2020 – Revv Reviews

Maruti Suzuki Swift Sport – India launch possible?

I am very well aware of the fact that almost 100 people have already written upon this topic, but I am here to be the best not first. This article would clear virtually all your concerns on the ins-and-outs of the new Swift Sport spotting in India. Happy Reading!

Introduction

“Bbuuzzzz…bbbbzzz..bzz…” – what’s that you ask? That’s how the news of the Swift Sports sighting in India has buzzed around. The Hyundai i30 too has been spotted (but as a test car) and has generated some hype, but the Swift Sport has just stirred up the community like a whisk whisking an egg after it has been cracked open into a bowl. (I really need to start using better similes for describing stuff lol)

We all have loved Maruti for something or the other. Maybe your first car was a Maruti, or you just loved their old N/A (naturally aspirated) engines, whatever may the reason be, we can all agree for a fact that now Maruti is not the cool car guy in the market. There was a time when we had real gems by MS (Maruti Suzuki) going around revving their nuts out on the streets. Gone are those days, but what if they are coming back with a punch.

(I had previously written an article on Maruti Suzuki’s untold story, you can check it out later by clicking here)

‘Punch’ – What comes to your mind when you hear the word? A boxer? or a teenager who has just fought with his mate? Definitely, a teenager comes to mind—an angry, youthful creature with all the power and agility. The Swift Sport is no different. Just don’t expect it to go “burppp..ppp.buur..ppp” like some JDMs.

A Hot Hatch from Japan being unloaded at Delhi Airport. #CarNews #SwiftSport @Maruti_Corp #FastSundays #covid_19 pic.twitter.com/1SfsEg4Yxy
— BW Autoworld (@BWAutoworld) March 22, 2020

Let’s talk numbers, shall we?

The current Swift Sport (Europe version) packs in a Fiat-sourced 1.4L turbo-petrol motor (K14D) producing a combined 140PS of power and 230Nm of torque, mated to a 6-Speed stick shift (MT). The 1.4L Booster Jet motor delivers 129PS of power, while the 48V electric motor delivers 13.6PS and 53Nm. Yes, it is a hybrid, and we are expecting good fuel efficiency under normal driving conditions.

All this translates to a 0-100 kmph time of just 8.1 seconds (claimed) and a top speed of 210 km/h (claimed)!

Speculations

In my opinion and a few others, the car that was spotted wasn’t a test car. Either it was a personal import or a car to be used for development or some internal work. It is highly unlikely that it is a personal import; hence, it is safe to rule out that speculation.

Even if Maruti decides to bring the hot hatch to Indian shores, it has to go through a few hurdles.

Firstly, the mentality of a general buyer isn’t towards performance but pleasure. This was seen as Maruti tried to experiment with the Pseudo-Hot Hatch, the Baleno RS, which has now been discontinued because of the BS6 norms and sales figures. The Baleno RS was neither a mass-market consumer car nor a proper hot-hatch. It produced a mere 100hp from its 1.0L 3-cylinder Booster Jet. That is not even Luke-warm for the segment it was competing in. This incident would surely play a role in determining the Swift Sport’s future announcement in India. This could turn out two ways, either they completely ignore the hot-hatch segment or learn from their mistakes by bringing the Swift Sport to India with all the beans we wanted in the first place.

Secondly, the price factor plays a huge role along with people’s mentality for selling a product. A good product with a bad price tag (like the VW GTI) isn’t generally considered as a consumer magnet. Even though, the VW GTI turns many heads but actually buying one from your own pocket is a no-no situation. On the other hand, a good product with a good price tag sells like hotcakes! The Swift Sport in that matter costs a whooping £18,000 (acc. to Carwow) i.e. ₹17,27,000! And that’s the price w/o including import duties and other miscellaneous costs. It is seriously a not-so-great deal if we consider that the Abarth Punto was available at around ₹10,00,000.

And now to my final point, the Swift Sport uses a Fiat-sourced engine which is the same as that in the Abarth Punto i.e. the 1.4L T-Jet (The T-Jet produces a bit more power in the Abarth though). This engine hasn’t been upgraded to comply with the BS6 norms and has been discontinued. Bringing the Swift Sport would result in reviving the engine but at a cost. Is MS ready to put in those extra bucks and efforts?

