The end of hot hatches (Maruti Baleno RS & Volkswagen Polo GT) hints at the start of another. Maruti Suzuki’s Swift Sport spied again in India.
Two years after it was first spotted on Indian roads, Maruti Suzuki’s hot hatch, the Swift Sport, has again resurfaced in India. Maruti seems to be testing the vehicle to understand its viability for the Indian market. Here are ‘5 Things to Know’ about the car from the test mule.
1) Exterior updates: The spy shots of the Swift Sport reveal a front end dominated by a large blacked-out grille, reprofiled front bumper and new fog lamp enclosures. Other significant highlights of the vehicle include the new blacked-out diffuser, twin can exhaust with chrome tips, roof-mounted spoiler and a shark fin antenna. The test mule also sits on new dual-tone alloy wheels with tinner tyres. All these updates provide the Swift Sport with a more aggressive and sportier stance.
2) Platform and build: The Swift Sport will continue to be built on the company’s HEARTECH platform but will feature some upgrades to make the chassis stiffer while still maintaining the overall weight. The overall chassis strengthening and a stiffer suspension setup will help the four-wheeler handle better.
3) Interiors: While no details about the cabin have been revealed, we expect the Swift Sport to feature the standard cabin seen on the Swift in India. But keeping with the theme, we can expect Maruti to include red highlights to enhance the sportiness of the interior.
4) Powertrain: The international spec Suzuki Swift Sport comes equipped with a 1.4-litre BoosterJet engine that produces a peak power of 130 bhp and a peak torque of 235 Nm. This engine comes mated to either a 6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic transmission. We can expect the same mill to make its way to the Indian version if Suzuki decides to offer the vehicle as a CBU option. But keeping in mind the price conscious Indian market, Maruti may locally produce the Swift Sport and offer the 1.0-litre BoosterJet engine that was last seen on the Baleno RS mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
5) Launch Date: Maruti has confirmed that it currently does not have any plans to introduce the sports hatch in the country. But with the international model due for an update soon, we can expect Maruti to bring the upgraded Swift Sport in limited numbers to the country.
But until then, hold tight and enjoy the images of one of India’s most popular hatchbacks.
