Ford’s Global CEO Reveals New Ford FIGO

[russellw]

Targeting India Market and Export Sales

• Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally today revealed the much-anticipated new car to be produced in India. Called the new Ford Figo, the car was unveiled at a press event in Delhi as a major addition to the Ford India brand portfolio.
• Mulally’s visit underscores the strategic importance of India in Ford’s future plans. He stated the new Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in the heart of the domestic India car market.
• The new Ford Figo will be manufactured at Ford’s expanded integrated manufacturing facility near Chennai, which is undergoing a $500 million transformation to become a regional centre of excellence for Ford small car production.
• The importance of Ford Figo extends beyond India’s borders. Ford’s investment in its Chennai plant gears it for eco-friendly volume production and positions Ford India to become a major export producer.

DELHI, India, Sept. 23, 2009 – India’s role as an important player in the future of Ford Motor Company’s international strategy was underscored today when the company’s President and CEO, Alan Mulally, unveiled an all-new car targeting the heart of the Indian car market – the new Ford Figo.

The Ford Figo, a new nameplate and a fresh face on the Indian market, signals Ford’s intention to compete in India’s largest and most important small car market segment.
Ford Figo is the result of a significant Ford investment commitment to expand its plant near Chennai for volume production as a small-car centre of excellence regionally. Ford’s $500 million investment has doubled the plant’s production capacity to 200,000 units per year and introduces major advances in high-quality automation and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques.

“Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” Mulally said. “It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.”

Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in India’s small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the new vehicle market. It leverages Ford’s small-car platform architecture, sharing underlying technology with the Ford Fiesta, already familiar to Indian drivers.

New Shape, Solid Foundation
Today’s press conference in Delhi was the first public preview of the exterior design of the new Ford Figo. Ford is reserving further details about the vehicle until closer to its production launch early in 2010.

Design-conscious Italy inspired the new Ford Figo’s name. Figo is colloquial Italian for “cool.”

Sharing key elements of Ford’s kinetic design language with vehicles like the globally renowned Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo and the Ford Fiesta, Ford Figo features a fresh, contemporary shape that will be a distinctive alternative to traditional brands in this segment. The design language conveys a dynamic spirit of energy in motion.

Quality, substance and generous proportions are clearly evident in the design of the new Ford Figo, which features a solid stance, an invitingly large interior and a vibrant, youthful character. Its package is right-sized for the market, which is predominated by congested urban driving conditions.

From its modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear, Ford Figo is filled with kinetic design touches. These also include sculpted shapes to the body side – chiseled front fenders, a “comet tail” undercut in the doors and additional light-catching sculpting in the lower bodyside – which combine to communicate the solidity, substance and protective safety of its design.

The bold graphic of Ford Figo’s large side window shape is another key kinetic design feature hinting at the comfort and spaciousness awaiting occupants’ front and rear. The side window graphic is executed with a blacked-out B-pillar, an elegant design touch that unifies the side windows into one shape visually.

With its wheels positioned at the four corners of the vehicle with minimal overhang, Ford Figo’s bold wheel arches self-assuredly signal its agility and solidity.

“We’re confident that the new Ford Figo will be extremely attractive to Indian car buyers,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India. “It’s going to be very competitive with the current market leaders and offer a tremendous value story for our consumers. We believe Ford Figo is a big game-changer for Ford that will help transform our brand into a volume player in India.”

New Ford Regional Production Centre
The introduction of the new Ford Figo marks a significant shift for India’s role in Ford’s strategy. Transformed with a production capacity of 200,000 units, the integrated Chennai manufacturing facility is now positioned as a Ford regional centre of excellence for small-car engineering and production.

Ford Figo models will be produced at the plant for export to international markets. The plant is also being groomed to produce diesel and petrol engines for local vehicle production and export within Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region.

With more automation and high-tech new facilities, the new site reflects the latest Ford manufacturing processes globally and pioneers new technologies for Ford and India. Created with a “best of the best” approach, it has been benchmarked against other competitive facilities globally, as well as the current volume manufacturers in the Indian market, for quality and production efficiency.

