Suzuki Swift News

The popular little hatchback was recalled on March 29 for a possible fuel leak from an incorrectly installed fuel filler pipe hose clamp which could cause a fire "in rare cases". It has now been recalled again over the same issue, but for vehicles made more recently.The first recall affected about 11,000 Swifts sold from February 1, 2011, to March 29 this year in Australia -- and was part of a global recall of 109,000. The second recall affects vehicles sold since then. According to VFacts industry figures, Suzuki Australia sold 715 Swifts in April and has sold 3713 since the start of the year.Four cases of leaking fuel filler hoses have been reported in Japan, but Suzuki says the incidents did not lead to any accidents. There have been no reports of leaks in cars sold in the Australian market.Suzuki Australia spokesman Andrew Ellis says the second recall is for an inspection of the re-work that was carried out in the plant to rectify the situation. ``Essentially a visual inspection and confirmation of location of the fuel filler hose that should only take a few minutes,'' he says.The voluntary recall by Suzuki Australia Pty Limited claims insufficient sealing between the rubber filler hose and the metal filler pipe leading to possible fuel escaping from the fuel tank filler port.The defect is a result of a production error during installation. Owners have been advised to contact an authorised Suzuki dealer for the fault to be fixed. 

The cars were produced between September 2010 and last month, with 55,146 shipped to the domestic market and 53,801 others that were exported to countries including to Australia, Mexico, and Europe.Suzuki said that an inadequate connection on the rubber fuel filler hose could cause petrol to leak. Four cases of such leakage have been reported in Japan, but they did not lead to any accidents, the statement revealed."There have been no reports of such defects abroad,'' the spokesman added. "About the exported cars, we will deal with them in keeping with local procedures of the countries concerned.''In March, Suzuki recalled about 93,000 Swifts, including 11,000 in Australia, to repair the fuel filling system.

The production version will star for the brand at Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Drawing styling cues from the Suzuki Swift S Concept from which it was based, the new Swift Sport is the first full model change since its original launch in 2006. It features more aggressive styling with a low-slung body and oversized grille. Suzuki promises both power and good fuel economy from the 1.6-litre engine, which is mated to a six-speed manual transmission -- both developed exclusively for the Swift Sport.  The new Swift Sport "offers superior cornering stability and responsive handling thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and an exclusive rear-suspension design", Suzuki says. Like the standard Swift, the Sport's safety is helped by a light, stiff, impact-absorbing body plus seven airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag) and ESC. “We are very excited about the preliminary release of the new Swift Sport, but we are still some way off finalising the Australian version,” said Suzuki Australian General Manager Tony Devers. “The Swift Sport will not go on sale here until next year, so we still have some time to work through the specification level suitable for the Australian market. What we do know is the Swift Sport will offer better performance, handling, economy and style than ever before. We can’t wait to launch the ultimate pocket rocket to our customers.”

The Swift Sport was previewed at the Australian International Motor Show, where Suzuki Australia's managing director Takeshi Hayasaki revealed plans for it to become the Japanese company's new youth leader and halo car. The last-generation Sport arrived 12 months after launch of the regular Swifts. A similar timeline this time should have the five-door hatch here in the first quarter of 2012. "We're very happy with the new Swift. Private sales are doing well for us but the fleet and government business is quiet," he said. "Cars like the Swift Sport are important in Australia, people here identify with the fast cars like in Europe, but it is low volume so the business case needs to be strong." The show Sport was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in February and is painted an eye-watering yellow and runs on 18-inch rims. The 1.4-litre engine that drives the regular Swift has been ditched for a 1.6-litre mill with variable valve timing, though Suzuki won't yet say what numbers the engine produces. The previous Sport extracted 92kW and 148Nm from its 1.6-litre engine but did it with a five-speed manual where the new one will have a six-shifter. The outgoing Swift Sport wasn't a pocket-rocket but took to corners like few cars in the light car class. It should undercut the Europeans _ particularly the more potent VW Polo GTI it will be shopped against _ and should have a handling edge on the Holden Barinas and Ford Fiestas. The Sport shares the regular Swift's 2430mm wheelbase but the flared guards pump the width out by 60mm and the height is down 35mm. Recaro sports seats are fitted to the interior and alloy pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a carbon fibre centre console show passengers it's a sports-based car.