Is there any hope at all?

It’s not all cloudy as a few things are going for MS, which might encourage them to launch the Swift Sport in India.

With the exit of the Baleno RS the company no longer has a hot-hatch to purr in its portfolio. This empty position might pave the way for the Swift Sport. Also, almost all the manufacturers have dished their performance cars due to sales figures and BS6 norms. This means that there isn’t going to be a fierce rivalry in the segment if the spicy new Swift is launched at the moment!

Adding to this, the government has allowed OEMs to import 2,500 units a month without homologation.

In 2018, a similar form of hype was generated by rumours surrounding the launch of the Swift Sport and the Jimny in India. The idea was soon trashed as Maruti confirmed that they had no plans to launch either of the two vehicles because there wasn’t enough demand in the market for them.

Jump to the 2020 Auto Expo, and we are surprised to find the Jimny at the show. Maruti Suzuki wanted to analyze the market and see the publics’ reaction to the quirky little off-roader. The Jimny sure did bring many wandering eyes to automakers’ pavilion. Hence, we are going to receive a 5-door Suzuki Jimny by 2021 instead of the 3-door Jimny Sierra which was on display. Well, somethings better than nothing at least.

My guess is that just like the Jimny has been re-thought for the Indian market; similarly, the Swift Sport could also be considered shortly.

Conclusion/Solutions

If MS actually considers launching the car then, it must be launched either along or around the time of the Jimny’s launch in 2021 because 2022 would just be too late for the Swift Sport.

The Suzuki Swift Sport costs ₹17 lakhs already and bringing it in as a CBU would only increase the price. What MS could do is use the Swift we get here as standard instead of using the Euro-Spec car. The Euro-spec car costs a lot more than the standard one because it has some very up-market features like collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane departure prevention, weaving alert, high beam assist, and adaptive cruise control. All this would be considered a gimmick for such a small car at this price and would most probably be removed to keep the cost around ₹10 lakhs.

If MS is able to pull this off, then, it would be safe to say that the legend has returned!

Do note; all this is pure speculations as we have absolutely no clue whether MS is actually planning something like this or not. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. #make_maruti_great_again

These were my speculations on the Swift Sport. What do you think about the car and do you think MS would actually consider its launch? Why or Why not? Let me know in the comments.

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Alfa Romeo has done it again: GTA and GTAm launched!

Let me summarise this article for you – ‘FLABBERGASTING MACHINE’. A true spectacle to behold. Now that’s that, moving on with the article.

With the Geneva motor show being canceled so did the launch of many new cars (canceled because of COVID-19). Alfa then decided to go for plan-B and launched the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm online. Sorry to start this article off with some bad news but the rumored circa-600bhp version of the Giulia Quadrifoglio hasn’t been made. It is not all dark though as we see the new Giulia GTA and GTAm return as poster boys bringing back the GTA badge which stands for Gran Turismo Alleggerita or “Grand Touring Lightened” in English. Also, Alfa celebrated its 110^th birthday! (whoa that’s old)

Are you not a mainstream car kinda guy? Do you want a track toy? And most importantly do you have what it takes to maintain the character (of breaking down) of an Alfa? Finally, we have a car for you my friend. A car which will give you all the problems your wife would too but the thing is you will still love it as if it were new each day.

Let’s talk styling and I will use just one word to describe it – ‘Italian’. The Giulia in all eyes and angles is a beauty. Complete car p**n if I should say so.

Fuel consumption? Ahh! Who cares? If you do please click away right now lol.

What has changed?

The car has lost some weight not because it has been on a diet but due to the extensive use of carbon fiber. The Giulia GTA has carbon components for the hood, roof, front bumper, and fenders which helps it shed 221 pounds (100 kilograms) off in comparison to the existing Quadrifoglio. All this brings the curb weight to around 1,520 kg. If you’re looking for more (oh sorry I meant less), the company also has the GTAm with just two seats, six-point harnesses, and a roll bar, while remaining fully street legal. Hence, saving even more weight.

