Ford India Engineering Vice President Kumar Galhotra speaks during the unveiling of the Ford Figo Concept car in New Delhi(Photo: Tsering Topgyal AP)
Story Highlights
- Ford has unveiled a concept version of its next Figo for India and other third-world countries
- Figo is smaller than Fiesta, the smallest car it sells in the U.S.
Ford has unveiled a concept for the next-generation Figo — the most important vehicle it sells in India — in advance of the New Delhi auto show.
Figo is a subcompact vehicle that was developed for emerging markets. It is part of the same global family as the Ford Ka that was unveiled in Brazil in November. They represent Ford's first attempt at global vehicles smaller than the Fiesta. Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of the Americas, described the platform as one of the most important product programs the automaker is working on.
"We've been talking for a long time about leveraging global platforms, but there have been questions about the lower end of the spectrum," Hinrichs said last year, and "whether Ford can move its global strategy down market."
In India, the Figo has almost single-handedly elevated the Ford brand.
Ford wants the Figo to set standards for quality and safety in the B-segment, which contains many small vehicles for emerging markets that lack safety and other features taken for granted in mature markets. India has some of the deadliest roads in the world, but safety features such as seat belts in the back seat and airbags are often optional, and advanced safety features are too pricey for entry-level vehicles.
Last week, independent crash tests by Global NCAP, a safety watchdog in London, found that the Figo was one of the few small vehicles in India that is structurally sound enough to prevent a serious injury or fatality in a low-speed crash.
"Consumers are more demanding than ever, wanting and expecting more from their cars, even if they are first-time buyers," said Ford India President Nigel Harris. "They expect and demand great fuel efficiency and low cost-of-ownership from the initial price throughout the life of the vehicle."
Last year, 3.2 million cars were produced in India. The Figo plays in the largest and most competitive segment, accounting for one of every three vehicle sales.
Ford expects the small-car segment in India to grow from about 1 million units last year to roughly 2 million units in 2018.
Strong Figo sales also will help Ford achieve its goal of 8 million sales annually by mid-decade. The automaker is about 2 million short.
The Figo has the trademark Ford grille and styling designed to make it look fast and sporty.
"The Figo Concept represents our vision of a refined, no-compromise approach to designing a compact car," said its designer, Ehab Kaoud. "So often in this segment, you see designs based on current trends and fashions that quickly look dated. We wanted instead to create a premium, long-lasting design that is clean and elegant, and which conveys a sense of precision, efficiency and sophistication."
There also are practical features, such as electrically adjustable power-fold mirrors, which are important when navigating congested roadways in India.
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