Ford launches new EcoSport starting from Rs 6.79 lakh onwards

Ford India, launched the new version of its popular compact sports utility vehicle EcoSport, priced between Rs. 6.79 lakh and Rs.10.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

Ford India has readied the new version of the EcoSport to wrest leadership from Hyundai's newly launched Creta and counter Mahindra's new TUV 300. Hyundai Motor India, which launched the Creta in July, has already got more than 54,000 bookings for the SUV and is making on an average 7,000 units a month.

Visual changes are negligible, apart from signature light guides in the headlamps, which will now also feature daytime running lights/fog lamps. The interiors benefit from chrome treatment on inner door handles, cluster ring and cluster appliqué, window regulator switches and air register tabs, while the steering wheel and handbrake lever are now trimmed in leather.

"Ahead of the festive season, we have made our clever, compact SUV even more stylish with a host of smart features and enhanced power to delight consumers," Ford India president and managing director Nigel Harris said in a statement. 

The new EcoSport comes in three engine options. The petrol variant powered by 1.5 litre engine is priced between Rs 6.79 lakh and Rs 9.93 lakh, while the other petrol option powered by Ford's 1 litre EcoBoost engine is available at a range of Rs 8.53 lakh and Rs 9.89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The diesel variant powered by 1.5 litre engine with improved power is tagged at Rs 7.98 lakh to Rs 10.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

In the new face-lifted avatar of EcoSport, Ecoboost petrol engine will also be available on the mid-variant Trend+. 

Here’s the complete variant-wise list of the additional features that will be offered with updated Ford EcoSport:

• Ambiente: 12V Power socket and rear folding seats
• Trend: ABS+EBD
• Trend+ (New Variant): IN addition to the features offered on the Trend trim, this will get dual front airbags, auto aicon, distance to empty, outside temp display, econometer, average speed, avg fuel efficiency, fog lamps, chrome grille, roof rails, signature light guide for the headlamps.
• Titanium: Smart Key, Keyless entry, Push button start
• Titanium+: Auto wipers, auto headlamps, daytime running lights, interior chrome pack, leather-wrapped handbrake.

Ford India said among other features, the new EcoSport is equipped with rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and electrochromic mirror that automatically deflects a beam of light from trailing vehicles to minimise obstruction to drivers.

The new version of the EcoSport, along with a new Figo hatchback and the Aspire compact sedan, will improve Ford's position in the Indian market. 

New Ford Figo Launched in India

Ford India is launched the much-awaited new Ford Figo 2015 in India.  The American carmaker Ford rolled out the car at a starting price of Rs. 4.29 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The new Figo is lot more spacious, feature rich and premium than the previous generation model.

Sharing most of its design elements, features, and engine options with the Aspire, the new-gen Figo definitely looks more upmarket than before. With the first-in-class 6 airbags, dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the most powerful engine lineup, the Figo is also the most feature-loaded car in its league. Like the Ford Figo Aspire compact sedan, the new Figo will be manufactured at the company's Sanand, Gujarat facility. 

The new Ford Figo directly rival against the likes of the Hyundai Grand i10, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Honda Brio and Chevrolet Beat. 

The new Figo is available in three engine options- 1.2-litre Ti-VCT petrol, 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel. While the entry-level petrol engine is good for 88 PS of power and 112Nm of torque, the 1.5L Ti-VCT motor is capable of producing 112 PS of power. The oil burner is good for 100 PS of power at 4,000rpm and 215Nm of torque. Transmission options include a five-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox (Petrol). 

The new Ford Figo gets segment first six airbags (driver and co-passenger airbags, side and curtain airbags), Perimeter Alarm, Hill Launch Assist, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic BrakeForce Distribution), reverse parking sensors and engine immobilizer. 

The new Figo is available in three trim levels- Ambiente, Trend and Titanium. Dual airbags come as standard on all variants. The base model is equipped with rear fog lamps, fabric upholstery, guid-me-home-lamps, tilt adjustable steering wheel, front power windows with one-touch up-down driver window, electric boot release and remote locking. The mid-level Trend variant gets all the features that are accessible in base trim. Adding to it, this variant gets front fog lamps, rear centre armrest, boot lamp, steering-mounted controls, electrically adjustable wing mirrors, all power windows, AM/FM Radio with AUX input, USB and Bluetooth. 

