India's role as an important player in the future of Ford Motor Company's international strategy was underscored on Wednesday when the company's President and CEO Alan Mulally unveiled an all-new small car targetting the Indian car market: the Ford Figo.
The Ford Figo signals Ford's intention to compete in India's largest and most important small car market segment.
However, Ford has not revealed the price of the car yet.
"Our plan for India involves accelerating development of fuel efficient small cars. The small car market in India will double in the next one decade. We know the high importance placed by Indian customers on value for money," Ford Motor Company president and CEO Alan Mulally said in New Delhi.
"Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India. 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," he added.
The small car--Figo--will be targeted for both domestic sales and exports, he added.
Ford Figo is the result of a significant Ford investment commitment to expand its plant near Chennai for volume production as a small-car centre of excellence regionally.
Ford's $500 million investment has doubled the plant's production capacity to 200,000 units per year and introduces major advances in high-quality automation and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques.
Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in India's small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 percent 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.
New shape, solid foundation
The company said that it is reserving further details about the vehicle until closer to its production launch early in 2010.
Design-conscious Italy inspired the new Ford Figo's name. Figo is colloquial Italian for 'cool'.
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. The design language conveys a dynamic spirit of energy in motion.
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 -- chiselled 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 Ford Figo's large side window shape is another key kinetic design feature hinting at the comfort and spaciousness awaiting occupants' front and rear.
