New Suzuki proves Swift in testing.

The all-new Suzuki Swift Super 1600 car, which is scheduled to make its world debut on the Rally Finland in August, completed more than 300 trouble-free kilometres during a two-day test in Wales last week.

Both Per-Gunnar Andersson and Guy Wilks drove for one day each during the test, which was aimed at refining the specification of the Swift and ensuring complete reliability before the car is homologated next month.

The test took place in Corwen, north Wales, using the type of rough gravel roads that are often found on the World Rally Championship.

The Swift showed itself to be entirely reliable despite the punishing test programme, with only a minor power steering problem after 300 gruelling kilometres.

The test road contained a wide variety of speeds and road conditions, and the drivers are now quietly confident that the Swift will be capable of winning on its debut. The Swift test car in Wales was in largely the definitive specification that will be homologated next month.

"I am very happy and excited after testing the Swift again," said reigning Junior champion, Andersson. "The car is extremely fast and very reliable: the only real issue was a minor problem with the power steering, which is a good sign of the car's overall strength and durability.

"The work on the rear suspension is the thing that has impressed me most. You can now carry much more speed through the corners, and that translates into faster stage times everywhere. There is nothing more I would like to improve now - the car is fantastic."

Wilks meanwhile, who is currently tied on points with P-G for second place in the Junior WRC added that it was a 'very satisfactory test'.

"We're certainly on the right track," he continued. "The car feels quite different from the current Ignis, so there is a lot to get used to, but it is undoubtedly a very quick and reliable package. In its definitive specification, the Swift felt quite similar to when I drove it first - which is good news as it means that fundamentally the design was right from the start."

Suzuki team manager Risto Laine was equally happy. "We're all very pleased with the way the test went and although we've got every confidence in the current Ignis, the new Swift is going to be a very exciting car indeed," he concluded.

"As you could expect with any new car, we had a couple of very small teething troubles, but absolutely nothing to be worried about at all. In fact, the level of reliability was highly impressive - which is what this test set out to verify. We know the speed is there already."

The Swift will be testing next on asphalt in the south of France during the first week of July, but in the meantime the Suzuki squad will tackle the next round of the Junior WRC: the Acropolis Rally from June 24-26.