The range-topping variant gets rear defogger, driver seat height adjustment, climate control, ABS with EBD, ESP, alloy wheels, 4.2 MFD screen for the infotainment system, Ford MyKey and Emergency Assistance, SYNC with voice control and AppLink system, leather upholstered seats and 6 airbags (dual front, side and curtain).

The new Ford Figo hatchback comes in six exterior paint jobs- Orange/Gold, White, Grey, Black, Blue and Red.

New Ford Figo 2015 Segment First features include- six airbags (driver and co-driver airbags, side and curtain airbags), Hill Launch Assist, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), SYNC with Voice Control and AppLink system, leather upholstery for seats, 4.2 MFD screen for the infotainment system, Ford MyKey and Emergency Assistance.

The new Figo shares the engine lineup with the Figo Aspire compact sedan. While the diesel version of the hatchback is expected to return about 25.83kmpl, the petrol engine could deliver about 18kmpl. The powerful 1.5L Ti-VCT motor offers about 17kmpl of fuel efficiency.

Ford launches its first compact sedan Figo Aspire at Rs 4.9 lakhs

Ford India launched its first compact sedan Figo Aspire in India today at a starting price of Rs. 4.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

With several segment-first features such as 6 airbags, 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, leather seats, etc, the Ford Figo Aspire takes on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze, Tata Zest and others in the sub-4 metre sedan segment. The Ford Figo Aspire has become the first car in its league to offer driver and front-passenger airbags standard across all variants.

It will replace the company's ageing Fiesta Classic sedan in the Indian market, which had seen sluggish sales due to a proliferation of compact sedans like Maruti Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent in the last three years. Sub-four-metre sedans due to their shorter length get excise duty benefits and are priced significantly less than full sized bigger sedans.

The new sub-compact sedan is offered with three engine options - a 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol (110bhp), a 1.2-litre Ti-VCT petrol (87bhp) and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel (99bhp). While the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel-engined variants will get a 5-speed manual gearbox, the 1.5-litre petrol model will come equipped with a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.

"There are many high end features that we are offering with the Figo aspire like six airbags and leather seats that are not on offer in this category," said Nigel Harris, president and managing director, Ford India. "It will also be exported out of here world over and Sanand will be a world class export hub. This is not a compromised car."

Figo Aspire is powered by a 1.2 litre petrol engine that belts out 88 PS power and 112 NM of torque and has a rated fuel economy of 18.2 kpl. The 1.5 litre diesel engine gives 100 PS power and 215 NM of torque with a fuel economy of 25.83 kpl. For a first, Ford is offering dual airbags as a standard feature in the Figo Aspire. The top end variant of the car is also equipped with six airbags - a first in this segment. 

The company will follow up the sedan with a hatchback version in the next few months that will replace the existing Figo small car. Compact cars is the largest segment in the Indian market accounting for 45% of overall sales or almost 1.1 million cars per annum. The segment is expected to grow to around 1.8 million cars per annum by 2018. Globally small cars are expected to account for 60% of overall sales in the near future.

In India, around 350,000 units of compact sedans are sold every year with Maruti Dzire the dominant leader with around 200,000 unit sales annually.

Ford EcoSport SUV launched at a starting price of Rs 5.59 lakh

US auto major Ford launched one of the most awaited cars of the year, the Ford EcoSport, at a starting price of Rs. 5.59 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Ford EcoSport will be available with three engine options -- the 1-litre EcoBoost petrol, 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol, and the 1.5-litre TDCi diesel. The 1.5 Ti-VCT will have the option of a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox (same as the one in the Fiesta) while the rest of the variants will sport a five-speed manual.

The EcoSport will be available in seven colours and 38 accessories.

The compact SUV will take on Mahindra & Mahindra's Quanto, Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga, Renault Duster and it will also try to wean away premium hatchback Hyundai i20 and prospective compact sedan customers of Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Honda Amaze.

Ford launches new Figo at Rs. 3.85 lakh

Ford India, which launched a variant of its popular small car Figo, said it expects the sagging car demand to get a boost during the forthcoming festive season.

