More pics: Suzuki unveils new Swift’s rear, interior

SUZUKI Europe has revealed two dozen fresh images of its third-generation Swift, revealing its classy new interior and subtly revised rear-end styling for the first time.

The first public-road action shots of the all-new Swift, which goes on sale in Australia in the first quarter of nest year, were also among 24 images issued following an exclusive preview drive for selected European media outlets in Austria this week.

They follow the release of two frontal images less than two weeks ago, when Magyar Suzuki Corporation held a ceremony to mark the first production examples rolling off the line at its Esztergom facility in Hungary.

The rear of the larger but allegedly lighter and more rigid Swift bodyshell appears to be as evolutionary as its front-end, with more elongated versions of the current Swift’s wrap-around lights featuring at all four corners.

The images also show a contemporary new dashboard that appears to borrow design cues from the mid-size Kizashi sedan and - at least for the model pictured - incorporates a start/stop button, 200km/h speedo, a large central display for the Bluetooth and USB-compatible audio system, and cruise and audio steering wheel controls.

There’s also an LCD screen in the centre of the instrument panel to display trip computer functions including average fuel consumption, which in the case of the photoshoot vehicle was 6.3L/100km.

Australia’s next-generation Swift hatchback is likely to be released in early 2011 exclusively as a five-door once again, powered by a 1.4 or 1.5-litre petrol engine that is both more powerful and efficient that the current model’s 1.5, which delivers 74kW/133Nm and returns 6.3L/100km (6.7L/100km auto).

A 92kW/148Nm 1.6-litre petrol four also powers Australia’s current manual-only Swift Sport – a nameplate that is likely to continue to appear in Europe exclusively on the three-door Swift, which goes on sale in the UK simultaneously with the five-door around September, but may not be sold here.

The European Swift’s entry-level engine will be a new 69kW/118Nm 1.2-litre petrol unit that sprints to 100km/h in 12.3 seconds and offers a 165km/h top speed as a five-speed manual. It will also be available overseas with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Featuring dual variable valve technology, the K12B 1.2 delivers 1kW more power and 2Nm more torque than the M13A 1.3 petrol engine it replaces, yet consumes 5.0L/100km (down from 5.8L/100km) and returns CO2 emissions of 116g/km – down from 140g/km.

Suzuki Australia is hopeful of bringing a revised 190Nm 1.3-litre turbo-diesel that returns average fuel consumption of 4.2L1./00km (down from 4.5L/100km) and CO2 emissions of 109g/km (down from 120g/km), and accelerates the new Swift to 100km/h in a claimed 12.7 seconds.

The manual-only Euro 5 emissions-compliant DDiS common-rail fuel-injected oil-burner joins the Swift 1.2 on sale in Europe in January 2011, with a new-generation Swift Sport performance leader due to emerge later next year.

An automatic idle-stop system will be available as an option for manual versions of the petrol model in Europe, but so far there is now word on the plug-in hybrid drive system that Suzuki is currently undergoing Japanese field tests with in the outgoing Swift.

While the jury remains out on how modern the latest Swift will look by the end of its model cycle, British testers welcomed the extra 10mm of headroom and the 90mm increase in overall length, which liberates a further 50mm between the axles and therefore the front and rear seats.

The more upmarket cabin is also said to feature higher quality switchgear, better quality plastics and metallic highlights, while a full suite of safety features including seven airbags and electronic stability control will also be fitted, so expect prices to increase accordingly.

Initially, the MkIII Swift is expected to continue to come to Australia from Japan, before production eventually switches to a new Suzuki factory in Thailand, which has a free-trade agreement with Australia.

Before then, Thailand is expected to supply Australia with the sub-Swift Splash from 2012.

The European-oriented Splash five-door hatch would be positioned between the Indian-built Alto five-door (priced from $11,790) and the Swift, which currently starts at $16,290.