The transformed plant introduces eco-friendly production techniques like its new Three-Wet High-Solids paint process. This approach produces beautifully painted vehicles with three wet coats – primer, base coat and clear coat – of high solids-content paint applied one after the other without oven curing between coats. A first for India, it produces fewer carbon dioxide emissions and reduces volatile organic compounds emissions by about 20 percent compared to current medium-solids solvent-borne paints. Use of high-solids content results in a paint finish with high levels of gloss and depth of colour which is more resistant to scratches and stone chips.


Source: Ford Media

[mrbaxr6t]

I found some pix

[JPFS1]

I was always wondering what "FIGO" was when I came across the name quite a while ago.

[outback_ute]

I wonder how closely it is related to the previous model Fiesta? Could possibly slot in under the Fiesta here too.

[TUF_302]

Looks pretty good, hopefully it sells well over there!

[FTE217]

FIGO ! top Portugese REAL footballer at the end of his career funny name for a car though. Mmm similarities to a BSeries front gill and driving lights don't you think ?
Hope it does well in the market for them.

[Bucknaked]

The shape of the rear looks like the old fiesta but has a more modern front.

[Terraplainin']

Now I know where the current Ranger headlights came from...

[dishpig]

I don't like the look of that at all, just looks weird to me. rather our fiesta over here for sure.

[Iggypoppin']

Gotta love ford. In an economic crisis, while all others go under and struggle, ford go and invest and create jobs and basically, do things properly. Their foresight in 2006 has enabled them to do this and good on them.

[500SEC]

Great name... a quick google search revealed its meaning... Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie Obstétrique (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics)

[Bossxr8]

Did FoA do the development work on this, as i've seen numerous versions of this coming out of the Product Engineering Offices with car bras on.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Did FoA do the development work on this, as i've seen numerous versions of this coming out of the Product Engineering Offices with car bras on.

Yup. This is a FoA product.

[Fairlane]

Not FoA's best work. Its pretty hideous, though i guess its about a gazillion times better than the rubbish on Indian roads.

And well i guess it keeps FoA occupied and engineers in a job. Between 4cyl and LPG FG's, the T6 Ute program and the new Tezza you would think they would be pretty busy anyway though.

[Joe5619]

It is a very plan & boring look if you ask me...

I don’t understand this move.. Why move away from the "Global" name of Fiesta to Figo & why move away form the "Global" shape of the current Fiesta to what looks like the old fiesta? What happened to one world, one Ford??

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Fairlane

Not FoA's best work. Its pretty hideous, though i guess its about a gazillion times better than the rubbish on Indian roads.

And well i guess it keeps FoA occupied and engineers in a job. Between 4cyl and LPG FG's, the T6 Ute program and the new Tezza you would think they would be pretty busy anyway though.

Good on them!

Several guys I know are flat out! If I had my blasted degree finished good chance id be there now!

I would hazard a guess that they did the mechanical R&D and ultimately Indias marketing guys would have control of its looks.

[ltd]

In a market where TATA is very common, Ford has some real guts introducing a viable alternative to a huge and ever expanding market. Glad to see it has Aussie input; maybe we should stipulate that it's called a FIGJAM instead of FIGO.

[Wretched]

certainly no oil painting but as long as it's robust enough within the harshness of India then that's all that matters. Hope it is a good seller too.

[XR8putts]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

It is a very plan & boring look if you ask me...

I don’t understand this move.. Why move away from the "Global" name of Fiesta to Figo & why move away form the "Global" shape of the current Fiesta to what looks like the old fiesta? What happened to one world, one Ford??

Have you been to India? I have, 5 times.. and this car is PERFECT for the Indian peoples wants and needs..

Don't get me wrong, I think it's ugly and the name is weird; but it is not designed for us. In regards to one world, India is a planet, get it right there and do you know how many of these Ford could sell!

[outback_ute]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

I don’t understand this move.. Why move away from the "Global" name of Fiesta to Figo & why move away form the "Global" shape of the current Fiesta to what looks like the old fiesta? What happened to one world, one Ford??

It is not a replacement for the Fiesta, or the new Ka for that matter.

[R-Design]

Ford Australia’s Figo city-car emerges in India and could eventually be sold here

Originally Posted by 24 September 2009 By MARTON PETTENDY

THE Ford Motor Company has revealed a light-car to be produced and exported by Ford of India – and it was designed and engineered by Ford in Australia on what appears to be a hand-me-down plaform from the previous Fiesta.

