Ford India had recently reported that sales of its compact car Figo has now crossed 300,000 unit mark in the third year after its launch. The car maker now plans to expand its existing customer base and strengthen brand presence in the Indian automotive market. Besides an internal distribution system in the country, Ford Figo is being exported to more than 37 overseas markets. As confirmed by the company, the agenda is to establish new dealerships in order to increase sales and service network to 500. The new dealerships will mark their presence in tier III cities, namely Solan, Sri Ganganagar, Gaya, Anand and Sikar. Dealerships at Faridabad and Kochi are also in the pipeline. The idea to enhance dealer footprint is a part of aggressive expansion plans and is aimed toward reaching closer to the domestic customers.
About the performance of Figo, it would be apt to say that the hatchback has enjoyed a decent success since its inception in the market. Interestingly, as company says and numbers justify, 'Every 5 minutes a family welcomes a Ford Figo home.' This claim is backed by sales (domestic and export) statistics of Figo in the automotive market between March 2010 and July 2013. During this period, the company sold 302845 units in a total of 1063 working days.
Ford Figo comes with a kinetic design, which is marked with a large front hexagonal lower grille. The front fascia of this car is inspired by a muscular look and features stylishly designed wide-eye shaped headlamps, along with wider and upright bumper. A sure footer stance further adds on to the appeal of the vehicle. The rear portion of the hatchback is accentuated with new tail lamps. Alloy wheels is also an add-on and goes along well to give a mature hatchback look to Figo.
Interiors of the vehicle are pretty decent too. There is ample legroom and headroom space to ensure maximum comfort for the driver and passengers. The vehicle seems to have one of the best boot space in the segment. This means that customers willear seat is also provided in the hatchback. Currently, Figo is being offered in the automotive market with two different engines. Individuals can either go for variant that comes with a 1.2-litre Duratec petrol engine offering a power of up to 69 bhp and torque of 102 Nm or a 1.4-litre Duratorq diesel engine with a power and torque of up to 67 bhp and 160 Nm, respectively. It must be noted that both the engines are high on performance and fuel efficiency.
Safety and handling aspects of the vehicle are pretty decent in the segment. The car features optimised suspension for comfortable ride and light steering wheel for enhanced control on road. Figo's braking system has been enhanced further with the implementation of Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Front dual airbags ensure maximum safety during city and highway drives. For optimum comfort and convenience of passengers, the vehicle features an effective air conditioning system with extra large compressor. New steering mounted audio controls help the driver to have an easy access on the music. The hatchback also comes with best-in-class audio system, which is compatible with multi utility Bluetooth connectivity.