Suzuki boss Tony Devers says the Swift S, with its bigger wheels, rear wing and impressive air cooling vents and body work could be here within a year. “This shows that driving a compact car does not mean having to settle for less,” he says. While the Swift S may arrive within a year, the Kizashi turbo concept - shown last year at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney - is still a long way off. Devers says the concept was driven by Australia and had been further developed with an American company with a new “refined” turbo. “We’ve got to prove a point to headquarters that we need a turbo,” he says. “To get new customers to the Kizashi we need more power.” Devers says Suzuki has recorded its biggest-selling month in June and is heading for 25,000 sales this year. He says the company has gone from 10,000 sales in 2004 to over 25,000 and doubled its market share. Swift remains the biggest seller, but is now joined by strong sales in the Alto. However, Devers says the one-litre three-cylinder will not enter a price war with the new Chinese models. “We’ve just had our two best months of sales of Alto,” he says. “We pioneered this segment and are happy where we are now. “There will be no price war. “We believe our pricing is great value. Price is a key but so is safety and quality.”

A plug-in hybrid version of the Swift has just been confirmed in Japan, with a 30-kilometre electric range for an extra $600 over the price of a petrol-powered model. Like the General Motors Volt, which will eventually be sold in Australia as a Holden, the Swift does not use a petrol engine for propulsion but instead there is a tiny three-cylinder motor to provide the electricity to charge the onboard batteries once any plug-in charge is depleted. This sort of 'range extender' hybrid is going to become more common in future years, with Jaguar even proposing a supercar using tiny twin jet engines to put the punch into a 320km/h contender. Suzuki says the first supplies of the hybrid Swift will be reserved for Japan in 2013 but there is already interest in Australia. "Obviously we'd like to have an alternative fuel car here in Australia and if it goes into production we will definitely look at it," says Andrew Ellis, spokesman for Suzuki Australia. The car first emerged at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 when it was shown as a concept. The hybrid Swift is primarily intended for plug-in use, taking its power - in the style promoted heavily in Australia by Better Place - from the grid. In that case its 260-volt lithium-ion battery, which is fitted inside the centre console, have a capacity of 2.66 kiloWatt- hours. Its front-wheel drive motivation comes from a synchronous electric motor rated at 55 kiloWatts. "The Swift plug-in hybrid not only meets the needs of the many people who drive no more than 20km each day but also saves users from worrying about being stranded or having to search for a charging stand if the battery runs low. Anyone can easily do something for the environment while enjoying daily mobility," says Suzuki. It intends to ship the first cars to dealers later this year for on- road trials before the start of full-scale production and everyday sales in Japan.

And each week it seems the fuel price sign goes up faster than a politician's pay packet. Australians use a vast amount of fuel in going about their daily business, be it getting the kids to school, travelling to and from work, or conducting the nation's business.Each year we import an ocean of petrol, diesel and LPG that's equivalent to 63,000 Olympic swimming pools. And we're not alone, as the vast populations of newly mobile countries such as India and China take to the roads in their Tatas, Great Walls and Cherys, the world's thirst for oil seems ever more insatiable.Overlay this with war and unrest in the Middle East, the source of 56 per cent of the world's oil, and the inevitable push-pull dynamics of supply and demand can lean to only one thing: higher fuel prices.Here in Australia motorists have been feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices since January when the latest spike in oil prices first began appearing on service station leader boards.The spiralling petrol prices mean fuelling a family car like a Commodore or Falcon now accounts for 2.6 per cent of average weekly earnings. But you don't have to sit back and take it in the hip pocket. There are ways to drive down your weekly fuel bills. Here are a few of them.DOWNSIZING According to VFACTS industry statistics, this seems the most popular choice. Large cars have gone from the top-selling passenger segment in 2000 with 198,766 to the smallest passenger segment last year with 98,583 and falling at 3.1 per cent.Meanwhile, sales of smaller cars are skyrocketing. In the past 10 years small car sales have almost doubled to 239,191 while light cars have increased about 44 per cent to 137,916. You can buy a small car from as little as $11,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Chinese-made Chery, right up $35,990 for a Citroen DS3.And you won't go without. Some of the cheapest little cars these days come with a swag of safety and creature features from multiple airbags to Bluetooth connectivity.PROS: Save on fuel; do the environment a favour; easier to park; nippier in traffic; little