EVO MARKET
This bulletproof pocket rocket of fers naturally a spirated thrills aplenty – from just £ 5000
Suzuki’s feisty Swift Sport is the subject of our buying guide, plus we drive AC Schnitzer’s 540i and enjoy another reader’s eclectic car history
TOUGH NUTS, THESE SUZUKIS. The first-generation Sport was a great little car (buying guide, evo 192) and the Mk2 – which has only just gone off sale – looks every bit as good as a used buy. We couldn’t find an owner or a specialist with a bad word to say about them. And if you still need convincing, consider that Nürburgring car rental company Rent4ring has a whole fleet of them, having previously run three Mk1s. If they’re up to being thrashed around the Nordschleife every day, it’s a pretty good bet they’ll cope with anything the North Circular can throw at them.
We loved the first Swift Sport so much that it made the shortlist for evo Car of the Year in 2006. Derived from Suzuki’s Junior World Rally Championship car, it had a peppy 123bhp, 1.6-litre VVT twin-cam engine with high-lift cams, forged pistons and strengthened valve springs. This was mated to a slick fivespeed manual and an addictively playful chassis, all wrapped up in a chunky three-door body. Underneath was uprated suspension, 17-inch alloys, disc brakes all round, and switchable stability control. With well-bolstered sports seats and plenty of standard kit, including air con, it was a proper little junior hot hatch.
Its replacement, which went on sale in the UK in January 2012, was more of the same. There was a largely new 1.6-litre engine with slightly more power – 134bhp – and a new, longer-striding six-speed gearbox. Five doors were now an option, and there was an extra sprinkling of standard kit, too, with climate control, Bluetooth, seven airbags and tinted rear glass all standard. And it weighed just 15kg more than the old model. While it was a slightly more refined, grown-up, less playful proposition than the original, it was still a hoot to drive.
A few well-chosen mods can make it even more fun. There are two active owners’ clubs with lively and helpful forums, and specialists such as CTC Performance who can provide performance parts. Even without modification, a Swift Sport is good for the occasional trackday, if that’s your bag.
There’s a new model about to go on sale, of course, with more electronic gadgetry and the now-ubiquitous downsized, turbocharged engine. But for fans of old-school hot hatches, these naturally aspirated Swift Sports tick a heck of a lot of boxes.
CHECKPOINTS ENGINE
The second-generation Swift Sport (ZC32 in Suzuki-speak) may look similar to the original, but underneath it was extensively re-engineered. Floorpan, suspension, brakes, transmission – everything was different, including most of the 1.6-litre engine and its ancillaries. ‘The only things carried over were the block, crank and con rods,’ says Chris Cooke of specialists CTC Performance.
Happily, what didn’t change was the robustness. The Mk1 engine was pretty much bulletproof, and this one’s proving a paragon of reliability, even at high mileages (a well-known car on the SSOC website has done over 100,000 miles without missing a beat). Some owners don’t like the ‘rev hang’ designed to help smooth out downchanges, but most are happy to live with it. So once you’ve checked the car’s been serviced on time – every year or 9000 miles, whichever comes sooner, and with the correct 0W-20 oil – there’s nothing that need detain you here.
Being naturally aspirated, there aren’t the same gains to be made from remapping, but more mid-range torque and a little bit more top-end power (up to around 145bhp) can be released. Intake kits and freer-flowing exhausts are other popular mods, liberating a few extra horses and a rortier backing track. Add a turbo or supercharger kit, uprate the clutch and some other hardware and the sky’s your limit. ‘200bhp is easy, even 250bhp isn’t a problem,’ says Chris.
TR ANSMISSION
Gearbox issues were a bugbear of the Mk1 Swift, with input shaft bearings a weak spot, but the Mk2 Sport’s six-speeder hasn’t suffered the same problem.
The gearshift can be a tad sticky from cold, but should be fine once warmed up. ‘It’s not the smoothest shift,’ says Chris, ‘but you have to keep in mind this is a cheap car, and you can’t expect it to feel like a Porsche. Changing the gearbox oil generally improves things.
‘There has been the odd clutch failure, where the disc has disintegrated perhaps earlier than it should,’ he adds.
A few owners of early cars have complained of a rattling noise from the transmission – possibly clutch-related or from the gearbox itself. However, according to Chris, no cause has been identified. That said, if the car is driven enthusiastically, replacing the gearbox oil regularly – Chris recommends every other service – is worthwhile.
SUSPENSION, STEERING, BR AKES
No serious issues here, just normal wear and tear. ABS pump failures on the Mk1 have not reappeared on the Mk2. There was a recall in 2016 to change a
potentially faulty batch of rear brake calipers, so check this was done.
BODY, INTERIOR, ELECTRICS
No serious corrosion issues, but do check for untreated stone chips – the paint isn’t the thickest… Interior plastics are one area where the Swift feels its budget price, but they actually wear pretty well.
Do check the needles for the rev counter and speedometer are illuminated when you turn the lights on – they’re known to fail, meaning at night you can see the numbers on the dial but not the needle. It’s not yet repairable, so if one of them’s gone and the car’s out of the threeyear manufacturer warranty, you’ll either need to find a salvaged set of dials on ebay – Chris recently did this for a customer, paying £100 for a set – or buy a new set from Suzuki for considerably more. You’ll also have to pay an electronics pro to have the mileage reset.