New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki's sedan version of the Swift DZire has proved to be a hit within a few months of launch in March this year.

According to data available from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, (SIAM) for the month of April 2008 Maruti Suzuki's A3 segment cars comprising the SX4 and Dzire have recorded the highest sales growth at 97.1 per cent, while the A2 segment (Alto, Wagon-R and Swift) followed with a growth of 27.3 per cent. The A2 segment incidentally accounts for the highest sales of the company.

This apart, DZire's precursor, the hatchback Swift, is now among the largest selling cars in India having sold more than two lakh units since its launch three years ago, according to the company. In the month of April 2008 Maruti Suzuki registered a sale of 9,490 units of Swift, the highest sale in a single month.

The Swift was launched in its petrol variant on May 25, 2005 and sold 61,200 units in the first year of launch. The company, which launched the Swift in May 2005, went against prevailing trends of sleek trendy models and introduced a curvaceous and compact looking car that was more spacious than its appearances indicated.

Its popularity prompted the company to launch a diesel variant in January 2007, powered by a compact diesel engine. The diesel variant worked wonders for its sales and at present, 60 per cent of 'Swift' produced, come the diesel variant.

Earlier in 2008 the company launched a refreshed version of Swift and company officials said the Swift is the only model launched so far in India to undergo a face-lift in less than three years of its launch.

Priced in the range of Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5.17 lakh the Swift has received numerous national and international awards over the last three years.

The DZire and SX4 were launched in the face of the growing popularity of sedans in India and growing fatigue with compact cars.

At the launch of the DZire this year company officials said as incomes grow and lifestyles improve many Indians want to upgrade to sedans but are not able to find an entry level sedan that offers style, features and performance.

They said the DZire offers customers the prestige associated with a sedan, while retaining the famed performance of the Swift hatch back. The Swift had, from the start, been conceived as a car that would be offered both as a hatchback as well as a sedan.

According to SIAM figures sales of the Maruti-800 fell 29.5 per cent in April 2008 compared with April 2007, while sales of multi utility vehicles such as the Gypsy and the Grand Vitara fell 67.3 per cent.

Even while Maruti Suzuki continues to be the leader of the country's small car market, it has also emerged as the market leader in the A3 segment as well during 2007-08.

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