In a step that would further intensify competition in the entry-level sedan market, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) on Wednesday launched the all-new Swift DZire, a shorter version of the old model, packed with 150 new features at reduced prices.
While the petrol variants are priced between Rs.4.79 lakh and Rs.6.54 lakh, the diesel versions come with price tags ranging from Rs.5.80 lakh to Rs.7.09 lakh. The new Swift DZire is wider, taller and has a larger wheel, besides being more fuel-efficient by almost 7 per cent in petrol (19.1 km a litre) and 8 per cent in diesel (23.4 km a litre) compared to the older sedan. The petrol version is equipped with the all new 1.2 litre K-12M VVT engine that delivers 87 PS power, while the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine gives 75 PS power. “We along with our vendors have invested over Rs.230 crore towards this full model change for the new Swift DZire, This is over and above the Rs.550 crore invested towards new Swift launched earlier in this fiscal,” MSIL Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi told journalists here.
“This second new model in our portfolio within six months, demonstrates our faith and confidence in the Indian market…our engineers have brought in interesting modifications including an automatic transmission in the new Swift DZire to meet the aspirations of a young city family,” he noted. According to MSIL Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek: “The new model is cheaper by Rs.25,000-30,000 than the older version…it enjoys lower excise duty as it is shorter than four meters in length. We have also introduced an automatic transmission in mid-variant in petrol as there is demand for it, particularly among women.”
Notably, Swift DZire is a category leader with over 39 per cent market share in the entry-level sedan segment, clocking monthly sales of around 10,000 units.