"It's a competitive market. Due to high inflation consumer sentiment is down. We will start to see a turnaround hopefully with the festive season," Ford India president and managing director Michael Boneham said.

"We will be seeing a lot of sales, I hope. The order book is looking quite encouraging," he added.

With the new Figo, priced at Rs. 3,84,999 for the petrol, and Rs. 4,81,999 for diesel (ex-showroom Delhi), the company said that it will stop production of the old Figo. The car maker had reported 8.29 per cent decline in sales in September at 9,418 units.

Stating that growth has been flat in the recent past, he said: "Remember we are all used to the massive growth two-and-half-years ago, we had growth of 30 per cent year-on-year. That is not sustainable. I think a 10-15 per cent growth is what we need to see. We are looking at the long-term. We are confident that by 2020, this will be our third largest market," he said.

He further said Figo sales are likely to improve with better macroeconomic environment and claimed that year after year the Figo sales have been growing by 10 per cent. On the new plant in Gujarat, where the company has invested about $1 billion to build a new manufacturing and engine plant, he said: "We are on track with construction. I went there two weeks ago and was very pleased. We are going to have 3,000 people on site. The first vehicle and engine are scheduled to come in 2014."

Ford currently exports to 35 countries from its Chennai facility, and is also looking at 15 new markets for exports.

"We are looking at the North African hub and the other developing markets for exports now," he said.

India car sales soar 30 percent in 2010-11

Indian passenger car sales soared by 30 percent in the past year, the most in over a decade, but surging raw material costs will put the brakes on further growth, an industry body said Friday.

Car sales grew to 1.98 million units in the just-ended fiscal year to March 2011 from 1.53 million the previous year, spurred by cheap loans and new model launches, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said.

"We have ended the year on a reasonably high note. We have reached a very strong base," SIAM president Pawan Goenka told reporters.

India is the second-fastest growing auto market in the world after China.

But Goenka said growth would slow to 16 or 18 percent this year due to rising commodity prices and costlier loans resulting from a tighter monetary policy aimed at curbing inflation.

The percentage gain in car sales in the year to March 2011 was the highest since 2000 when car sales soared 60 percent, SIAM said.

The sustained expansion of the Indian market in the face of saturated markets in the West has turned the country into a battleground for global vehicle manufacturers.

Ford, Renault-Nissan, General Motors and Volkswagen have all launched new models in India recently.

Sales of Japanese-controlled Maruti Suzuki, India's car market leader, jumped by 26.24 percent to 966,447 units last year from a year earlier, while sales of rival South Korea's Hyundai Motor increased by 13.95 percent to 358,904 units.

In March, passenger car sales in Asia's third-largest economy climbed by 24.37 percent to 194,199 units from the same month a year earlier, SIAM said.

Sales of commercial vehicles - seen as an important barometer of economic health - climbed by 15.35 percent to 77,688 units from a year ago, the auto group said.

Total sales of vehicles across categories grew by 19.42 percent in March to 1,465,909 units from the same month a year earlier.

Ford Plans 8 New Models to Drive Sales in Growing Indian Market

Ford Motor Company will launch eight new vehicles in India by the middle of the decade as its plan to rapidly expand its presence in the fast growing market. Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa (APA), made the announcement today during a keynote speech titled ‘Managing Growth – Evolving Market Dynamics’ at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Conference in New Delhi.

“We have big plans for India and for this region,” Hinrichs said. “As we have seen from the spectacular early success of the Ford Figo, more and more Indian consumers appreciate the fuel efficient, economical, high quality, safe, and fun-to-drive vehicles that Ford offers. By the middle of this decade we will introduce eight new vehicles to India from our global platforms, in segments appropriate for this market. This is part of our ‘better plan’ to bring more and more vehicles from our vast global portfolio to India and other markets in Asia Pacific and Africa.”

Hinrichs’ remarks at the SIAM conference focused on strategies for managing change, specifically the impact of rising demand and increasing capacity on the value chain. He elaborated saying that, “Introducing eight new vehicles by the middle of the decade is an ambitious plan that will have tremendous impact on our manufacturing operations, supply chain, dealers and employees. As part of our better plan for India, we are working today to make sure the value chain is ready for the demands we will place on it in the years to come.”

