Four years after it launched the entry level sedan Swift DZire the country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India is bringing a shortened version of the car that will hit the market next month.

Although the model will qualify for the excise duty of 10% enjoyed by small cars, the company said it is unlikely that the new version of DZire will be priced lesser than the existing one, which ranges between INR 0.494 million and INR 0.729 million (ex showroom Delhi).

Mr Mayank Pareek Maruti Suzuki India Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) said that "We have invested a lot on the new DZire. It is on a brand new platform. There are at least 150 new features compared to the existing DZire and it is unlikely that the new one will be priced lesser.”

He however added that the company has not yet finalised the pricing of the new DZire, which will be available in both petrol and diesel options.

While the petrol version will be powered by a 1.2 litre engine, the diesel one will have a 1.3 litre engine. An automatic transmission variant will also be available in the petrol version.

Asked if the existing DZire would be discontinued once the new version is launched, he said that "There is demand for the existing one and we will continue it for some specific variants for the commercial segment."

(Sourced from ET)