Ford India announced that its popular hatchback Ford Figo crossed the 300,000 sales mark. In the third year of its market launch, the hatchback zipped past this milestone as it adds a new customer in every five minutes. The hatchback has won the maximum votes in the 2013 JD Power Asia Pacific Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) to become India’s Most Dependable Premium Compact vehicle.
In a statement, Ford India President and Managing Director, Joginder Singh said “The Figo continues to be a game-changer for Ford in India and has helped position Ford as a significant player. We debuted in the small car segment with the Figo and continue to offer a compelling choice for customers who want a vehicle that offers a quality, safe, fuel efficient and substantial value package. Today, as we celebrate the 300,000 sales milestone, I thank our customers in India and international markets for making the Figo their product of choice and placing their confidence in the Ford brand.”
In a press release, the company stated about its plans regarding the Indian car market. The auto maker aims to expand its presence across various parts of the country to build on the brand name. Ford India plans to expand its dealer network to 265 service outlets in 142 cities in the coming years. Moreover, to celebrate the 300,000 milestone, the auto maker plans to open five new dealerships across tier II and III markets, including Solan, Sri Ganganagar, Gaya, Anand and Sikar. Among these, the first dealership will be inaugurated in Solan on 8th August, 2013. While talking about the expansion of its dealership network, Joginder Singh added "These additions to our dealer footprint are part of our aggressive expansion plans of reaching closer to customers in India. In order to reach out to its customers, Ford India plans to increase the number of its sales and service network to 500 by around mid-decade."
Similar appreciation has been garnered by Ford India's newly launched Ford EcoSport had enjoyed an overwhelming success recently with the car reaching 30,000 bookings in 17 days since its launch. In recently released sales figures, Ford India said that it has received the highest ever sales figures in its history. During July, it sold 12,338 vehicles in compiled data of domestic sales and exports registering a 48 per cent increase in year-on-year data. Commenting on it Vinay Piparsania (Executive Director, Marketing, Sales and Service) said “Despite the near-term difficulty in the economy, our customers have put their trust in the urban SUV EcoSport, and with the Figo ranking as the best premium compact car in the prestigious J.D. Power India vehicle dependability study 2013, we are delighted to achieve the highest-ever sales in our history this month. It’s encouraging to see customers visit our showrooms, ready to experience new emerging segments that are driving growth.”