Although at this stage the new Fiesta will remain Ford’s smallest model in Australia, the Figo – which is a colloquial Italian word for ‘cool’ – now represents another sub-B-segment model option for the Blue Oval locally, alongside the second-generation Ka.

There is no chance the Figo will enter production in Australia, but the pint-sized five-door hatchback could eventually be imported here from India as a Ford rival for Suzuki’s Alto – Australia’s first A-segment vehicle to be shipped here from India.

Other potential Asian mini-car imports include Hyundai’s Indian-built i20 and perhaps even the smaller i10, GM Daewoo’s new Spark via Holden, Toyota’s iQ and a host of tiny Chinese models in the pipeline from Great Wall, Chery, Geely and Lifan. Malaysia’s Proton will soon launch a new micro-sedan, the S16, with aggressive pricing.

Perhaps more importantly, as Ford Australia is keen to point out, the Figo is rolling proof of the work done at Broadmeadows by Ford’s Asia Pacific & Africa product development team, led by Scott Strong.

The same team designed and engineered the current-generation Fiesta sedan for India and is also developing Ford’s all-new global light commercial platform, dubbed T6, from which the next-generation Ford Range and Mazda BT-50 utilities will emerge.

The value of the Figo project to the Ford Asia Pacific product division has not been disclosed but is expected to be substantial, quite apart from helping to further cement Australia’s involvement in FoMoCo president and CEO Alan Mulally’s ‘One Ford’ global engineering strategy.

Unveiled by Mr Mulally yesterday during a press event in Delhi, the Figo will be manufactured at Ford’s expanded, “integrated” manufacturing facility near Chennai, which is currently undergoing a $500 million transformation to become a regional centre of excellence for Ford small-car production.

Mr Mulally’s appearance at the Figo lunch underlines the importance of India in Ford’s future global product strategy, with the five-door to be aimed directly at the India’s volume-selling city-car segment, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the populous nation’s domestic car market.

“The importance of Ford Figo extends beyond India’s borders,” says Ford. “Ford’s investment in its Chennai plant gears it for eco-friendly volume production and positions Ford India to become a major export producer.

“Ford Figo models will be produced at the plant for export to international markets. The plant is also being groomed to produce diesel and petrol engines for local vehicle production and export within Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region.”

Ford says it recent investment in the Chennai facility has doubled the plant’s production capacity to 200,000 vehicles annually and introduced “major advances in high-quality automation and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques”.

It says the Maraimalai Nagar factory was been benchmarked against other competitive facilities globally, as well as the current volume manufacturers in the Indian market, for quality and production efficiency.

“With more automation and high-tech new facilities, the new site reflects the latest Ford manufacturing processes globally and pioneers new technologies for Ford and India,” said Ford.

One of those processes is a new ‘Three-Wet High-Solids’ paint process, which covers vehicles with three wet coats – primer, base coat and clear coat – of high solids-content paint one after the other without oven curing between coats.

A first for India, the system is claimed to produce fewer carbon dioxide emissions and reduce volatile organic compounds emissions by about 20 per cent compared to current medium-solids solvent-borne paints, as well as result in a deep, high-gloss paint finish that is said to be more resistant to scratches and stone chips.

“Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” said Mr Mulally. “It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.”

Yesterday’s Indian reveal comprised the first look at the all-new car’s Australian-designed exterior, but full details of the vehicle – including its Broadmeadows-designed interior – will not be divulged until closer to the model’s production launch in early 2010.

To keep the car affordable for the Indian market, the Figo seems to have been based on the previous generation Fiesta in Ford's time-honoured practice of recycling platforms (the Ford Festiva sold in Australia was a recycled Mazda 121 built by then ford affiliate Kia in South Korea).

The rear view of the Figo reveals its Fiesta heritage, with near identical C-pillars and light clusters to the European-sourced model that was replaced by the current model last year.

Featuring many aspects of Ford’s ‘kinetic’ global design theme as seen on the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Falcon, the youthful Figo features stylised teardrop headlights, “comet tail” door undercuts, pronounced wheel-arch flares, a large side glass area with blacked-out B-pillar and third side window, a squared-off rear-end with vertical side tail-lights and minimal front and rear overhangs.

