Maruti to launch Swift compact sedan in 2nd week of February

Maruti Suzuki will launch the all new Swift compact sedan in the second week of February.  With the new Swift compact sedan Maruti will make its entry in the compact sedans which currently is dominated by the sole player Tata Motors.

In a move to maximise maximise returns from the new platform Maruti will try to tap the customers who want a compact sedan.  Swift 3.99 (3.99 metres long) will be sold alongside the existing variant (longer Dzire Sedan). The official name for this model is not revealed and the car may get an suffix along with the Swift badge.

To be offered at a price lower by at least Rs 50,000 than Dzire’s, it will plug the gap with the new Swift hatch positioned below. The trial production has already been done and the new Swift 3.99 launch is timed with the production expansion at Maruti’s second manufacturing facility at Manesar, which until months back was in the midst of labour trouble.

The segment will soon witness new competition from Mahindra with launch of the Verito compact sedan and the new Manza compact sedan which is expected to be launched this year.

This move may also force other players like Volkswagen, Skoda, Honda, Toyota and other players to launch cars in this segment if the market does start pointing in this direction.

The tax structure made the compact hatchback segment a hit in India, forcing all the automakers to launch a small car under the 4 metres.