Alfa has also improved the GTA’s handling by widening the front and rear track by 50 millimeters. Broader fenders cover the additional width. New springs, shocks, and bushings update the suspension and add to an already sharp car.

On the exterior, the car features an active front splitter that comes from the brand’s relationship with Sauber Engineering. At the back, there is a large diffuser and a big wang *cough cough Civic owners. The combustion gases leave the vehicle through an Akrapovič titanium exhaust with a pair of circular outlets at the center of the revised rear bumper. The hood has also been raised slightly. The sedan rides on 20-inch wheels which bear resemblance to a clover. The GTAm gets a few special pieces (on the exterior) like a sizable front splitter and a carbon fiber rear wing.

The interior layout is the same as that of the Giulia but there is quite an addition over the regular to make you feel even more special driving around in a super sedan. Alfa has covered the GTA’s cabin in Alcantara, including the dashboard, door panels, pillars, and center of the seats. The GTAm takes things to the next level by using carbon fiber seats and covering the empty space in the back with Alcantara. It also has Lexan polycarbonate windows replacing the side and rear glass to reduce weight even further!

What about the heart and soul? (Engine and Performance)

The car is powered by an updated version of the Ferrari-derived 2.9 liter 90-degree twin-turbo V6 that now produces 533 horsepower! That’s a 28 hp gain over the Quadrifoglio which has 505 hp. That does not seem like a lot of gain but it is enough considering the fact that the car is 100 kilograms lighter than before. Both the cars will do a 0-100 kmph (0-62 mph) sprint in just 3.6 seconds! The car was already agile to begin with and this performance boost is all it needed for the extra icing on the top of the cake. BMW fanboys where ya at?

Bookings and other information

Alfa Romeo has already started advanced bookings and will close them as soon as the 500^th unit has been reserved. Yes, you heard me correct – Only 500 of these will be made – It won’t be long until the bookings close because the car seems to generate quite a lot of hype in the market. The first 500 people to place an order for the GTA or the GTAm will get a personalized experience package kit which will include a Bell helmet in a GTA livery, a full racing outfit from Alpinestars (gloves, shoes and race suit) and a personalized Goodwool car cover to keep your special Alfa away and safe from prying eyes when you are not there to protect it. The owners will get to use this gear at a course devised by the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.

Alfa is yet to reveal a price for the new GTA and GTAm. Although, we can expect it to be BMW M3 CS levels and not as whacky as the Jaguar XE Project-8. This info about the GTA and GTAm only applies to the European market, currently. It’s not clear whether the company intends to offer these models elsewhere.

You can also check out their teaser video here-

Do you think that Alfa is all set to get back into the game? Also are you interested to book one? And how do you think it compares to the competition? Let me know in the comments.

Mercedes is AMG but Alfa is OMG. Get the joke. eh? (sorry I had to include it 😂)

MERCEDES-BENZ AVTR UNVEILED AT CES 2020

After all, Sony wasn’t the only company to surprise us with a car at CES 2020. Mercedes-Benz has broken limits to provide us with a concept car – ‘The AVTR’. It boasts a design inspired by the fictional universe where director James Cameron’s Avatar film is set (blue humanoid creatures), to show a new way how the car and nature interact. Coming to the design of the car. It is totally outlandish-to sum up all the design elements. It is everything a concept car needs to look like to get all those “Awws and WHOAS!”. AVTR is not only a name to refer to the movie Avatar but it also means ADVANCED VEHICLE TRANSFORMATION.

James Cameron was on stage talking about the Mercedes AVTR and how its carbon neutral and how he is towards a sustainable future, also with the sequel to his first film rolling out soon it was a great way to catch some eyes and do some clever marketing. The rear of the car has 33 individual hatches “bionic flaps” embedded into the back of the vehicle which resemble the scales of a reptile and is to be used to communicate with the outside world and with the driver.