hatches can be cavernous if you fold down the rear seats.CONS: You get cramped on long journeys; they are noisier on the highway; they're bumpier over potholes; you could feel a little silly driving a Smurf car.Our Pick: Hyundai i20 (from $15,490) is set to take over from Getz as the segment leader with Euro styling and a high level of features and safety.Others to Consider: Suzuki Swift (from $15,990), Mazda2 (from $15,790) and Toyota Yaris (from $14,990).DIESEL Like smaller car categories, the growth in diesel-powered vehicles is exponential. Since the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries began collating separate figures for various fuel types in 2005, diesel cars and SUVs have more than doubled to 125,555 last year, which is almost one in every five new passenger cars or SUVs bought today.The reason is that modern diesel engines are not only up to twice as frugal as a petrol vehicle, but they often have lower emissions because they burn less fuel per kilometre and usually have an exhaust system that traps small carbon materials.Modern diesels are also quieter and smoother running. However, diesel engines have higher internal pressures and a complex fuel system so they are more expensive to build than a petrol engine. Some car companies charge up to $10,000 more for a diesel variant, although most charge around an extra $2000.Expensive diesels are often the result of low production volumes and highly technological designs and machining costs. To reap the economic benefits you have to drive big kilometres each year and hold on to the vehicle longer.An extreme example is the Holden CD Cruze auto diesel that costs $4000 more than the petrol model. Based on RACQ's fuel running costs of 9.36c/km for the petrol and 8.41c/km for the diesel, you would have to drive 25,000km for 16 years to recoup the extra cost.PROS: Fuel economy is anywhere between 10-50 per cent better than a petrol equivalent; more torque means quicker acceleration and easier driving around town; better towing capacity; marginally better resale value; lower CO2 emissions per kilometre; diesel engines often last longer because of the more robust engineering.CONS: Fewer diesel pumps on servo forecourts means queuing at the servo; oily bowser pumps leave your hands smelly and dirty; the engines still clatter at idle and sound raucous at full revs; it takes a long time to reap the economic benefits; servicing charges can also be more expensive because of the more expensive oils required and the complicated fuel systems.Our Pick: Fiesta ECOnetic (from $24,990) is a hybrid beater even in stop-start commuting, yet it's a delight to drive.Others to Consider: Hyundai i30 (from $23,090), VW Golf (from $29,990), Subaru Forester (from $35,990).LPG It's almost worth it to convert your petrol or diesel vehicle to LPG just to get the $1500 Federal government subsidy. But you better be quick because the conversion rebate drops to $1250 from July 1 and decreases $250 annually. All rebates and subsidies are only for private vehicles.Conversions cost an average of $2800 for pre-2006 vehicles, but about $4000 for newer vehicles because of emissions regulations. If you buy a vehicle factory fitted for LPG before its first registration, you get a $2000 rebate from the Feds.However, choices of new vehicles with factory fitted LPG systems are limited. Ford has a new LPG Falcon coming in July and has factory-fitted systems for some of its utes. Holden has an Autogas dual-fuel injection system for its Commodore and will have a mono-fuel LPG Commodore later this year.Toyota has a direct injection LPG system for its 2.7-litre HiAce vans and Mitsubishi has an aftermarket sequential multi-port direct-injection system for its Challenger, Express Van, Pajero, Triton and the now defunct 380.PROS: Much cheaper fuel (about 60c compared with $140+ for ULP); government subsidies make conversion attractive; LPG prices are fairly static so you don't have to fill up on a Tuesday morning when servo prices are cheapest; lower emissions.CONS: Limited choice of new dual-fuel vehicles; only suitable for large vehicles; you lose boot space; even though they are safe they can develop minor smelly leaks; they add about 75kg (about the weight of two large suitcases) to the rear of the car effecting handling; it can be difficult finding servos with LPG in rural areas.HYBRID These are vehicles with petrol or diesel internal combustion engines paired with an electric motor or motors. The drivetrain and associated battery pack for the electric motor is more complex so therefore more costly. Like diesels, you need to do big kays before the savings at the bowser recoup the extra purchase price.For example, a Toyota Prius costs about $2500 more than a Corolla Ultima. Using RACQ's running costs, the fuel savings will take 4 years at 15,000km a year (or 2.5 years at 25,000km/year) to recoup the extra purchase price.Most hybrids switch off totally every time you stop and run on electric power only when you are driving slowly, so they are most economical in heavy traffic. The benefits are marginal on country roads and highways, although when both drive units are operating under heavy acceleration such as when overtaking, they do offer a tangible boost to acceleration.Despite the fact the technology has been around for 