Suzuki Unveils New Swift Powertrain And Handling Upgrades
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LAVERTON, AUSTRALIA – December 14, 2010: Suzuki Australia today released details of the powertrain for the all new Swift range, which goes on sale in February.
The Swift range will be powered by an all-new 1.4-litre engine offering excellent performance and class leading economy.
Optimum fuel efficiency was a key driver for engineers and the all-new Swift uses just 5.5 litres per 100 km and produces 132 grams of C02 per km.
That represents a 13 per cent improvement over the old engine and makes it the most economical naturally aspirated engine in the class.
The all-new K14B engine produces 70 kilowatts of power and 130 Newton-metres of torque.
The undersquare design (73mm x 82mm bore x stroke) offers a longer stroke than the superseded M15A engine and, in combination with Electronic Throttle Control, ensures better launch feel and overtaking performance.
Suzuki engineers concentrated on weight reduction as part of the new engine development, and the new K14B comes complete with a lightweight plastic cylinder head cover, lighter pistons and narrower crankshaft bearings.
Other key features of the new engine include:
Electronic throttle control – currently only available on the Swift Sport - will be standard across the new Swift range, eliminating the mechanical link between the accelerator and the throttle body.
The computer controlled system ensures improved engine management control, superior fuel economy, better launch feel and more refinement at idle.
The engine is matched to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
The five-speed manual transmission has a new assist mechanism for reduced driver effort, while an optimised shift-lever pattern further promotes smooth changes.
It also features a new mechanism to prevent accidental shifts from fifth gear to reverse, while a new hydraulic release system in the clutch further aids smooth, effortless gearchanges.
A revised four-speed automatic transmission is also available with a revised straight shift pattern, replacing the gated version of the old model.
It also comes with a lock-up slip control, offering a wider lock-up range for improved power and efficiency, while also suppressing torque converter slip at light acceleration loads.
The all-new Swift automatic also features a hill-hold function to ensure fuss-free launches in hilly urban areas.
Dynamics
The new Swift gives an even stronger sense of agility and improved stability through its newly refined wide-track, short-wheelbase, increased body and suspension rigidity as well as in greater roll stiffness.
Extensive use of ultra high tensile strength steel has increased torsional rigidity by 15 per cent, providing an excellent basis for improved dynamics.
The centre of gravity is slightly lower in the new Swift, while a wider track further aids stability and handling.
Specially designed low-play joints in the steering-column shaft provide a firmer, more linear steering feel.
The electric power steering system also has a newly adopted variable-gear-ratio design; a relatively quick ratio is adopted when the rack is near the centre point to make the car respond quickly at the start of a turn, while a relatively slow ratio near the steering wheel’s turning limits reduces the effort required for bigger turns.
As a result, the new Swift responds more faithfully to every steering input from the driver.
The front suspension utilises MacPherson struts / coil springs together with an enhanced stabiliser layout which combine to give better roll stiffness without any weight penalties.
The rear suspension utilises a torsion beam with coil springs which incorporates an enhanced inclination angle for the torsion-beam bushings, this provides 50 per cent more lateral rigidity in the bush mountings which results in better toe control. A new design structure torsion beam is now used which is lighter as well as providing greater roll stiffness.
The dynamics upgrade has resulted in the new Swift delivering handling that reflects a newly evolved, more mature kind of sportiness and inspires even greater confidence in the driver.
