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2011 Suzuki Swift Debuts At AIMS, Local Launch Due Next Year

2011 SWIFT

Following its world debut at Paris earlier this month, Suzuki has today shown the 2011 Suzuki Swift at the Australian International Motor Show.

The latest generation of the popular hatch is set to debut on the Australian ma


2011 SWIFT

Following its world debut at Paris earlier this month, Suzuki has today shown the 2011 Suzuki Swift at the Australian International Motor Show.

The latest generation of the popular hatch is set to debut on the Australian market in the first half of next year.

Following the old adage of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', Suzuki has leaned heavily on the styling of the previous generation Swift for its latest incarnation.

While the design of both models might make them hard to separate visually, a side-by-side comparison will quickly reveal their differences - along with the fact that this new Swift is noticeably larger.

Measuring 3850mm long, the 2011 Swift is 90mm longer than its predecessor, on a wheelbase 50mm longer than before. That's not all, because it's also 5mm wider and 10mm taller. Front and rear tracks have also grown, by 10 and 5mm respectively.

The new Swift's weight has not been revealed, but with the current model weighing in at just 1000kg, the new model is also likely to be a lightweight.

It's a  new story under the bonnet also, with a 1.2 litre Dual-VVT petrol engine producing 70kW and 118Nm of torque - bettering the European model's 1.3 litre engine (which Suzuki has singled out for comparison), and coming mighty close to the Australian-delivered 74kW/133Nm 1.5 litre engine.

Fuel consumption for the 1.2 litre engine is listed at 5.0 l/100km; compared to the local 1.5 litre engine (6.3 l/100km), this is the new engine's strong point.

A 1.3 litre diesel engine will also be offered, producing 56kW and 190Nm of torque, listing a fuel consumption figure of just 4.2 l/100km. 

Acceleration to 100km/h comes in at 12.3 seconds for the manual petrol engine, and 13.5 seconds when paired with the four-speed automatic. The diesel engine returns a similar time, listing 12.7 seconds to 100km/h with the manual transmission (no auto option available).

Speaking of the new Swift earlier this year, Suzuki Australia boss Tony Devers said the Australian-delivered model will arrive before the middle of 2011.

"We are very excited about the preliminary release of the new car, but we are still some way off finalising the Australian version of the next Swift,” Mr Devers said.

“The new Swift doesn’t go on sale here until the first half of next year, so we still have some development time to work through.”

As was the case with the more powerful 1.5 litre engine used in Australia, Mr Devers said Suzuki Australia would consider all potential powertrain options for new Swift.

“I can confirm the Australian-specification Swift will offer even better performance and economy than the current benchmark model.”

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