Ford launched the Figo in India in 2010 and the hatchback received tremendous response, lifting the fortunes of the company. Initially the Figo was a big volume churner for the automaker but eventually the hatchback started losing steam against the growing competition. In 2012, the American carmaker launched a facelift of the Figo with few improvements but couldn’t gather targeted sales. With the increasing competition in the hatchback segment, the Figo needs a big makeover. Now Ford Brazil has conducted customer clinics of the next generation Ka (both sedan and hatchback) and the same car is the next gen Figo.
Ford is preparing to launch the next generation Figo next year, in both hatchback and sedan avatars, the latter will replace the Classic. While the hatchback will be a slightly grown up version of the current offering, the all new sedan will have compact dimensions to compete with the likes of the Maruti Swift DZire and Honda Amaze. The upcoming Figo will be treated with an all new design language, showcasing the latest styling elements of Ford. The front end will get the aggressive Aston Martin inspired wide grille, as seen on the latest Ford products.
The interiors of the next generation Ford Figo will also get redesigned, featuring latest tech and gadgetry (similar to the new Fiesta). Ford India is setting up a new plant in Sanand, Gujarat, which is likely to be completed by 2015. Now the manufacturer is planning to make India their global compact car production base from 2014, which means heavy localisation (over 90 percent) of the upcoming offerings with aggressive pricing. The new plant is also being made for exports with an aim to achieve considerably large volumes.
Source – Noticias Automotivas