Expanding capacity creates particular challenges for suppliers, which are responsible for a large part of a vehicle, and requires new approaches. Hinrich further explained that by 2012, more than 70% of the vehicles sold under the Ford brand globally will be built off 15 core platforms. By bringing suppliers into the development process earlier we can ultimately generate more profit for the supply chain.

The Figo has already made its impression on the people in India and having already accumulated a fan following, this announcement will make Ford lovers jump with joy. With eight new cars lined up for launch in the next decade, all eyes will be on the bait that Ford India throws out to its customers.

Renault to Launch 5 Cars in India

French car maker Renault's Indian unit will launch five cars between mid-2011 and mid-2013, including small cars in 2012, its India head said on Thursday, to cater to brisk demand in one of the fastest growing automobile markets in the world.

Its small cars will be built on its alliance partner Nissan's platform, Country General Manager Marc Nassif said on the sidelines of an automobiles conference.

The cars produced at its manufacturing unit in Chennai, built jointly with its alliance partner Nissan, will be Renault-branded, Nassif said, adding that they would be competitively priced.

In 2011, the firm intends to introduce its premium vehicle Fluence and the cross-over Koleos.

Separately, Renault-Nissan is working with Indian two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto

Renault, which this year sold off its stake in a joint venture with utility vehicles and tractor maker Mahindra & Mahindra which made the Logan sedan, is all set to storm the compact car market in India on its own.

Nissan, which is 44 percent owned by Renault, has started selling its compact Micra cars since June.

The compact car segment in India, with cars measuring between 3.4 to 4 metres in length, is a rapidly expanding segment constituting more than 70 percent of the total car market.

Though top carmaker Maruti Suzuki still holds sway, global majors such as Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Volkswagen and Ford are eyeing this lucrative sector.

General Motors' Chevrolet Beat and Ford's Figo compact cars have already seen runaway sales so far this year.

Renault's global sourcing from India is expected to rise 40 percent to 50 percent in the current financial year, Nassif said.
to make a low-cost car, which would be designed by Bajaj and launched by end-2012.

Toyota to roll out small car 'Etios' in December

Toyota Kirloskar Motors has announced clearly that its small car ‘Etios’ will be launched in December 2010. Toyota organized a boot camp for its Fortuner SUV owners. During the occasion, Deputy MD Mr. Sandeep Singh of Toyota Kirloskar Motors announced that the new facility for the new car ‘Etios’ will be completed soon and hence the production will start a little ahead of December. Etios will be launched in this December and the sales will start in January 2011.

Buzz up!
Toyota has poured in a huge sum of Rs. 3,200 crore to set up a new factory to produce the small car Etios which has an initial capacity of 70,000 cars per annum. The new plant at Bidadi, near Bangalore and also adjacent to Toyota’s mother plant in India, can be extended to produce as much as 2 lakh cars per annum in the next two years. Toyota Etios is expected to be priced at Rs. 5 lakh and above.

Like Hyundai and Ford, Toyota is also planning to export its small car “Etios” to overseas market. Innova is Toyota's bestselling vehicle, with 48,000 units sold every annum, followed by Altis with 13,000 and Fortuner with 9,000. With the launch of Etios, Toyota is expecting that its sales will increase double fold in 2011.

Ford boosts dealers ahead of Figo launch

Ford India, preparing for the launch next month of its new [previous generation European Fiesta based] Figo, has signed up 28 new dealers which opened their doors this week.
The new retailers take Ford’s network to 164 facilities in 97 cities across India, an increase of 30% in the past two years.

The introduction of the Figo will mark a significant shift for India’s role in the global ONE Ford strategy that is transforming how the company brings more small cars to market.

It has invested US$500m to double annual production capacity to 200,000 units at its Chennai manufacturing facility which positions it as a regional centre of excellence for small car engineering and production.

Export Figos will also be produced at the plant and the factory will also produce diesel and petrol engines for local vehicle production and export within the Asia Pacific and Africa region.

