Ford Figo revealed by CEO to target Indian, export sales
September 23, 2009 by Matt Brogan
Following exclusive spy pics from CarAdvice back in July, comes news today that Ford president and CEO, Mr Alan Mulally, has unveiled the company’s latest light car – the new Ford Figo.
The Figo, Italian for “cool”, marks an important strategic move for Ford in India with the fresh faced sub-light hatch sure to prove popular not only in the domestic market, but as an export vehicle as well.
Set to challenge rivals from Hyundai and Tata, the Ford Figo represents a $500 million investment in Ford’s plant near Chennai which will see a two-fold increase in production, up to 200,000 units, all thanks to the production of the new car.
That investment also sees the plant receive major advances in high-quality automation, and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques.
“Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” Mr Mulally said. “It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.”
Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in India’s small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the new vehicle market. It leverages Ford’s small-car platform architecture, sharing underlying technology with the Ford Fiesta, already familiar to Indian drivers.
Sharing key elements of Ford’s kinetic design language with vehicles like the globally renowned Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo and the Ford Fiesta, Ford Figo features a fresh, contemporary shape that will be a distinctive alternative to traditional brands in this segment.
From its modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear, Ford Figo is filled with kinetic design touches.
These also include sculpted shapes to the body side – chiseled front fenders, a “comet tail” undercut in the doors and additional light-catching sculpting in the lower bodyside – which combine to communicate the solidity, substance and protective safety of its design.
The bold graphic of Ford Figo’s large side window shape is another key kinetic design feature hinting at the comfort and spaciousness awaiting occupants’ front and rear. The side window graphic is executed with a blacked-out B-pillar, an elegant design touch that unifies the side windows into one shape visually.
With its wheels positioned at the four corners of the vehicle with minimal overhang, Ford Figo’s bold wheel arches self-assuredly signal its agility and solidity.
“We’re confident that the new Ford Figo will be extremely attractive to Indian car buyers,” said Mr Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India.
“It’s going to be very competitive with the current market leaders and offer a tremendous value story for our consumers. We believe Ford Figo is a big game-changer for Ford that will help transform our brand into a volume player in India.”
Ford will announce engine, specification and pricing figures closer to Figos production launch early in 2010.
With Ford US
Print it: 
Looks like a superceded Fiesta with a nose job?
This is just the old Fiesta with a new grill and dials
Oh no but then you would also be forgetting the fresh ‘new’ tail-lights too :P
The doors are different, only the roof and rear quarter are the same.
looks better then the feista
Ford’s CEO says, “We’re truly excited about flogging our Busted-Arse old Fiesta tooling to the sub continent”.
The tacked on grille that Ford are using on all their new cars is getting really old, really quick.
Your right. Audi and BMW are the only brands capable of pulling off their corporate faces with all their models. When ford uses their Kinetic design it just looks like a bunch of curves meet a trapeziod.
All personal opinion of course – the reallity is probably quite different. At least Ford do have a design phillophosy, unlike GM’s miss-mash.
Come on Shak BMW are making some of the ugliest cars around!!
To you maybe, but I’d strongly disagree.
I agree with Martin, BMWs look great at the moment
current bimmers look like they have been stepped on and squashed by a giant.
hideous.
but even in the late 90s and early 2000s theri designs were boxy and dated.
over rated, over priced!
This Figo is based on the old model Fiesta and has been designed in the Indian Model. It will have both Diesel and Petrol Engines. The car has been designed by Ford Australia. Other models are also being developed and they look great!!
Wow, you mean Ford Australia were involved in the process of designing what is in essence a Fiesta diesel, yet they are still too numb-brained to consider selling the fantastic TDCi Fiesta in Australia?
The Fiesta Econetic goes on sale in November in Australia. It will use 3.7 l/100km and be the MOST FUEL EFFICIENT CAR on the Australian market. You are a worthless moron.
Nice car. :-)
Hey Filippo, pull your head in! Ford Australia has been singing the praises of the Fiesta ECOnetic TDCI since early this year and have stated that the release date of this car in Australia is November 2009.
By the way this new Figo looks to me like a 2010 Hatch version of the India only Ford Ikon/Fiesta sedan, which itself is based on the old model Fiesta and designed and engineered in Australia.
Hey Joe, I don’t think you understand where I am coming from. I really love the European Fords, but they are all engineered for diesel motors first. In petrol guise (except those which are high performance) they are just another car on the market, but in TDCi guise is where they really kick goals.