“We’re confident that the new Ford Figo will be extremely attractive to Indian car buyers,” said Michael Boneham, the president and managing director of Ford India, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of FMC in 1995.

“It’s going to be very competitive with the current market leaders and offer a tremendous value story for our consumers. We believe Ford Figo is a big game-changer for Ford that will help transform our brand into a volume player in India.”

The Figo will join four other models already produced by Ford of India: the Ikon, Fusion, Endeavour and Fiesta.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25763A0082DB33

[R-Design]

Ford Australia has exported design and engineering knowledge for a crucial new Indian small car that could even be sold here.

Originally Posted by Jaedene Hudson and Toby Hagon, drive.com.au, September 23, 2009

Ford Figo

A top secret new city car designed and engineered by Ford Australia has been revealed in India.

The Figo (pronounced "fee-go", it’s Italian for cool) is an all-new car and nameplate for Ford that could go on to become one of the biggest selling vehicles in Ford’s global line-up.

The tiny five-door Figo will be built in the car maker’s manufacturing facility near Chennai.

Ford says the project is a key export earner for Australia, although no figure has been put on the investment; new models can range from $100 million to more than $1 billion.

“We might not be exporting the actual vehicle but the talent we have in Australia ... is playing a global role in the Ford world,’’ said Ford Australia communications manager Sinead McAlary.

The Figo is the next step in Ford Australia's plan to set itself up as a key pillar in Ford's global development team; it recently designed a sedan version of the Fiesta small car and is currently working on an all new ute (codenamed T6) to be sold around the world.

“It's very exciting for Ford Australia. It's another example of how the experienced team here can be involved in developing projects not just for Australia but the Asia-Pacific region.”

Designed for the fast growing Indian market the new car will be a cheaper alternative to the premium priced Fiesta.

It’s expected to compete with other sub–city cars like the Indian-built Suzuki Alto.

Despite its involvement, Ford Australia has no plans to sell the Figo here – yet. But it would seem a logical entry-level fit.

``At this stage we haven't said no but we've got no current plans,’’ says Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary.

``At this point we're currently launching the new Fiesta and we want to concentrate on that.’’

However, the Figo could provide Ford with a budget-priced car below the Fiesta hatchback to compete with the likes of the Alto, Holden Barina and hot selling Hyundai Getz and upcoming i20.


With the imminent arrival of Chinese brands such as Chery and Geely, numerous car makers are evaluating cars they previously wouldn’t have considered for Australia.

The Figo underwent extensive testing in India but was also put through its paces at Ford’s proving ground in Victoria and Australia’s public roads.

Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally revealed the new car in Delhi. “Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” Mulally said.

“It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.”

The Figo is believed to be built on the architecture of the old Fiesta, which was replaced last year. The design of the Figo bears an uncanny resemblance to that now superseded Ford Fiesta, albeit with more modern curves and touches.

The Figo will go into production early next year in 2010.

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=65877

[Bossxr8]

I think Ford should have a serious look at selling it here alongside the Fiesta. The Fiesta can't compete fairly in the tiddler class because its a premium product with a premium price. If they could sell this as an entry level vehicle for around 12-13k it would give Ford a serious competitor in this class. The 2 pronged approach might go some way towards stealing sales off the competition, because the small car class is such a big market Ford really need to compete.

It could be a true Festiva replacement, with the Fiesta as an option for the buyer who wants a premium vehicle.

[vztrt]

Ford Figo revealed by CEO to target Indian, export sales

http://www.caradvice.com.au/42193/fo...-export-sales/

Ford Figo revealed by CEO to target Indian, export sales

September 23, 2009 by Matt Brogan

Following exclusive spy pics from CarAdvice back in July, comes news today that Ford president and CEO, Mr Alan Mulally, has unveiled the company’s latest light car – the new Ford Figo.



The Figo, Italian for “cool”, marks an important strategic move for Ford in India with the fresh faced sub-light hatch sure to prove popular not only in the domestic market, but as an export vehicle as well.

Set to challenge rivals from Hyundai and Tata, the Ford Figo represents a $500 million investment in Ford’s plant near Chennai which will see a two-fold increase in production, up to 200,000 units, all thanks to the production of the new car.

