Frankfurt Preview: New Suzuki Swift Sport

It's been a long time in the making, but Suzuki is finally ready to add a sporty variant to the Swift's range. The Japanese automaker released a single photo and details of the Swift Sport ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
The new Swift Sport is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 135HP at 6,900 rpm and maximum torque of 160 Nm (118 lb/ft) at 4,400 rpm. The four-cylinder engine was developed especially for the Swift Sport and it transmits power to the front wheels via a newly developed six-speed manual gearbox.
According to Suzuki, the new Swift Sport is more refined than its predecessor that was launched in 2006. The company says it will also be more responsive thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and a redesigned rear suspension.
While it has a more aggressive look than the regular versions thanks to the large honeycombed front grille, the redesigned front bumper with the big fog lights and the side skirts, it isn't as wild as the Swift S-Concept we saw at the Geneva Show last March.
Although Suzuki has not released any photos of the interior, the company claims that “it combines essential sportiness with a high-quality look and feel”.
If you want a preview of the cockpit, take a look at the photo of the S-Concept as we reckon most parts including the sport seats will make it into production.

Suzuki Swift Specifications
Overall length: 3,890mm
Overall width: 1,695mm
Overall height: 1,510mm
Wheelbase: 2,430mm
Treads Front: 1,470mm
Treads Rear: 1,475mm
Engine
Piston displacement: 1,586cm3)
Maximum output: 135HP (100kw)/6,900rpm

Maximum torque: 160Nm/4,400rpm

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Mercedes-Benz Tops Secret Shopper Study of U.S. Dealers

Mercedes-Benz dealers were number one for customer treatment in the US according to an independent study by survey company Pied Piper. The California-based company hired 3,524 “secret shoppers” and sent them to US dealerships in order to determine how their salesmen were performing in anything from explaining a car’s features to closing a deal.

This is the third year in a row that Mercedes-Benz, which looks set to top the sales charts this year in the luxury segment, has topped Pied Piper’s study.

The German firm was followed by Jaguar and Lexus dealers, who tied in second place. According to the survey, Toyota and Chrysler’s Ram sales representatives were ranked the best among mass-market carmakers, while Mitsubishi and Suzuki finished at the bottom, as did Lincoln in the luxury segment.

According to CEO of Pied Piper, Fran O’Hagen, in general the brands that scored the poorest were those with the worst sales per dealership. O’Hagen added that’s easy to explain, as these brands cannot retain competent salesmen for a long time.

He also commented that reduced staff has had a negative impact in customer satisfaction now that sales are on the rise again and dealers don’t have the necessary staff to cover their needs.

However, as O’Hagen pointed out, the secret of success in this particular business is not really a secret at all. Good dealerships focus on a customer’s needs, get to know them and ask a few questions about their driving habits – and that takes skill and time.

The “secret”, according to O'Hagen, is to "think not like a salesman, but as a customer".

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