Launch of new-gen Maruti Swift Dzire expedited by a year

Indian major Maruti has revised its plans for the next-generation Dzire compact sedan as reports of its being brought forward by a year have emerged. Originally slated to be launched in the 2017-18 fiscal year, the new car could now see the light of the day during the 2016-17 period, according to LiveMint.

The decision to introduce the new Dzire model earlier than schedule may well be arising from the fact that new models in the segment, like Mahindra and Mahindra’s compact SUV KUV100, Tata Motors’s Zica hatchback, and Volkswagen’s new Polo are ready to hit the markets soon.

This move by Maruti is also being considered by experts as a measure to compensate for the fleeting sales of its Swift hatchback, which have been hampered by the introduction of company’s premium hatchback, Baleno. The third generation of Swift hatchback will be hitting the Indian streets in 2016 and India’s largest automaker does not want to delay the introduction of the car’s sedan version.

Talking about the next-generation Dzire, it is around 50-80kgs lighter than the current model (a new version of which was introduced earlier this year). In consideration to Swift’s subpar performance in Global NCAP crash tests and the followed ban in Assam, the automaker will also concentrate on the safety features of the upcoming sedan. Both Dzire and Swift hatchback will find their foundations in Baleno’s ‘new generation platform,’ adds the report.

With the escalating competition from the ‘100PS’ compact sedan club (Honda Amaze and Ford Figo Aspire), a more powerful unit will help the Dzire achieve a stronghold in the Indian market.

The engine line-up could also thus come from the Baleno, which includes a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine and a 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. While the petrol engine is tuned to develop 84.1PS and 115Nm of torque, the diesel mill churns out 75PS and 190Nm of torque.

While reports suggest that the Baleno could get the 1.3-litre Fiat Multijet diesel soon, the new-generation Maruti Dzire could also be loaded with one from this type under the hood.

Meanwhile, the company is also planning to launch a Dzire Tour model, aimed at taxi operators, with a petrol engine. Maruti currently has only the diesel version of the Dzire Tour running in the cab market. The petrol model can be retrofitted with a CNG kit to meet the new norms in Delhi, said the aforementioned report.