The next Suzuki Swift has been spied in Germany, ahead of a planned autumn 2010 launch.
The Swift was CAR’s car of the year in 2005, when it rapidly became one of our favourite superminis on sale thanks to its mix of great value, sharp design and a slick drive.
But that was four and a half years ago and the genre has moved on with slick new products from Ford, Vauxhall and Renault. Hence a new Swift, expected to bow in at the 2010 Paris motor show next autumn, with UK sales kicking off at the end of the year.
So what’s new on the 2010 Suzuki Swift?
Expect a similar recipe to today’s model, with a range of small 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 petrols and a 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine, front-wheel drive and – judging by the spy photos – a set of clothes gently updated for 2010. Insiders confirm there will be no great design revolution.
The new Swift will be slightly bigger than today’s model, which was the widest mini on sale at launch in 2005. It’ll stick with a five-door layout, as seen under the disguise of this prototype.
The Swift hogs UK Suzuki sales
Until the 2009 scrappage incentives arrived and distorted the market, the Swift was comfortably the company’s best seller. Around 40% of all Suzuki’s sold in the UK are Swifts, with around 10,000 sales a year.
Our spies scooped the new Swift on test in Germany. Although Suzuki doesn’t have a European R&D base, its European HQ is just south of Frankfurt. It seems likely that the car was over from Japan for Euro-spec fine tuning.