Ford tried to redeem themselves in the Indian market with the launch of the Ecosport. It sure was a big hit but unfortunately they could not keep up with the demand which led to long waiting periods. To make matters worse they didn’t give price protection to the customers who have booked the vehicle before the price increase, which ultimately left them with an angry and dissatisfied set of customers. They are now tried to move on and get some more success by launching the fiesta facelift and Figo concept sedan.
Ford Figo Concept Sedan:
One of the showstoppers at the Auto Expo and clearly the main attraction at the Ford stall was their Figo Concept sedan. The compact sedan segment has seen a lot of action over the last few months thanks to the tax benefits of cars under 4m. Maruti and Honda already have their compact sedans on sale while some manufacturers just showcased them at the Auto Expo, like the Zest from Tata and Xcent from Hyundai. Now it was Ford’s turn, so they have revealed the all-new figo compact sedan. It has been developed on the upcoming Ford Ka’s platform. It is likely to be powered by the 1.5l TDCi diesel engine from the Fiesta and maybe a detuned version of the 1.0L ecoboost petrol engine. The car’s design is futuristic and aggressive and I hope the production version also continues to look as good as the concept. The Figo concept sedan still has a long way to go before it hits Indian markets since testing hasn’t even started. Heck it didn’t even have an engine! Expect the car to hit showrooms by mid-2015.
Ford Fiesta Facelift:
Ford launched the new Fiesta around two years back. But unfortunately it didn’t work out as expected, all due to the disastrous pricing. Later the launch of the similarly priced Ecosport just made matters worse for the Fiesta. Now Ford are trying to give it another shot by launching this facelift. They hope the repeat the success of the older-generation Fiesta. The exterior changes include an all-new front grill, bumpers, headlights and taillights. The tailgate has also been redesigned. The side profile though remains unchanged except for the new Alloy wheel design. The interior gets a few changes like a dual tone dashboard and piano black inserts. The facelift will get additional features like the Microsoft SYNC system and rain-sensing wipers. It will be powered by the same 1.5L TDCi diesel engine and 1.5L Petrol engine. Wish Ford would offer the new fiesta with the 1.0L Ecoboost. Expect the Fiesta facelift to hit showrooms by May 2014.
Apart from that Ford had their Ecoboost and TDCi engines on display. There were also the regular products from their current lineup like the Figo, Fiesta Classic, Ecosport and Endeavour. The 2014 Figo now gets a few updates such as wifi-hotspot, blutooth connectivity, speed sensing volume and two new colors. Let’s hope that now with their forthcoming launches they are able to meet the demand of the market, otherwise they will be in deep trouble.
Pic source: Autocar india