The Figo hatchback was designed and engineered to compete in India’s small car segment, which accounts for more than 70% of the new vehicle market. It uses Fiesta small car platform architecture already familiar to Indian customers as it underpins existing sedan models built and sold in India.
Ford India president and managing director Michael Boneham said: “Growing our dealership base, building strong business fundamentals and getting closer to our customers are areas of high priority as we gear up to launch our new Figo and enter this high volume segment in 2010.”

Placing dealerships in close proximity to city centres – where they are conveniently located for customers – has been a core focus area as the automaker continues to broaden its local product range.

Boneham added: “As we expand, we are making sure that our low cost of ownership message is heard by people making buying decisions.”

All the newly-inaugurated showrooms are 'Brand@Retail' dealerships built according to a global standard to improve the ownership experience and ensure a long-term association with the b;ue oval brand.

Boneham said Ford India had been working with dealers to ensure facilities met specific requirements. Staff were trained according to Ford’s global guidelines to meet the demands of increased volume selling. The automaker has tripled dealer sales people from 480 in 2009 to nearly 1,500 this year.
In the past two months, over 1,700 dealer personnel from 97 cities attended in-depth training sessions on the new model.

New dealers have opened in New Delhi, Sangrur, Haldwani and Gwalior in the north; Durgapur, Dhanbad and Guwahati in the east; Hyderabad, Chennai, Warangal, Vellore, Salem, Vijayawada and Malappuram in the south; and Bilaspur and Mehsana in the west.

There is also a new showroom in the East Delhi metro rail station – the first time Ford has displayed its products in such a location in the Asia Pacific region.

New showrooms and workshops also are now located in Jaipur, Thane, Ahmednagar, Pune, Vapi, Ahmedabad and Cochin.

The Coming of the Volvo S60

Volvo Cars, the Swedish auto maker, has released the first official pictures of the production-ready S60. The S60 is sportier and more vibrant than any previous Volvo model. The S60 will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. And it will be produced at Volvo’s plant in Ghent, in Belgium.


The Volvo S60 is expected to be equipped with Pedestrian Detection. And it is groundbreaking safety feature that can sense pedestrians in front of the car and brake mechanically even without any reaction from the driver.

Volvo Cars India (VCI) is looking at the possibility of launching its compact executive sedan S60 in the country by next year. And this will be after its reintroduction in the European car market. In case if its annual number touches 2,000 units, the company is also looking forward to set up a car assembling unit in India.

The company has established its charisma in seven cities in India namely Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, and Pune. And now the company is planning to further develop its strategies and stretching its dealership base to Goa, Coimbatore, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.

S80 a luxury sedan and luxury seven-seater SUV XC90 are the options the company is currently offering its customers. Volvo will also launch a diesel variant of the S80 next month. Other than the S60, Volvo is also intending to bring in compact crossover SUV XC60, which is currently undergoing road testing it at the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT). Even though the C70-coupe is also on the company’s list of to be launched cars, it will be available to the customers on an individual basis depending on the demand.

Volvo delinks from Ford India

Volvo in India will no longer be a subsidiary of Ford India, but a separate company.

With Ford Motor Company planning to sell Volvo Cars and announcing Chinese carmaker Geely as the preferred bidder, the Indian operations of the Swedish company have severed its ties with Ford India, said Mr Paul de Voijs, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India, while speaking to Business Line.

Volvo Cars India has changed its name to Volvo Auto India Pvt Ltd, with effect from October 1.

“The process which started in May should help in case of a possible sale. It will help avoid complications,” he said.

In 1999, Ford had acquired Volvo Cars from Volvo AB as part of its Premier Automotive Group, which then included Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover. Volvo had begun operations in India in March last year as a subsidiary of Ford India, with all backend operations being handled by Ford.

When asked how the sale of Volvo may affect the company’s plans, especially in terms of component supplies for Volvo products, Mr de Voijs said that there should not be any impact.

“Short-term changes won’t affect our long-term plans for India. We do not believe in setting up a huge network at first, but instead, we believe in the gradual process to build our strength in terms of volumes as India is a huge market,” he said.

He added that the company already has seven dealerships in the country, which it will increase to 12 by end 2010. The new dealerships would be in Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Goa and Coimbatore.

