January 2014 - Production begins in Vietnam
• August 2014 - Cumulative worldwide sales reach four million units
• April 2016 - Cumulative worldwide sales reach five million units

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Aditya

[*]November 2004 - First-generation Swift released and launched in Japan

The Suzuki Swift existed from as early as the Mid eighties. Infact our Maruti 1000 (Later Esteem) was derived from the Swift. Even in Japan the Swift branding existed prior to 2004.

[MDED]

Originally Posted by Aditya

India accounts for 54% of the 50 lakh units with 27 lakh units of the Swift and Swift Dzire sold so far. Europe and Japan account for 17% and 10% respectively.

Swift had been the main driver of sales for MSIL and every single minute you can spot a Swift on road. Be it Patna or Pune, Chennai or Chandigarh. Across the country Swift and its sedan version Dzire had set the sales chart burning for MSIL. For an average Indian with little or no knowledge of cars having a budget of upto Rs 6 to 7 lakh opts for Swift. Low maintenance, good driving dynamics and VFM makes this car a SUPERHIT vehicle.

[johannskaria]

Originally Posted by Aditya

India accounts for 54% of the 50 lakh units with 27 lakh units of the Swift and Swift Dzire sold so far.

In India, the Swift was launched in 2005. It accounts for approximately thirty percent (approximately 4,30,000 units) of Maruti Suzuki's annual sales units in the country.

The unmentioned accolades include making DDiS the national engine of India and also giving Maruti another successful seller, Ritz , which is essentially a Swift underneath.

[Skyline_GT]

Originally Posted by 1100D

The Suzuki Swift existed from as early as the Mid eighties. Infact our Maruti 1000 (Later Esteem) was derived from the Swift. Even in Japan the Swift branding existed prior to 2004.

Being a proud Swift owner it feels amazing to see this ferocious little Suzuki outselling anyone that crosses its path!

Agree with 1100D the "Swift" brand has been in production since the early 80's! Back then it was named as "Suzuki Cultus". The car has been in production since the early 80's and was sold in most of Asia as well as some western markets as well. Called as Suzuki Swift Cultus or simply Cultus, the car was a compact supermini hatchback. Roughly the size of Suzuki Zen (Jellybean) the car was an average seller.
In the late 80s the car chassis was modified and extended and thus the Maruti 1000 was born. The Maruti 1000 which was later renamed Maruti Esteem. The 1000/Esteem was built on the same chassis as the Cultus and while it was sold in India as Esteem in other parts of the world this Cultus sedan version was named as Suzuki Swift. It was only until the early 2000 that the Cultus/Esteem brand name was discontinued and Swift became the permanent name for all the upcoming hatchback/sedan versions.
Technically the Suzuki Cultus(Swift), Esteem, Baleno(Old), Swift and Swift Dzire have all been one and the same car. Suzuki just applied the "Swift" name plate to each car at one or other point of time in different countries it was sold.



Surprisingly the Cultus/Swift in the pictures above was sold in Pakistan since mid 90's but not India!
Despite India clearly being a much bigger and developed car market than Pakistan!

P.S- Pics Source Internet

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Skyline_GT

The Maruti 1000 which was later renamed Maruti Esteem[b].

The Esteem wasn't a renamed 1000. While the 1000 had the 970cc engine from the Gypsy, the Esteem got the 1298cc G13BA engine from the international line-up (though inferior to the powerful DOHC 16-Valve engine from the international Swift GTi). Later Esteem got another upgrade to G13BB which was a 16 valve and Mpfi (These cars are a hoot to drive, provided you hold on to the gears and have body strengthening)

Interestingly, the 1000 bodyshell began with getting its engine from the Gypsy and the Esteem gave back its engine in both versions to the Gypsy (in the Gypsy king).

Sorry for sharing unnecessary trivia.

[kkkkkaran]

Originally Posted by 1100D

The Esteem wasn't a renamed 1000. While the 1000 had the 970cc engine from the Gypsy, the Esteem got the 1298cc G13BA engine from the international line-up (though inferior to the powerful DOHC 16-Valve engine from the international Swift GTi). Later Esteem got another upgrade to G13BB which was a 16 valve and Mpfi (These cars are a hoot to drive, provided you hold on to the gears and have body strengthening)



Interestingly, the 1000 bodyshell began with getting its engine from the Gypsy and the Esteem gave back its engine in both versions to the Gypsy (in the Gypsy king).



