Swift showdown in Brisbane

THIS week’s Brisbane motor show opening will be headlined by a small car showdown of epic proportions when Suzuki’s all-new Swift jumps the official gun to go head-to-head with Daihatsu’s new Sirion.

As two of the most anticipated small car releases in 2005, both models will make their production debuts in Brisbane, where the local distributor will stage a coup by unveiling the new Swift ahead of Suzuki Australia’s official launch.

As the independent Suzuki importer for Queensland and NSW’s Northern Rivers region, Suzuki Auto Company released the new Swift yesterday (February 1) and will gazump Suzuki Australia’s national media launch of the new model on February 15 by showing it in Brisbane on Friday.

To rub more salt into the wounds of Suzuki Australia, which has brought forward its media embargo on Swift information to February 14, Suzuki Auto Co has also forecast a massive 50 per cent sales increase for its region in 2005 – on top of a 40 per cent rise in 2004 and a 28 per cent rise in 2003 - well above Suzuki Australia’s official sales estimate.

In Queensland and northern NSW, the five-door Swift - which is claimed to feature the widest wheel track in its class along with its 75kW/133Nm 1.5-litre four - will be available in base GLX and more sporting Z-Series guises, as either a five-speed manual or four-speed auto.

Meantime, Suzuki Australia will market its entry level Ignis replacement simply as Swift, with the top-spec variant to be called the S. Starting price is expected to be the same $15,990.

Australia will be the first market outside Japan to receive Swift and its born-again nameplate, which will battle for small car sales with Japanese rival Daihatsu’s new Sirion, launched in June as the Boon in Japan as the first model co-developed with parent company Toyota.

Set to make its Australian debut in Brisbane, the new Sirion will also be a five-door available in two grades, this time powered by a 66kW/123Nm 1.3-litre engine that’s likely to push pricing upwards from the current 40kW 1.0-litre Sirion’s $13,250 starting price.

Providing further intrigue at the always significant Brisbane show this year will be the public premiere of Holden’s new all-wheel drive VZ range launched to the press the previous day.

While Alloytec V6 versions of the Adventra crossover and Crewman Cross8 dual-cab ute will join the new-look VZ AWD range alongside updated iterations of the current V8 models, Holden will also spring a fifth VZ AWD surprise in Brisbane that could even be an all-paw Monaro coupe. Based on HSV’s Coupe 4, it would be Holden’s first low-ride AWD.

Other fresh new production metal to appear in Brisbane prior to their official Australian launch include Renault’s new Scenic II, the new Lexus GS sedan and Citroen’s facelifted C5.

Also debuting will be the five-door Audi A3 Sportback launched to the media last week, MG’s ZR small hatch, Ssangyong’s turbo-diesel Stavic people-mover and Saab’s updated 2005 9-3 convertible.

Ssangyong’s large Chairman sedan, due for Australian release later in 2005, will also be shown alongside a locally-modified, six-wheel version of the Musso crew-cab ute.

An unprecedented concept car presence in Brisbane will include Toyota’s CS&S sports two-seater, Hyundai’s HCD-8 coupe concept (likely to form the basis of its next Tiburon), Volkswagen’s California Beach recreational van and, of most relevance, Mitsubishi’s CZ3 Tarmac Spyder – one of many Colt-based derivatives that could eventually be sold Down Under.

Exoticar fans will also be well catered for by the Southern Hemisphere debut of Australia’s most expensive convertible – Lamborghini’s $668,000, 426kW Murcielago Roadster – plus the $1.2 million, Swedish-built Koenigsegg CCR, Ford GT coupe and a gathering of four of the finest Ferraris from the past two decades for the first time courtesy of transport magnate and car collector Lindsay Fox.

The Brisbane International Motor Show at Southbank opens to the public at noon on February 4, costs $16 (children $8) and runs until February 13.