10 years, Hybrids are still relatively new. Today, there are 10 hybrid models on the market, but only the Toyota Prius, Camry, Honda Insight and Civic are affordable.Hybrids tend to be bought mainly by governments and big business to emphasise their green credentials. Taxi companies also like hybrids because of their fuel efficiency in urban environments. If you're open to the idea of a used vehicle, then a second-hand Prius or similar is a reasonable option.PROS: Cheaper to run in traffic; feel and be seen to be environmentally conscious; extra power under heavy acceleration; almost silent running when on electric only power.CONS: Higher purchase price; the number of models is limited but you can choose from a small Prius to a large Porsche Cayenne SUV; some look odd like the Prius and Insight.Our Pick: Toyota Prius (from $39,900) and the Honda Insight (from $29,990) at least look like futuristic hybrids, so your neighbours will know you are trying to be green.Others to consider: Honda Civic (from $34,490), Toyota Camry (from $36,990)ELECTRIC CARSThe only production electric cars in Australia are the Tesla Roadster at $241,938 and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which is available only on a lease of $1740 a month for three years for a total of $62,640. Then the car goes back to Mitsubishi. When it arrives it is expected to cost $70,000.However, prices will come crashing down in the next few years as more and more EVs become available in Australia. The first of these will be the Nissan Leaf and Holden Volt next year.The Volt is expected to cost less than $40,000 and Nissan is saying the Leaf will cost about the same to run as a Tiida, even though initial outlay will probably be close to the Volt. While tailpipe emissions are zero, most electricity in Australia comes from burning dirty coal, so the environmental advantage is reduced.Some critics say there is no advantage. Current limitations of battery technology mean range is also limited to about 160km according to the car companies, but in real life it's less, especially if you have a lead foot.PROS: Very cheap to run; no tailpipe emissions; almost silent running; aerodynamic body shapes.CONS: Expensive to buy - that's if you can find one to buy; silent running can be dangerous for pedestrians; battery disposal is an environmental issue; range is limited; long re-charging time (up to eight hours); most EVs are designed to look futuristic but just end up looking like golf carts.DRIVE ECONOMICALLYOf all the things you can do to drive down your fuel bill, this is the most pragmatic as it's the simplest and most affordable. It can be expensive to swap your trusted and much-loved family car or SUV for something smaller or with an alternative powertrain.Trade-in prices on family cars are down according to the Motor Trades Association and if you buy a new car, you are up for dealer delivery charges, stamp duty and registration. It may be cheaper to hang on to your vehicle, but modify your driving behaviour for more economical running.There are many simple things you can do: Plan trips better and make fewer trips; jettison excess weight from the car; correctly inflate your tyres and get your car serviced more frequently.Most importantly you can vary your driving behaviour by slowing down, changing up the gears sooner, avoiding heavy breaking and staying away from peak-hour traffic. You may have heard these all before, but here are five radical ideas to reducing your fuel expense burden that you may not have heard.1. Cool idea: Turning off the airconditioning will provide a slight increase in fuel economy. However, when travelling on the highway, it is more fuel efficient to have the windows up and aircon switched on than having the windows down creating aerodynamic drag. Don't leave the aircon off for long periods as bacteria will build up in the system.2. Light is right: So throw out not only the unnecessary baggage such as your golf clubs, but maybe also the spare tyre. It can weigh 15-20kg in the average car. The US Department of Energy quotes fuel use as 1-2 per cent for every 45.5kg, so that's at least 0.5 per cent saved. Conversely, NRMA tests show that loading a vehicle to its rated maximum increases fuel consumption 24 per cent. While you might be able to get away without a spare tyre around town, we recommend you always carry it on long trips, especially in the country.3. Turned off: Switch off the engine at long traffic light stops. Modern fuel-injected cars start quickly without the need for any throttle. Car makers with stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine every time the car is stopped quote fuel savings in traffic of 4-5 per cent.4. Just cruising: Use cruise control more frequently. Most cruise control systems actually put the car's engine into an economy mode and will run more efficiently than most drivers can drive as it accelerates more evenly. It is best used on the open road and not hilly terrain or stop-start conditions. While we could not find any official figures, some sources claim fuel savings up to 14 per cent.5. Re-tyre: the next time you buy tyres, choose from the new range of "eco" tyres with low rolling resistance. A California Energy Commission study estimated low-rolling resistance tyres could save 1.5-4.5 per cent on fuel consumption.