Mr de Voijs said that Volvo had sold about 100 units between March and December last year and sales for the current year is close to doubling. “The luxury segment has grown by 20%, whereas we have grown by 23%,” he said.

Volvo has plans to launch two new cars in India next year. First up will be the smaller brother of the XC90 luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV), the compact crossover SUV XC60, which is slated for launch in the first half of 2010. This will be followed by the launch of the new S60 sedan in the second half of the next year. Volvo sells its top end S80 sedan and XC90 in India.

“The XC60 will be launched after the Auto Expo. We are currently road testing it at the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT),” said Mr de Voijs.

He said that Volvo will also launch a diesel variant of the S80 next month, while the C70-coupe may also be made available, but on an individual basis according to demand.

Ford to increase market share by new car launches

Michael Boneham, president and MD of Ford India here on Thursday indicated that the US car maker, Ford has decided to launch a new car every 12 to 18 months in India to enhance its market share. However, he did not indicate what sort of market share the company aims to achieve in the long run. Talking to newsmen at the inauguration of Ford’s new dealership, Victoria Ford, Mr. Boneham said: "We now have a marketshare of nearly 2% and we want to grow it significantly in coming years. Launching of new cars from the Ford stable, will play a crucial role in growing our market share in India."

For 2009, Ford India aims to achieve sales of 30,000 cars compared to 29,000 cars sold in calendar 2008. "In September ‘09, we have been able to sell 3,500 cars which is a 50% increase year-on-year basis," said Nigel Wark, executive director (marketing, sales and services). By investing $500 million, company will expand production at its Chennai plant from 1 lakh to 2 lakh vehicles, apart from producing 2.5 lakh engines, both in petrol and diesel.

SUV Ford Endeavour with some added facilities is being relaunched by Ford and Boneham informed that the new Ford Figo, on which the company is depending to get into the lucrative A segment, would be available in both petrol and diesel variants also. The company exports its cars produced in India to South Africa. Ford’s foray into the Indian compact car market with Ford Figo is expected by the first quarter of calender 2010 and the vehicle would be exported to Asia Pacific and Africa along with sales in India. Last year, the company had exported nearly 4,000 cars.

Ford Figo Unveiled

The much-awaited small car from the US auto major Ford has been unveiled in New Delhi. The car has been christened Figo.

Ford Figo is a four-door hatchback that will be available in both diesel as well as petrol engines.



Figo has the main elements of Ford’s kinetic design language such as modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear, which the company has used in world renowned vehicles such as Ford Mondeo, Ford Focus, and the Ford Fiesta. It also has very contemporary features, with a completely new look that is very different from the usual Ford models.

Figo is a synonym of car that has essence, superiority and intelligent designing, which is truly Italian inspired very similar to the name of the car which in Italian means cool. It also has a solid posture and a very spacious and elegant. The Figo is designed to suit the best the urban driving conditions.



The Figo also has a molded body side with chiseled front fenders, a “comet tail” undercut in the doors and additional light-catching sculpting in the lower body side.

The Figo has a bold graphic with large side window shape and spaciousness awaiting occupants’ front and rear and the side window graphic has a blacked-out B-pillar.

The engine specification or transmission details are not available.

The production of the car will begin in the early months of 2010. The company has also not yet unveiled any details about the pricing of the car, but it is expected to be priced at something higher than Rs. 3 lakh.

Ford to Display Its Small Car This Week

Ford Motor Company will be unveiling its much-awaited ‘small car’ in this week. This will happen as soon as in two-three days.

The US car major had launched the Ford Fiesta sedan in 2005. Since then, Ford India has not had a new product launch in India, while the company has continued to upgrade its existing product line in the country.

Ford India will launch its small car, code named B517 in March 2010. This car will be launched in an attempt to secure its presence in the country. The small car, which is expected to compete with the Hyundai i20 and the Suzuki Swift, was also showcased to its dealers in Chennai recently.

This small car will be a four-door hatchback that will be powered by an indigenous diesel and petrol engine. The engine of the small car will be manufactured at its Chennai plant.

