_0.jpg)
.jpg)
The upcoming Corolla rival is part of a compact development program that has already produced a new SX4 crossover and will soon include a small sedan for China.
The SX4 was previewed at the Geneva motor show last month and the Suzuki sedan, currently called the Authentic, will be unveiled at the Shanghai motor show on April 20.
There is no official confirmation from Suzuki of its small-car plan, but everything points towards a major new push into the biggest growth area in Australian motoring.
"We really haven't had a genuine small car to compete with the Corolla and Mazda3. But it looks as if it could be coming," the general manager of Suzuki Australia, Tony Devers, tells Carsguide.
"The small-car segment is where we need to be. It's most likely to be a hatch, especially for Australia. We'd prefer that because it's 80-90 per cent of the sales in that segment."
The last time Suzuki made a major expansion of its lineup was when it introduced the original Swift and mid-sized Kizashi, but those cars were before the Global Financial Crisis and the death of the company's president.
"We're hoping for a plethora of new models. We've very keen to get new and updated models in the growth segments," says Devers.
"We got through the GFT, we're making profit, and R&D is back into full swing." Devers says Suzuki is already planning for the local arrival of the SX4, probably towards the end of the year, but sees it drawing different customers to showrooms.
"We're not sure if we'll call it a small car or an SUV. It's more like a Nissan Dualis than the current model." On the small-car front, he is expecting a firm plan for the second half of 2014.
"I cannot say anything yet. We don't know about the timing, but I hope it would be next year. "We don't have enough information yet, but the sooner the better for us."
Devers says he hopes to have more information later this month, as he plans to be in Shanghai for the unveiling of the Authentic show car.
He also reports a record March result for Suzuki, thanks to sales campaigns but also the successful sponsorship of The Block on television.
'Our sponsorship of The Block worked well. It started off slowly but it finished off well. And we had good product placement," he says.
Suzuki is now planning how to end its involvement with the latest series, disposing of four Swifts that were decorated by contestants.
"We've going to give a couple more to charities. One went to the public contest winner and there are three more that we need to so something with."
This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover
