Sharper Suzuki Swift Sport gets 136bhp

Suzuki is dropping all the right performance tuning buzz words with their all-new Swift Sport. Stuff like “greater toe and camber rigidity”, “greater lateral rigidity” and “boosted yaw response” all sound decidedly enticing to those that value a light and nimble, front-driving hatch that loves the bends like an overzealous apprentice plumber.

January next year sees the fastest and most expensive Swift hitting the dealers, and at £13,500, it comes in significantly cheaper than the fun ‘n’ sporty Ford Fiesta Metal 134PS 
at £15,845. However, price isn’t the only comparison; the Fiesta Metal is an enjoyable and desirable all-round supermini that holds its price and looks super-fresh. We’ll have to see how the Swift Sport drives.

So, what so you get for your hard-earned? Lots of extra undercarriage tuning for sport fun, by the sound of it. 

Springs are stiffer, members are more rigid and bearings bigger; all coming together to evolve the new Swifts handling, steering and braking. 

The new car’s aerodynamics are also said to have evolved – into a handsome and sharp-styled wee chap, if you ask me - with more controlled airflow and suppressed lift, as well as a lower “visual” centre of gravity. New High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with a metallic-grey coating should more brightly light the way ahead, while new taillights keep the Sport’s rear-end up to date.

Most important to any car that wants to wear its “Sport” badge with pride - rather than the sheepish look of those with the talk and no walk - is a punchy powerplant. 

The new Swift Sport’s M16A engine, based on the previous model’s, has been tuned for better performance both off the lights and out the tailpipe. A variable intake system, VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and increased valve lift improve the now Euro V compliant, 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine’s power from 123bhp to 136bhp over the old, with torque also up, from 148Nm to 160Nm, at 4400rpm. And the real boon is more go, but with less gas; CO2 drops from 165g/km in the old Sport, to 147g/km. Quoted combined economy is a reasonable 44.1mpg. 

A jazzier exhaust note is relayed through a tweaked exhaust system while a 6-speed manual gearbox takes care of the sprinting - 62mph in 8.7secs and on to 121mph - with ESP and seven airbags as standard, should that tree jump out on you. 

The new Suzuki Swift certainly sounds like a potent little package, and as the old saying goes; if it goes as good as it looks…

www.suzuki4.co.uk








By Daniel Anslow

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