Maruti Suzuki Swift
Next-gen Suzuki Swift may be manufactured at new plant in Gujarat. Pictured: Maruti Suzuki SwiftPR handout

Suzuki Motor Corporation announced Monday, April 11, that the company's compact car Swift has crossed cumulative worldwide sales of 50 lakh units in April 2016 since its launch in Japan early 2004. The Swift, which is currently being produced in seven countries, is being sold in over 140 countries and regions around the world.

"Since its launch in 2004, the Swift has brought innovative changes to Suzuki's car-making, earning high appraisal for its sporty, stylish, and fun-to-drive character, such as by winning various 'car of the year' awards in Japan and many other countries worldwide," said the company in a statement.

The Swift is one of the popular models of Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest car-maker in India. Maruti Suzuki Swift, which was launched in India in 2005, accounts for about 30 percent of the annual sales of the company in the country and has contributed 54 percent to the total sales of the Swift so far. Apart from India, the Swift is also produced in other countries, including Japan, Hungary, China, Pakistan, and Thailand.

Since its launch in 2004, the Swift has changed in style and design, and the second-generation Swift was launched in 2010. The cumulative sales figures of the car since its launch in 2004 had touched 10 lakh sales by 2008 and 20 lakh by 2011. The figures continued to attain new milestones, logging 30 lakh and 40 lakh units sold by 2013 and 2014, respectively, reaching a cumulative figure of 50 lakh units in 2016.

Interestingly, the feather in the cap for the company comes at the time when rumours of a new-gen Swift have started doing the rounds. A set of images of the new Swift have already hit the web, showing the changes made to the model, which is expected to make its global debut in 2017.

[1 lakh = 100,000 | 1 crore = 10 million | 100 crore = 1 billion]