Ford’s much-awaited Aspire compact sedan will be launched in India on August 12, 2015. In fact, the company has already started taking pre-bookings at Rs. 30,000. The Aspire will face competition from the cars like Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire. Just so you know, the compact sedan was showcased recently showcased in 25 cities across the country.
The Aspire will be available with three engine options - a 1.2-litre TiVCT petrol, a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel. The all-new 1.2-litre petrol mill churns out a maximum power of 86.8bhp, while the 1.5-litre diesel mill is good for 98.6bhp. Both the powertrains will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Whereas, the 1.5-litre petrol engine will be offered only on the top-end variant of the lineup, coupled with a 6-speed ‘Powershift’ dual clutch automatic (first-in-segment).
On the outside, the car features a large Astron Martin-ish grille, projector headlights, daytime LED running light, 14-inches alloy wheels and layered bootlid with chrome strip. The Aspire takes its interior design inspiration from the EcoSport and Fiesta. It will be equipped with Ford’s SYNC technology and Applink entertainment system, MyKey customizable driving key, automatic climate control, dual front airbags, curtain airbags (first-in-segment), emergency assistance, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution(EBD) and several other features.
To be available in four trim levels – Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium + - the Aspire will be manufactured at Ford’s Gujarat-based production plant. This compact sedan is expected to be priced between Rs. 5 lakh – Rs. 5.7 lakh (ex-showroom).
