DriveBlog

Moving along swiftly

As I type this post, the number of Swift bookings made so far could safely be at the 15000 mark, going by the numbers it's been chugging since launch last week. Pretty much enough to have the folks at MUL leaning back in their chairs and grinning, I reckon. And not just for all the money that the Swift is going to make them, but possibly more for what the car promises to do for Maruti's image. There are of course, the naysayers who predict that the new kid on the block will now eat into the sales, or for that matter, the existence itself of some of the older inhabitants of the Maruti stables. But MUL's having none of that.

With what's being now looked at as a two-month waiting period and with people willing to pay up to Rs. 25000 up front to make sure they get it sooner, it looks like the Swift has lived up to all the hype that preceded its arrival.

Do we hear the Koreans shaking in their boots or worse, buckling at the knees? Hardly, as Hyundai doesn't even consider the Swift as being in the same segment as the Getz. It'd rather have it do business with the Santro for now!

Also see:
The Hindu reviews the Swift

Fox populi

When it rains, it really does pour. It hasn't even laid the foundation stone for its factory in India yet, but Volkswagen has made its intentions to get into the thick of things clear almost immediately. And it will do so by bringing the 2-box Fox (word!) to India in the premium hatchback segment.

Also see:
A complete B-hive of activity
What the next 2 years will see in the B-segment

Lights, camera, acceleration!

What, it took an appearance in an inane, semi-jingoistic 'new-age comedy' flick for people to sit up and take notice of the Santro? Not for me, no...because I hardly remember the car from this movie. For its own sake, I hope the Swift makes a more promising impression in the movie that will introduce it to the Indian masses.

Also see:
The good, the bad and the ugly about the Swift
More public opinion on the Swift from Mouthshut.com (What's with the pic of that WagonR?) =)

Overwait!

Never did I think, that in this day and age, someone would have to wait 9 months for a new car.

Swift makes debut today

The entire nation, I daresay, can now let go of the collective breath it's been holding all these days in anticipation of the launch of the Swift. After much vacillation on both the launch price and date, the car 'officially debuted' today. The bottom-end LXi version has been launched at a cool Rs. 387000 (ex-showroom Delhi). The mid-range VXi option can be yours for Rs. 405000 and the fully-loaded ZXi (the one with the 'Z' is always, the coolest, isn't it?) comes in at Rs. 485000. Again, smart on the part of Maruti to price the 3 variants with almost a lakh of a difference between the bottom and top. Something for everyone to choose from.

And going by the reviews (read what BS Motoring had to say after they did the car), it looks like the Swift is the answer to both the Indian carbuyer's and Maruti's dreams and looks very unlikely to disappoint either. Or should I say it better not disappoint, because over 8000 of the cars have been spoken for already.

Update: The Swift will grace Indian roads only by the first week of June when customer delivery begins. And the mouth-watering prices at which it's been launched may not be the same for too long, but no one's confirming that yet.

Also see:
Inside the Swift
The average Joe's take on the Swift ('Registration required' link)
All the news on 'Maruti Swift' from Google News India
All the news on 'Maruti Suzuki Swift' from Google News India

Where is it, then?

Except for a TV commercial that has something to do with a clock, a one-second shot of the car zipping by in a velodrome like thing, and tries very hard to sound cool, there hasn't been much that I've seen, heard or read of the Swift in the past few days prior to its much-awaited launch. Well, as they say...tomorrow is another day.

PS: Next update likely only on Saturday as I will be at the receiving end of the hospitality of the South Central / South Eastern Railways starting tonight as I find my way back home to Chennai from Mumbai. If they do launch that danged car tomorrow and I happen to miss it, let me know what goes down. =)

Also see:
Some more pictures of and thoughts on the Swift.

Swift likely price announced

The Maruti Suzuki Swift will soon be available in 3 variants: the base Lxi, the intermediate Vxi and the fully loaded Zxi. Industry speculation is that prices may be around the Rs. 3.99 lakh range for the base version to about 4.75 lakhs for the top-end version. All variants will run on 1.3 litre petrol engines.

In terms of features towards the top end, the Swift seems like it packs a better punch than the Getz. The Zxi, for example, will be armed with an automatic climate control system and dual front airbags along with ABS. The premium-end variant of the Getz in comparison, the GLS ABS has only...well, ABS.

Update: Methinks it's going to be a smart move on the part of the Maruti to offer a 'pared down' version of the Swift starting at Rs. 3.99 lakhs. Reminiscent of the 'psychological pricing' tactic that Bata (yes, them of the Hawaii chappals) tends to use all the time, I think the average Indian car buyer is going to be very tempted by the proposition of the Swift being available at less than 4 lakhs (so what if it's only a 1000 bucks less?). An opportunity that perhaps Hyundai missed by pricing the base version of the Getz, the GL at Rs. 4.5 lakhs. Opinions have already begun to fly fast and free that some rethinking on the part of the Koreans may be in order.

Must be true...

I love this ad. Don't you love this ad?

www.marutiswift.com

The official website for the Maruti Suzuki Swift is live (Thanks, Sid), though you won't find a link to it from the Maruti Udyog group site just yet.

Quite a pleasant surprise, this site. Not what you would expect from the likes of MUL. But like I've surmised before, it looks like Maruti is looking at doing everything it can with the Swift to help break away from its straitlaced, no-nonsense, 'I-only-mean-business' image. Now while that can be a good thing, a little chutzpah never hurt anybody, right?

Tech specs of the car, however are not yet up. Those may be made available only post the official launch.

There are also some bootleg Swift sites out there, some of which score high if 'as much dope as possible on the car in one place' is your criteria.

Also see:
When the Getz website was found

autocarindia.com redux

Autocar, one of India's best-known motoring monthlies, have given their online persona a much-needed shot in the arm. Check out their new and improved website. And if you're wondering why I'm crowing about this so much, you obviously haven't seen what the site used to look like before this.

Moving on, not to be missed is their Road Tests section, which at last count, had a list of over 60 cars for you to pick from and drive vicariously.

Also see:
Vote and discuss: Autocar or Overdrive? (Members only link)
"We take our readers for a spin in the car we are talking about."