2018 Maruti Suzuki Swift to debut before Auto Expo? Launch date revealed

It looks like the auto enthusiasts in India may not have to wait till Auto Expo 2018 to set their eyes on the new Swift hatchback from automaker Maruti Suzuki.

If emerging reports are anything to go by, the new Swift will be unveiled in the third week of January and the launch of the model is expected to take place at the Auto Expo 2018 in the month of February.

 The team GaadiWaadi reports that the new Maruti Suzuki Swift will make its debut in India on January 18. The launch of the Swift could happen on the opening day of Auto Expo 2018 scheduled to be held from 7-14 February in Greater Noida.

Also read: These upcoming hatchbacks are worth the wait! Maruti Suzuki Swift, new Hyundai Santro, Tata X451, Tiago Sport and more

A lot has already been talked about the new Swift hatchback, from its design to features. The auto enthusiasts first got a glimpse of the new Swift at the Geneva Motor Show in March last year and India has been waiting for its arrival since then. The new Swift has already hit the production lines at the company's plant and the recent images have also suggested that the new avatar of the hatchback has started arriving at some of the dealerships of the company.

The Swift is in for a complete overhaul in the new avatar. While the basic silhouette of the popular hatchback stays, the new Swift gets honeycomb grille at the front along with swept-back headlamps with LED daytime running lights (DRLs). The side remains identical to the current Swift and wears blacked-out A-pillar. The new Swift rides on new diamond-cut alloy wheels and at the rear gets new LED tail lamps with new bumper and boot lid. The new Swift is based on the company's Hearttect platform, which makes it lighter than the existing version. It is the same platform that also underpins the Baleno premium hatchback of the company.

Inside the cabin, the new model is expected to come with advanced features like a flat-bottom steering wheel with controls, a twin-pod instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Bluetooth AUX, USB and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The interior of the Swift is expected have more premium and upmarket touch.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki upcoming cars in 2018: New Swift, Ertiga facelift and WagonR to lead from the front

The Swift in India is expected to continue with the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines of the current model. Both the mills are expected to be offered with the choice of manual and automatic options. The petrol engine can now churn out 83 hp of power and 115 Nm of torque and the diesel engine develops 74 hp of power and 190 Nm of torque.

The bookings for the new Swift are unofficially open at some of the dealerships of the company.