You are actually 1:1 with the car, it’s like a symbiotic relationship between the machine (car) and the environment (eg-humans). There is no steering wheel but a biometric system which merges with the driver and you drive by the placing your hand on the centre console, the interior comes to life and the vehicle recognises the driver by his breathing. Also, the infotainment system is projected onto your hand! The VISION AVTR thus establishes a biometric connection with the driver and increases his awareness of the environment. How cool is that! Does the car drive normally though? Oh no, the AVTR’s front and rear axles can be driven in the same or opposite direction. This enables the car to perform a crab-like movement and move sideways by 30 degrees (approx.)

At the keynote Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gordon Wagener quoted, “We created a futuristic vehicle that had to authentically look like it came out of this amazing sustainable (Avatar) world. He also said, “It is a vehicle that is able to enhance the capabilities of your own body – like the idea of an Avatar in the movie.” So Mercedes has achieved what it was wanting to achieve according to Mr. Gordon.

In an effort to create a sustainable car, the battery technology is based on graphene-based organic cell chemistry and thus completely eliminates rare, toxic and expensive earths such as metals. Vegan materials are used throughout the cabin to continue the theme of the car while keeping luxury at its highest. The AVTR has a combined engine power of more than 350 kW and sets a new benchmark for EQ Power without any emissions!

At first, I was going to rant at Mercedes for going over the board with the design. But then I realised that the very purpose of a concept car is to go haywire on everything from the design to the tech because that car is to never hit production, not in the near future. Ideas are taken from the concept car to form a future product for the company 10-15 years later! A concept car is created to present the engineering skills of a company to the general public. Also, the AVTR was created to represent a symbiotic relationship between the living and non-living and to some extent advertise the upcoming movie. Hence, I stopped to gaze at this beauty and admire the wonders of tech.

What are your thoughts on this wonderful concept car? Let me know in the comments down below.

Hummer returning – “crazy specs”

Since I wrote an article on the Hummer being resurrected which was was just based on rumors (You can read it by clicking here) since then new information has surfaced. So, I decided to give a short news update.

GM – the Detroit automaker confirmed the plans for resurrecting the Hummer and teased us with 4 videos (linked below) for the “GMC Hummer EV pickup”. They have also scheduled a 30-second Super Bowl ad for the vehicle featuring NBA star LeBron James. The spot is scheduled to air during the second quarter of Sunday’s game.

The Hummer EV pickup (acc. to GM) will feature 1,000 horsepower and 11,500-pound-feet of torque. It would take just a blink of an eye for the Hummer to reach 60 mph from a standstill (0-60 mph takes just 3 seconds!) No price has been announced yet. Phil Brook, GMC vice president of marketing said, “It’s a combination of an incredibly capable truck and a supercar. Those sorts of times are in that ballpark.” He also went on to term the EV has an “all-electric super truck”. “It is very different from anything we’ve ever done before,” Brook said. “This is the start of big things in the electric space. This is GMC and how we’re moving into that space in a big way.” GM has no plans to build a gas-powered Hummer with an internal combustion engine, according to Brook which is actually a very sensible decision. GMC plans to release 20 new vehicles globally by 2023 and using the Hummer EV as a pivot in the all-electric vehicles market.

The Hummer EV pickup is expected to go into production in the fall of 2021 at a plant in Detroit, followed by sales starting toward the end of the year. There is no news for a Hummer EV SUV counterpart though. Moving on to discuss the teaser videos, they have details regarding the specifications and a preview of the front of pickup. The front features a new iteration oh Hummer’s well known slotted grille with the branding “HUMMER” being backlit. It looks futuristic with some pinches and hints of the old-school off-roader. The teasers also include a tagline on which GM is branding their new product. It is taglined as “A Quiet Revolution” “All-Electric. Zero emissions. Zero limits.”

People seemed to be very optimistic about the launch of the new Hummer as the poll on my previous article showed positive feedback. The YouTube comments section for the teaser videos was no different. Everything seems to be going for the Hummer. It has got public recognition, nostalgia, great advertisement, great specifications and most importantly a great start with a lot of positive feedback. The only let down could be the pricing which has not yet been decided. The Hummer needs to be priced effectively because it is wanting to enter a pre-established market with gasoline trucks as well as new EV pickup trucks like the Rivian, Cybertruck, electric F-150, etc.

Let me know your opinions down in the comments below. Remember to follow me on Instagram for future updates! @revv_reviews

Video links –