Ford has refreshed its product lineup for the Indian market with the Figo and Classic getting a replacement while the Fiesta has been discontinued owing to negligible sales.
While the Indian website may convey otherwise, Ford India has silently discontinued the Classic, Figo and Fiesta models in the country, as it refreshes its product lineup in the domestic market. While the Classic has been replaced by the new Figo Aspire, and the new generation Figo hatchback will replace the outgoing model soon, it is the Fiesta that gets no replacement in the Indian market with production stopped for the C-segment sedan.
The Ford Fiesta averaged a bare minimum of 29, 25, 22 and 14 units during the months of April, May, June and July this financial year. Clearly, it does not make good business sense for the company to continue a slow selling product, even though sales are inversely proportional to the model’s capabilities. As part of its turnaround strategy, Ford has three new back-to-back launches planned for India which started with the Figo Aspire and will end with the Mustang muscle car. The company does not want to be seen as a one product wonder anymore.
Unlike Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki that have an abundance of offerings in multiple segments, Ford India has been sustaining itself one product at a time. After slumping sales for years, the automaker finally found success with the Figo in 2010 that catapulted its volumes by a hefty margin, but was again buoyed down by the lacklustre response to the new generation Fiesta sedan. Nonetheless, the EcoSport recaptured the market frenzy in 2013 for the automaker. However, sales for the compact SUV have also dipped since the last fiscal.
Ford is now relying on the new Figo Aspire compact sedan as well as the new generation Figo hatchback to bring the volumes. With the Aspire already amassing 4000-5000 bookings since the launch last month, the automaker is now looking forward to introducing the Figo hatchback that is expected by October, which will be followed up with the new generation Endeavour. Keeping the enthusiast happy, Ford will finally fulfill long dream and launch the Mustang in India, most likely at the 2016 Auto Expo.
Source – EconomicTimes.com