That investment also sees the plant receive major advances in high-quality automation, and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques.

“Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India,” Mr Mulally said. “It reflects our commitment to compete with great products in all segments of this car market. We are confident the Ford Figo will be a product that Indian consumers really want and value.”

Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in India’s small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the new vehicle market. It leverages Ford’s small-car platform architecture, sharing underlying technology with the Ford Fiesta, already familiar to Indian drivers.



Sharing key elements of Ford’s kinetic design language with vehicles like the globally renowned Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo and the Ford Fiesta, Ford Figo features a fresh, contemporary shape that will be a distinctive alternative to traditional brands in this segment.

From its modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear, Ford Figo is filled with kinetic design touches.

These also include sculpted shapes to the body side – chiseled front fenders, a “comet tail” undercut in the doors and additional light-catching sculpting in the lower bodyside – which combine to communicate the solidity, substance and protective safety of its design.

The bold graphic of Ford Figo’s large side window shape is another key kinetic design feature hinting at the comfort and spaciousness awaiting occupants’ front and rear. The side window graphic is executed with a blacked-out B-pillar, an elegant design touch that unifies the side windows into one shape visually.



With its wheels positioned at the four corners of the vehicle with minimal overhang, Ford Figo’s bold wheel arches self-assuredly signal its agility and solidity.

“We’re confident that the new Ford Figo will be extremely attractive to Indian car buyers,” said Mr Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India.

“It’s going to be very competitive with the current market leaders and offer a tremendous value story for our consumers. We believe Ford Figo is a big game-changer for Ford that will help transform our brand into a volume player in India.”

Ford will announce engine, specification and pricing figures closer to Figos production launch early in 2010.

With Ford US

[vztrt]

This is very good for FoA. Its showing that they can build global vehicles.....hmmm now for the big one!!

[phillyc]

So, Ford Aus have designed the Fiesta sedan for India, a unique redesign for the old model, now the Figo, which is an updated old model Fiesta which some later kinetic design cues. Having Ford do both clearly made sense.

Ford Aus with the T6 global light truck platform is also another feather in the cap and money!

Nice to see this success story with a positive slant on it Great to have positive media on Ford Aus. They deserve it.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I think Ford should have a serious look at selling it here alongside the Fiesta. The Fiesta can't compete fairly in the tiddler class because its a premium product with a premium price. If they could sell this as an entry level vehicle for around 12-13k it would give Ford a serious competitor in this class. The 2 pronged approach might go some way towards stealing sales off the competition, because the small car class is such a big market Ford really need to compete.

It could be a true Festiva replacement, with the Fiesta as an option for the buyer who wants a premium vehicle.

The previous model German built Fiesta, was still nearly the best in class when replaced by this years definite class leader. So having the Indian Figo, designed by Ford Aus and sold here for $12-13k should happen. Even if it only maintained the same volume as the older Fiesta (400-600/mth), it's a nice incremental gain of 0.5% market share.

Importantly, those people that buy now at $12-13k will go on to buy more expensive cars. Get 'em in now! Your sowing the seeds of future demand.

It's a multi-pronged approach, just like Toyota does with Prado, Kluger, Rav4 etc.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by vztrt

This is very good for FoA. Its showing that they can build global vehicles.....hmmm now for the big one!!

Originally Posted by go auto

The value of the Figo project to the Ford Asia Pacific product division has not been disclosed but is expected to be substantial, quite apart from helping to further cement Australia’s involvement in FoMoCo president and CEO Alan Mulally’s ‘One Ford’ global engineering strategy

Yeah, thats 2 Indian platforms and 1 Global platform. Done and dusted.

Yep, now we have to trust that we can get our hands on the GRWD when it resurfaces.

Mullaly and Kuzak are both massive fans of the Falcon. So we can only hope!

[Dezza]

Nice freshen up of the old Fiesta really! Looks like they've changed all the bolt-on panels (front guards, bumpers, bonnet, tailgate, door skins, lights etc. but kept the same body. I reckon it looks alright for a cheap runabout, not that it's still really my sort of car.

[kocho]

Doesn't look any good in my opinion. Looks like it's a 5 year old car already - very basic.

Spose it's not bad for the Indian market but I wouldn't really like to see it on our roads.