The spiralling petrol prices mean fuelling a family car like a Commodore or Falcon now accounts for 2.6 per cent of average weekly earnings. But you don't have to sit back and take it in the hip pocket. These families have all taken different approaches to reducing their fuel bills.DOWNSIZINGTheir 2000 Falcon was costing the Andrew family of Brisbane a small fortune to keep running, so they decided to downsize.However, instead of buying one vehicle, they went for two Suzukis, the cutesy Swift and the three-cylinder ultra-frugal Alto.Warren, 47, says the Falcon had a 65-litre tank while the combined tanks of the Swift and Alto are 77 litres. "We now get twice as many kilometres from the same expenditure on fuel," he says. Though it has to be noted that the additional cost of registering and maintaining a second car would probably offset any real cost advantage.His wife, Karen, 43, says having two small cars is more versatile for transporting their children Jess, 12, and Emily, 10, to and from primary and secondary schools. We don't miss the Falcon in the least; maybe we will when we go on holidays," she says."It's been great. Having the two cars means we can take a child separately - one to primary and one at high school. The Swift is really cool. The Alto is a good little runabout but I enjoy driving the Swift. We drive whoever's car is at the back. Warren tends to take the Swift. I think he deliberately leaves it at the back."We fill them with petrol every couple of weeks and we can squeeze into smaller parking places. "Jess and Emily love the cars more than the Falcon. They say it's my car'."LPG Retirees John and Lesley Braggs planned to become grey nomads so they bought a 2003 BMW X5 V8 petrol a few years ago. "You wouldn't get much change out of $120 when you filled it up," he says.About eight months ago they converted it to a dual-fuel petrol/LPG system. "We were travelling around a lot going down to Melbourne and back and have plans to travel to Adelaide and Alice Springs," he says."We only put about 20 bucks a month of petrol into it because it starts up on petrol and then a few seconds later the gas kicks in. "The petrol also kicks in if you run low onLPG but we never run low and need to use it. I only ever have about a quarter of a tank of petrol, otherwise it's excess weight we don't need."He says he hasn't noticed any change in performance. "It seems to have the same amount of power as when it's running on petrol I reckon," he says. They had a 70-litre LPG tank installed where the spare tyre was located under the cargo floor so they didn't lose any luggage space. "I carry around a pressure pack in case we have a puncture," he says.The LPG installation cost about $4500 with the government rebate. "I'm really wrapped with it. There is nothing different with the performance and it's cheap," he says."LPG is currently about 70c a litre. When we first got it, it was about 40c a litre, but it's still cheap."HYBRID The Knights have discovered another benefit of their fuel-efficient Toyota Prius with the recent birth of their son, Thomas."Now that we have the baby we don't have the radio on and we can tell how quiet it is," Tanya says. "It's a bit disconcerting sometimes when it kicks into electric." Tanya and husband Stephen bought the Prius two years ago."We were in the market for a new car and wanted to be as fuel efficient and environmentally conscious as possible," she says. "We came from a Falcon with LPG so I didn't want to go to a petrol car and pay X number of hundred dollars to fill it."We found the LPG wasn't particularly fuel efficient. It guzzled the fuel, but it was half the price. "Now I fill up maybe once every three to four weeks on a 60km daily round trip to school and home. "With highway driving, I can get over 1000km on one 40-litre tank of fuel which is amazing. We're really happy with it and wouldn't go to a petrol-only car ever."Mrs Knight says the Prius is a bit quirky in design and function. "But once you get used to it, it's interesting," she says. "People are astonished. They say the car has turned off."She also defends the Prius as a family car. "It's actually a reasonable size car. We get the baby capsule in and there is plenty of space for other people, she says. "My dad used to run taxis and many in the industry are going to hybrid cars."DIESEL The Webbs were a bit skeptical about diesels when they went to test the Hyundai i30cw CRDi wagon. But Adam and Katie Webb of Brisbane were pleasantly surprised. "My only experience of a diesel was my mate's old diesel HiLux which chugs and smokes," says Adam. "I had done some research and knew a bit about the new turbo diesels but my wife was especially concerned about the noise and smoke of them."However, when I took it for a test drive I was surprised. For a 1.6 (litre engine) when you put your foot down it really takes off. "It's really quiet. Especially on the highway you hardly notice you are driving a diesel. "There's still a bit of noise when you start it up. You know it's a diesel, but it's a lot smoother and quieter than we thought."The Webbs traded in their 1996 Magna wagon three months ago. "We pretty much downgraded in size, but there is still plenty of space," he says. "Me, my wife and the two kids all fit in quite well and when you have a couple of kids their stuff takes up a lot of boot space."The burning question is fuel economy. "We bought it just for the fuel efficiency," he says. "I'm not too sure on the actual economy figures but we drove about 600km to Rainbow Beach and back last weekend and there's still about a quarter of a tank left."He rejected concerns about limited and dirty diesel bowsers. "My wife drives it more than I do and she hasn't had any problems finding a boswer," he says. "Hyundai supply 10 disposable gloves with the car to use when filling up, but we've never used them."

