Seeing the growing demand for compact sedans, car manufacturers are aiming to launch their vehicles in the segment. At the 2014 Indian Auto Expo, we witnessed the unveiling of several new compact sedan cars. Ford India too premiered the sub-4 metre Figo sedan concept a day before the start of Delhi Motor Show. It is expected that the compact sedan will be launched by the early 2015 and will be manufactured at the company’s new Sanand factory in Gujarat, which is scheduled to start production by the end of this year.
Based on the new generation Ford Ka aka Figo platform, the new sedan has been spotted during its test rounds on Brazilian roads. However, this model is a longer version of the sedan and is named as Ka sedan. The Indian spec model will be a sub-4 metre sedan which will directly compete against the likes of Maruti Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and upcoming Tata Zest. [READ MORE- Upcoming compact sedan cars in India]
The Ka sedan and Figo compact sedan are developed on the same platform, which is basically the updated version of the previous generation Fiesta platform. The company has used higher strength and lighter steel structures to keep the body weight down.
The exterior styling of the Figo concept looks identical to the Ford Ka hatchback concept showcased in Brazil last year. The vehicle looks aggressive and sports aerodynamic creases running all around the sedan. In simple words, we can say that Ford’s Kinetic design philosophy works really well. The front fascia of the compact sedan gets trapezoidal grille (Aston-Martin like grille) which is also visible on Fiesta facelift, swept back large headlamps, large bumper with wide air dam and a pair of fog lamps. The styling elements are 8-spoke alloy wheels, outside rear view mirrors (ORVMs) with integrated turn indicators, large doors with a huge glass area, Boomerang shaped rear-taillight design and silver diffuser on the rear bumper.
At the show, the company didn’t showcase the interiors of the sedan. However, it is expected that the vehicle will get features like a mobile phone, satellite navigation and MP3 holder (media dock) which complements the car’s entertainment system. Ford claims it to offer best-in segment interior space and safety technologies.
Under the hood, it is speculated that Ford Figo concept sedan will get the renowned 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that produces 123bhp and 170Nm of top torque. However, we expect it to feature the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 70bhp and a 1.4-litre Duratorq diesel engine. The company might also introduce the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel variants of the sedan. While the diesel version will be coupled to a five-speed manual transmission gearbox, the petrol variant will be mated to five-speed manual or CVT gearbox.
The exact pricing details for the Ford Figo compact sedan is yet to be announced, but we expect it to be priced in the range of Rs. 5-8 lakh.