Sorry for sharing unnecessary trivia.

The esteem was just an upgraded version of the 1000. The 1000 was very underpowered, so they upgraded the engine and rebadged the car to get fresh marketing.

[1100D]

Originally Posted by kkkkkaran

The esteem was just an upgraded version of the 1000. The 1000 was very underpowered, so they upgraded the engine and rebadged the car to get fresh marketing.

Depends on what your definition of "Upgrade" is. Esteem had a completely different engine from the 1000, G-series vs F-series, the suspension, chassis, everything else was different. Only the Bodyshell was common.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by 1100D

the suspension, chassis, everything else was different. Only the Bodyshell was common.

That's definitely not the case. It was essentially the same car with a different engine. Sure, some things might have been changed (e.g. front suspension to handle the additional weight), but it's still the same car. The difference between the two would be similar to the S-Cross 1.3 vs S-Cross 1.6.

[georgesraju]

Suzuki used to re-badge the erstwhile Daewoo Kalos (Chevrolet Aveo UVA) as Suzuki Swift in Canada. Do they count those in the Swift numbers?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...ling_Ford).jpg

[1100D]

Originally Posted by GTO

That's definitely not the case. It was essentially the same car with a different engine. Sure, some things might have been changed (e.g. front suspension to handle the additional weight), but it's still the same car. The difference between the two would be similar to the S-Cross 1.3 vs S-Cross 1.6.

True. So it is for a variety of other cars too, like the Ikon Flair and Ikon 1.6. The bodyshell becomes the identity. However, I am not sure why a part of me does not want to agree to the 1000 being the same car as the Esteem, even with the logic in place, they were worlds apart.

At the risk of going off topic, would it be prudent to call the Evo as an upgraded Lancer? Probably it is.

[car_crazy1400]

The main difference between the 1000 and the esteem that I remember are :

1. The engine.

2. 1000 had solid disc brakes and the esteem had ventilated discs up front.

3. The clutch assembly and flywheel was different.

4. Esteem had a better ac and not by much.

[manishkapadia]

Hello Aditya,

Do we have these numbers for other hit products like the Civic, City, Fiesta or the Yaris for the past decade. This so that we have a perspective of the 50 Lakh number. Even though I think Suzuki may have presence is fewer countries than its competition.

[Skyline_GT]

Originally Posted by georgesraju

Suzuki used to re-badge the erstwhile Daewoo Kalos (Chevrolet Aveo UVA) as Suzuki Swift in Canada. Do they count those in the Swift numbers?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...ling_Ford).jpg

Now that's an interesting trivia you got here! Even the history of Suzuki Cultus/Swift has no mention of Daewoo Kalos being sold as a Swift.
Sorry for going a bit off topic but since it has been asked-
Here's something interesting i found...
In 2001 Daewoo sold most of it's company assets and shares to General Motors(GM) so that will explain why Daewoo Kalos was rebadged as Chevorlet UVA.
Just how the Mahindra-Renault Logan was later rebadged as Mahindra Verito after Renault called quits.

Now for the Swift/Chevy UVA part-
CAMI Automotive is an automobile manufacturer from Canada. Currently completely owned by General Motors since 2009. Prior to this CAMI had been under a join partnership of Suzuki(49%) and GM(51%). The Chevy UVA sold in Canada is just a UVA sold under the " Swift" badge just because the "Swift" brand is popular and will possibly boost it's sales.

So i think the Canadian Swift won't be included in the total production numbers of Suzuki Swift since it's not actually a Swift in the first place.

[romeomidhun]

Originally Posted by georgesraju

Suzuki used to re-badge the erstwhile Daewoo Kalos (Chevrolet Aveo UVA) as Suzuki Swift in Canada. Do they count those in the Swift numbers?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...ling_Ford).jpg

This is another reason why Suzuki failed in many international markets - they were re-badging many flop and incompetent models of Daewoo and Chevrolet. All those Veronas and Forenzas in USA destroyed / didn't help to build the confidence in the brand. A Swift or Jimny would have helped them to pave the base for their growth.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars...self-14544833/ . This reveals some of those reasons.

While counting the numbers sold as Swift, it should start only from 2005, when the first gen Swift as we see in India was launched. All others were Esteems, Balenos or UVAs.