The Indian automobile market has managed to bounce back after enduring a tough period for around two years. Sales have gone up, new models are doing well and firms are investing more with each passing day. Given the size of the Indian car market, there is a lot of space for all firms to grow including the ones that have been present for a long time. One such example is Ford, the American giant, which has not been able to establish itself as a leading contender despite being present in India for a long time. One of the biggest reasons for Ford’s plight in India is its inability to connect to customers on a personal level. However, seeing the scope of growth in the market, Ford is planning to take on mass car sellers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Honda.
Till about two-and-a-half years back, Japanese car maker Honda was not seen as a giant in the passenger vehicle segment due to its non-appeal to a large percentage of buyers. The poor performances of models like Civic and Jazz despite being top class sent a strong message across to Honda about the Indian market. Resilient and strategic, Honda bounced back by launching the Amaze compact sedan, its first ever diesel car, in India. Fortunately for them, the move clicked big time and Honda managed to establish itself as a brand for the common man.
Given the experience and prowess of Ford, one would expect it to match Honda sooner or later. From what it seems, the American automaker has taken a leaf out of its Japanese rival’s book and is going the same way. Ford Figo has been an excellent performer for the firm and like several other manufacturers; it is going to launch a compact sedan version of the same.
This compact sedan will be sold under the name of Ford Figo Aspire and will compete with the likes of Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest and Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire. Recently, the firm inaugurated a new production facility in Gujarat and is expected to increase its output in coming years. Experts believe that it is not going to be surprise if Ford achieves great success with the Figo Aspire sedan. Also, the good performance of Ford EcoSport is going to help the new compact sedan in achieving the expected sales figures.