The concept car was debuted in Geneva earlier this year, and Melbourne will be just the second outing for a design study of what a sports version of the newly released Swift could look like. As with any Suzuki hot hatch, enthusiasts across the land will naturally cast their minds back to the iconic Suzuki Swift GTi from the 1990s. The recent Swift Sport also received much critical acclaim, ensuring that any new hot Swift model will be met with considerable anticipation. "Suzuki has an outstanding record of producing quality light cars," said Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers. "The Swift S Concept draws on a performance heritage unrivalled in the Junior World Rally Championship, with three manufacturer’s and driver’s titles." The Swift S Concept is the embodiment of a premium, light sports car with no compromise on performance. Sitting lower and wider than its standard sibling, the aggressive look is enhanced by dynamic front and rear bumpers, 18-inch wheels and a rally-inspired rear spoiler. The interior features black and yellow leather Recaro sports bucket seats, a specially-designed carbon-fibre centre console, leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, alloy sports pedals and premium chrome highlights on the instrument cluster. Australian International Motor Show event director Russ Tyrie said the Suzuki concept was likely to be well-received in Melbourne. "Everyone loves going to motor shows to see the supercars and the latest technology," said Mr Tyrie. "However, hot hatches are often a person’s first taste of a performance car – perhaps their first step on the path to a supercar later in life. Certainly, many people will have fond memories of their younger years at the wheel of cars like the original Suzuki Swift GTi – they have a joyous and youthful spirit to them. Cars like the Swift S Concept will always be popular with showgoers – especially given this little Suzuki genuinely looks like a rally car for the road." The Australian International Motor Show opens at 6pm on Friday 1 July and runs through until Sunday 10 July at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Keep up to date at www.motorshow.com.au or via Twitter at #themotorshow.

It's the Suzuki Swift Sport, which is about to be previewed in Europe and should be in Australian showrooms in the early months of 2012. The Sport is not a huge change from the regular all-new Swift that has just been launched but promises more punch from an upgraded engine. Full details will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in just over a week. The only difference for Australia sales is that the Swift Sport will continue as a five-door hatch, where Europe gets a three-door body. "We'll have it as a five door. We would like the three-door, but it's still only made in Hungary at the moment," says Tony Devers, general manager of Suzuki Australia. "It's very aggressive and pretty nice. It will be more powerful than the current Swift Sport and, with the more-rigid new chassis, should be a ripper handler." Devers says the Swift is a crucial car for Suzuki and that explains its early confirmation for the motor show. "We definitely intend to have it on our stand. And we'll get it in showrooms early next year," he says. The new Swift is the last in a run of all-new models from Suzuki that began with the first Euro-focussed Swift more than five years ago and continued with the Grand Vitara and Kizashi. Suzuki faces a new-model drought for at least 18 months, and until it can cement the details of a new technical tie-up with Volkswagen Group. Devers says work is underway on Japan on potential engine sharing programs but he has no details. "There is work underway between Volkswagen and Suzuki. What it is, it's too early to say." Instead, he is focussed on a successful launch for the new Swift. "We'll sell 2000 more swifts a year with the new one, and the first few weeks are on track," he says. "We did 1200 of the old model in January, and we're about 250 cars ahead of that with more than a week to go to the end of February.