Modest Sirion turns into real go-getter

By DAVID LINKLATER

Suddenly, the diminutive Daihatsu Sirion has sprouted wings. The retro-look hatchback, launched last year, offers a distinctly unsexy 40kW from its otherwise-impressive 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine.

But a new model that pumps out 75kW from a 1.3-litre four with variable valve timing has just been launched in Australia - and the pocket rocket is on its way to New Zealand.

There's at least one Sirion 1.3 on the streets already. Automotive News spotted the car near Mercury Lane in central Auckland last week, during early morning filming for a television commercial.

Daihatsu New Zealand managing director Murray Hart confirmed that the car, wearing "GTvi" badging, was part of an Australian advertising campaign being shot in Auckland, but would not comment on launch plans for the new model in New Zealand. However, he did acknowledge that a dealer conference was scheduled for October 8, and that a new product would be launched. You do the sums.

The uprated Sirion's powerplant is almost certainly a development of the engine used in parent company Toyota's Echo. Both are 1299cc, use variable valve timing and produce about 120Nm of torque at 4400rpm.

However, the Echo's 63kW at 6000rpm is now trounced by the Sirion's 75kW.

That power, combined with a kerb weight of just 820kg, means that the new Sirion supermini rivals genuine hot hatches in the power-to-weight equation, with 91kW per tonne. It sprints from 0-100km/h in under 10 seconds.

The Volkswagen Polo GTi manages a mere 79kW per tonne. The Fiat Punto HGT only just pips the baby Daihatsu with 92kW/tonne, while the Peugeot 206 GTi pumps out 99kW/tonne.

The superheated Sirion isn't likely to match the European hatches for handling, but then it could undercut them by around $10,000.

The 1.3-litre Daihatsu first appeared at the Geneva Motor Show in March, where it was tagged simply "Sirion 1.3L".

It's likely that New Zealand Sirion will mirror the Australian-market car. That means lower, stiffer suspension, larger anti-roll bars and an exterior styling package that includes alloy wheels, side skirts and a silver mesh-look grille.

The cabin is spiced up with silver and orange instrument faces, silver-effect inserts in the dashboard and special blue and black fabric on the seats.

Standard equipment is likely to include dual airbags, while anti-lock brakes and air conditioning are also likely.

The Australian Sirion 1.3 costs around 20 per cent more than the cooking 1.0-litre model. Translate that to New Zealand prices and the newcomer should sit in the low-$20,000 bracket.