Rally Suitability of Swift/SX4 in India

D1ISTHE1 · 16th November 2007, 19:52

Dear, Yes! it would definately encourage sales, only thing is Swift/SX4/Gypsy which are on the current production line..(say from 2 years now).

Maruti can hardly keep up with the quality standards in their cars and instead of upgrading they usually downgrade, cut corners and finally that product quality gets cheap. Take a look at the quality standards of the Swift, If Maruti was really keen on the Swift they would had got her a new engine which we find abroad, not just an engine with a throwaway technology, a decade old.

Mpower · 16th November 2007, 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyneverdie

hey people presume you all have heard of the new lancer soon coming

1.8lt 144 odd hp

torsion and chassis rigidity is up [forgotten figures] by over 50 % as compared to the Cedia ..which i always felt was loose

Might be great for rallying, but will flop badly in sales. The trick is to put old wine in new bottle, not put new wine in old bottle.

1100D · 16th November 2007, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by oversteer

I'm sure if more players came in *officially* (Skoda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, even Tata), it would actually bring costs down for everybody involved. Simple economics: volume goes up, prices come down. So you know it would actually be kinda nice if say, Tata came in with like a works team, and Maruti was forced to homologate just because Tata starts hyping about how good their cars are on bad roads <daydreaming...>

I agree, but the point is, even if rallying was a popular sport. Pundarikakhshya and Ghatothkach, who sit beside me in office, will still go and buy an alto. Because they give two hoots about rally credibility. As long as we dont make Rally credentials as important as having an effect even on Matrimonial prospects we dont see that changing. As long as that aint happening the manufacturers aren't getting interested.

Regarding prototype testing in India, manufacturers themselves spy photograph their cars being tested in Africa.

oversteer · 17th November 2007, 00:18

You're probably right 1100D, but maybe part of the reason why rallying doesn't have credibility is that there are a very few players (read Maruti) involved. MRF tyres, for example, are doing a pretty darn good job of tooting their own horn based on their rally accomplishments - now *that's* credibility. I mean, it's all about advertising, isn't it? If the majority of car manufacturers start using rallying as a means of proving their worth, it might just become one of the criteria for consideration for new buyers. Like how MRF (the APRC ad) and JK (the Naren ad) are doing right now. What do you guys think?

"In other news", it appears that the desi Swift has been homologated for rallying. This was evidently done by a privateer and the car was part-sponsored by MRF for the Raid de Himalaya. No news on the SX4, though.

D1ISTHE1 · 17th November 2007, 00:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by oversteer

You're probably right 1100D, but maybe part of the reason why rallying doesn't have credibility is that there are a very few players (read Maruti) involved. MRF tyres, for example, are doing a pretty darn good job of tooting their own horn based on their rally accomplishments - now *that's* credibility. I mean, it's all about advertising, isn't it? If the majority of car manufacturers start using rallying as a means of proving their worth, it might just become one of the criteria for consideration for new buyers. Like how MRF (the APRC ad) and JK (the Naren ad) are doing right now. What do you guys think?

"In other news", it appears that the desi Swift has been homologated for rallying. This was evidently done by a privateer and the car was part-sponsored by MRF for the Raid de Himalaya. No news on the SX4, though.

Yeah Bro, the swift did complete the Raid, I live in Shimla (Now in Chandigarh) I saw the car myself standing at scruitny befor the rally, didn't get a chance to take a aloser look.

cyneverdie · 17th November 2007, 17:11

hey people

caught it at 630 am suzuki made their WRC Debut with the SX4 !

looked like a hatch version though
& of course they had many technical issues

but crazy !

made a separate thread for it

memo45_m · 13th March 2009, 12:15

News for those looking at the swift for racing/rallying, it has been homolagted by FMSCI for both power to weight for road racing and Group N for rallying(N+ not to sure). The homolagation came through about a month ago.

nitrous · 13th March 2009, 15:16

Awesome!
Now, how do we strip off 200 kgs?

16th November 2007, 19:52	#46
D1ISTHE1 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: OMNIPRESENT Posts: 120 Thanked: Once View My Garage	so even if motorsports were popularly followed would it have any effect on the sales Dear, Yes! it would definately encourage sales, only thing is Swift/SX4/Gypsy which are on the current production line..(say from 2 years now). Maruti can hardly keep up with the quality standards in their cars and instead of upgrading they usually downgrade, cut corners and finally that product quality gets cheap. Take a look at the quality standards of the Swift, If Maruti was really keen on the Swift they would had got her a new engine which we find abroad, not just an engine with a throwaway technology, a decade old.
	() Thanks

17th November 2007, 00:18	#49
oversteer BHPian Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: KA-03 Posts: 69 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	You're probably right 1100D, but maybe part of the reason why rallying doesn't have credibility is that there are a very few players (read Maruti) involved. MRF tyres, for example, are doing a pretty darn good job of tooting their own horn based on their rally accomplishments - now that's credibility. I mean, it's all about advertising, isn't it? If the majority of car manufacturers start using rallying as a means of proving their worth, it might just become one of the criteria for consideration for new buyers. Like how MRF (the APRC ad) and JK (the Naren ad) are doing right now. What do you guys think? "In other news", it appears that the desi Swift has been homologated for rallying. This was evidently done by a privateer and the car was part-sponsored by MRF for the Raid de Himalaya. No news on the SX4, though.
	() Thanks

17th November 2007, 17:11	#51
cyneverdie BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: bombay Posts: 440 Thanked: 6 Times	hey people caught it at 630 am suzuki made their WRC Debut with the SX4 ! looked like a hatch version though & of course they had many technical issues but crazy ! made a separate thread for it
	() Thanks

13th March 2009, 12:15	#52
memo45_m BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 299 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	News for those looking at the swift for racing/rallying, it has been homolagted by FMSCI for both power to weight for road racing and Group N for rallying(N+ not to sure). The homolagation came through about a month ago.
	() Thanks

13th March 2009, 15:16	#53
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	Awesome! Now, how do we strip off 200 kgs?
	() Thanks