When Suzuki launched the Swift less than four years ago, it brought a blend of eye-catching good looks, Japanese quality and European-inspired driving dynamics to the compact car segment.

Those attributes are still as strong today and Suzuki is pleased to announce that global production has recently passed the one million mark. Vehicles sold in Europe are built at Suzuki’s plant in Hungary which has so far contributed more than 306,000 to the total. Since launch in the UK, over 36,500 Swifts have been sold and it accounts for around 50 per cent of the sales mix.

Swift is global in outlook and production – it was first built in Japan, followed by Hungary, China, India and more recently Indonesia and Malaysia – but its development was focused firmly on the demands and tastes of the European market in terms of design and driving characteristics. The design team established a base in Europe, where it was able to gain a valuable insight into the European mindset and carry out extensive testing across the continent.

Swift was the first product of Suzuki’s radical innovation programme to strengthen its position as both a leading compact car manufacturer as well as one of the world’s foremost motorcycle brands. It introduced new ideas and design thinking that are defined in more recently launched Suzuki models including SX4, Grand Vitara and Splash.

This strategy will continue to be applied to new models in the future including the Alto next year and Kizashi in 2010.

Swift is available from just £8,260 and offers a choice of 1.3 or 1.5-litre petrol engines in three and five-door body styles, and a 1.3 DDiS diesel engine in five-door guise. The 1.3-litre petrol models are available in GL grade, while the larger petrol engine and the diesel models are offered in GLX grade.

The distinctive styling and spacious interior are complemented by a comprehensive specification. All models feature front, side and curtain airbags, radio/CD player, remote central locking and immobiliser, electric front windows, electric and heated door mirrors, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and tinted glass, while 1.5 GLX models and the 1.3 DDiS gain air conditioning, alloy wheels, front fog lamps and keyless entry and start.

Topping the range is the 1.6-litre Sport which builds on feedback from Suzuki’s motor sport programme; it combines a sports-tuned version of the capable Swift chassis with a competition-honed, high-revving 1.6-litre VVT engine to deliver an intoxicating mixture of responsive performance and agile handling that has instant driver appeal.