In an expected news bit that is reported by Economic Times, Ford India will phase out one of its best-selling car in India, the Figo hatchback, and also the Classic (rebadged old Fiesta) sedan next year.
Figo is about 4 years old in India and has been the mainstay for Ford along with the EcoSport which has been launched last year. Classic (old Fiesta) petrol 1.6L is one car which is still enjoyed by people who love fun to drive cars.
But it gets better from here for Ford and for its fans too as the company will be launching the new ‘Ka’ hatchback in India as the new Figo, and the ‘Ka+’ sedan will follow in the sub-4 meter guise (remember the Figo Sedan concept?) The new Ka was launched last month in Brazil with a three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine that produces 86.2 PS and 107 Nm torque.
According to the source, it gets apparently clear that Ford will completely discontinue the existing Figo and not keep it as a lesser variant which has been the norm these days. It also gets revealed that the Figo sedan will get a family name as in Figo ‘something’, just like Swift and Swift Dzire.
The Indian version of the Ka ie the next-gen Figo will feature both petrol and diesel engines. While the diesel may either be the current 1.4L motor or the 1.5L from the EcoSport, it is imperative for the company to plonk the 1.0L Ecoboost petrol on it, to make it one real fantastic preposition in the market, even if it means a lot of detuning and power reduction!
The new Figo and the sedan in India would be for Ford what Swift and Dzire are for Maruti. So while the new Figo will be better equipped to deal with the current Figo’s competition, the sedan will enter into the hotly contested segment ruled presently by Maruti’s Dzire and has contenders like Amaze, Xcent and Zest.
Also, the axing of Figo and Classic would mean hefty discounts on both cars in the coming months; I know a few people who would just jump with joy at the prospect of driving home one of the best driver’s cars (the Classic for the uninitiated) in India for hatchback money…By the way…launch of Next-Gen Ford Figo hatchback and sedan is scheduled for mid-2015.
Related: Ford’s Aug 2014 Sales: Want to Know the Reason Why Your EcoSport is Getting Delayed?