So yes, the Fiesta ECOnetic is coming in November 2009 (almost 2010!!), but this is not a proper TDCi model. The ECOnetic will have a slug of a gearbox, skinny tyres, and will be marketed heavily for its efficiency and little else, whereas the beauty of the normal TDCi models is their performance and superior dynamics. You can see from the recent Focus TDCi adverts (where they bizarrely compare it to a petrol Corolla) that Ford Australia don’t really know what they are pushing by concentrating solely on fuel efficiency. It’s like BMW promoting an M5 on it’s safety credentials.
The whole thing is disappointing because it shows that there are some people in high positions at Broadmeadows who really don’t know what they’re doing. These are the same people who:
- Thought the market would respond well to the AU Falcon;
- Decided to axe the Mondeo just at the point when it matured into a really fantastic car (the last model that we didn’t see here) and at the point where the medium-sized segment was blossoming;
- Think Australians will buy a 4-cyl Falcon;
- Have been pushed kicking and screaming into the development of a Territory diesel;
- Didn’t believe the Mondeo TDCi would sell very well so limited their stock.
Just like the Focus, the Fiesta diesel will arrive at least 3 or 4 years late.
Its a shame Caradvice didnt talk about how Ford Australia developed this car.
Exactly what’s to develop – It’s an old Fiesta for god’s sake.
It may not look it, but every panel is new on this car. Also extensive work has been undertaken to ensure suspension durability, dust sealing, engine and fuel systems for poor quality fuel, plastics strength against UV exposure, river wading ability, very rough road comfort, ease of manufacturing, and it was given functional and stylish design with the ability to be easily repaired. A lot of work went into this car.
Ford always puts lots of work into their old models, there’s still nothing new here.
It is bascially engineered from the ground up, it will do very well in India.
Agreed, when one lines up photo of 2008 Fiesta to this new car only minor difference in character lines on bottom of doors and wheel arches and bonnet/front bumper/front lights. Result is only a minor tweak with one front fits all look at front end.
Ford Australia need to take notice that this is reason Ford not selling well as cars not released here that could be sourced from places like Chennai that would succeed well here! Lift the bar and get quick with it Ford Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well it looks like the designer of the fiesta got fired and needed a quick replacement, looks like he designed this one on his 1st day on the job.
Kingcobra,
Agreed.
Many who post on here simply make conclusions based on what they think they can recognise, rather than the whole product, what a surprise…
Ford Aus re-engineered the previous model. With the emphasis on engineer. That model was very nearly best in class for dynamics and build. Okay, the styling is only an update too with some modern touches. So, what? The car is designed to be tough, durable, cheap to run and able to cope with terrible conditions. It’s also a step up from many offerings in that market.
This will sell by the factory load and make Ford Aus some good coin. Well done!
PS Anti Spam Word TATA!!!
Hey Filippo, just a few points to consider:
* The AU’s styling was based on the then successful US Taurus/Sable and was pushed by the Yanks against the wishes of Ford Australia
* When the HC Mondeo was last available in 2000/2001 a 2.0lt auto LX sedan was approx.$35000 o/road compared to approx. $32500 o/road for a 4.0 lt AUII Forte sedan and neither were particularly attractive cars. Remeber the Holden Vectra? Not a bad car but made no sense alongside the Commodore when petrol was 80c p/litre.
* Ford hope that Australians will buy a 4cyl Falcon. A lot of Australians buy the 4cyl Aurion(Camry)and lets not forget that the Mondeo TDCI is similar in size and probably weight and torque to the ECOboost Falcon 4cyl, so who knows?
* The Territory Diesel will still be the first diesel engined Australian car. Cost is obviously a major factor in designing/building cars in Australia and that being the case how much more would a potential Territory buyer pay for a diesel do you think? $5000,$10,000 maybe $12,000. Toyota charge a premium of $10,000 more for a diesel Landcruiser tha a petrol one and both models are fully imported and Toyota have been making diesels for a very long time, so maybe the delays are cost related rather than anything else.
* The Mondeo TDCI was what you would call ” a toe in the water” to test the potential market.No problem getting one now.
* The Fiesta TDCI may well be late but it will still beat the diesel Mazda2, Yaris,Swift,Barina,Getz etc. to the Aussie market.
BTW,
BTW, the current Ford Aus President Marin Burela, an Aussie, was before arriving in Australia, the man behind the Fiesta in Europe and he knows all about Euro Fords.
indians will buy it, and decide they dont want it and return it the next day anyway.
thats what they do where i work.
i wonder if they will return the car with bits missing too?