New Ford Figo production in India might start in February 2015

Ford India brought the EcoSport to India last year and following its success, the company is now gearing up to introduce the Ford Ka concept next year which might replace the current Ford Figo. According to reports, this new Ford Figo production might start by mid-February and will be launched in March.

The next-generation Ford Figo will be based on the Ford Ka which has been developed by the Ford Brazil team who also developed the Ford EcoSport. The vehicle will be similar to the Ford Figo sedan concept displayed at the Auto Expo in February this year. This hatchback will retain the Aston Martin-esque front grille and the sleek headlights which are designed along the lines of Ford’s global design language. The rear profile features wrap-around tail lamps, similar in design to the Ka hatchback and a hatchback spoiler. The equipment list might be kept minimal to keep the price tag of the car competitive.

We can expect the car to be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol non-turbo version of the EcoBoost. The diesel variants might be powered either by a 1.4-litre diesel or a 1.5-litre TDCi unit. Both the petrol and diesel engines will send power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.

The new Ford Figo will be the third generation of the car, the previous two were launched globally in 1996 and 2008. It will and the manufacturer plans to manufacture the hatchback and its compact sedan counterpart at its Sanand factory in Gujarat. The new hatchback will replace the current Figo and will go up against the new Maruti Suzuki Swift, Tata Bolt and Hyundai Grand i10.

Source: Autocolumn