Ford India has invested around $500 million (Rs 2,400 crore) to double the current capacity by one lakh cars and 2.5 lakh engines. Recently, the company has seen an increase in primary sales (sales from company to dealers), with the Endeavour and the Ikon maintaining their leadership positions in the premium SUV segment and mid-size segment, respectively. Ford India’s existing line-up includes the Ikon, the Fiesta, the Fusion and the hulky Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), Endeavour.

The US car major is keen to accelerate focus on emerging markets such as China and India with fuel-efficient products. Globally, consumers are seen to be moving towards fuel-efficient small cars and Ford India is currently offers cars in mid-size segments and SUV segments.

Ford Could Bring Out its Small Car this Month

The Indian car market is now in a glorious period. There is also a fast emerging luxury car market but the most expanding segment is that of the small car. Many companies, realizing the flowering love for the small cars in the country are coming up with new models or introducing new variants for the existing models, and so there is never a scarcity in this segment.

The next in the queue is Ford with its small car, codenamed B517. The company has been long working on the project and this seems to be the right time to make it public. The company is expected to showcase its small car in Indian this month. But the car will not hit the roads this year, it will be at least March next year for the car to get launched. After B517 gets launched in India it will also be exported globally including the African and Asia-Pacific countries.

The B517 will be available in both petrol and diesel variants. It was said that the diesel version of the car will have a 1.5-litre engine, but now it is expected to be launched powered by a 1.4-litre Duratorq engine, similar to the one used in Ford Ikon and Ford Fiesta. The other option will be a 1.2-litre petrol engine.

Chiefly designed for the Indian market, the car once launched will pose a good completion to models like the Volkswagen Polo, and new Chevy Spark. The pricing of the B517 is not yet revealed. This small car is expected to enter the Indian car market with really big promises.

Top 10 Car Makers of the World in 2009

We know you are a car lover. You dream of the speedy Ferraris, exotic Jaguars, and luxurious Maybachs. Have you ever thought about the car makers, in terms production and revenue? Here we bring you the list of the world's top ten car makers of 2009. The list is compiled by the Automotive News Data Center as per the global units' sales in the first half of 2009.

World's 10 Largest Car Manufacturers

Toyota
Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation is the world's largest car manufacturer. It has sold 3,564,105 units in the first half of 2009 compared to 4,815,442 units in the first half of 2008. Though Toyota reported an annual net loss of US$4.4 billion on May 8, 2009, it could still emerge as the world's largest car maker. The Japanese giant has been severely affected by the 2007-2009 financial crises. Toyota ventured into the automobile industry in 1934 with its first product Type A engine. It manufactured in its first passenger car the Toyota AA in 1936. Toyota Motor Corporation was established as an independent and separate company in 1937.

General Motors
General Motors was established in 1908 by William C. Durant. It is world's second-largest car maker. General Motors was world's number one car company for consecutive 77 years from 1931 to 2007. Because of the economic conditions, the beleaguered car giant went bankrupt on June 1, 2009. On 10th July 2009, the company emerged from" Chapter 11 bankruptcy" reorganization. In spite of all these, General Motors could sell 3,552,722 units compared to last year's 4,541,125 units.

Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Group is the world's third largest car maker. It sold 3,100.300 units this year compared to 3,265,200 units of previous years. The Volkswagen Group constitutes the car brands like Audi AG, Bentley Motors Ltd., Automobiles Bugatti SA, Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A., SEAT, Skoda Auto and heavy goods vehicle manufacturer Scania AB. Recently, Porsche has united with the Volkswagen Group. The German luxury car company was founded on May 28, 1937 under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler wanted a "people's car". Volkswagen literally means 'people's car' in German.

Hyundai-Kia
Hyundai-Kia has emerged as the world's fourth largest car manufacturer. This year Hyundai-Kia jumped up a rank above. The Korean car maker showed global sales for the first half of 2009 at 2,153,000 units. The Indian subsidiary of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the Hyundai Motors India, is the country's second largest car manufacturer. The Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967. It became the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group when Hyundai Motor Company purchased 51% of South Korea's second-largest car company, Kia Motors in 1998.

Ford
Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. Presently, it is world's fifth largest car maker with 2,145,000 units of global sales. This year, Hyundai-Kia edged out the mighty Ford of the fourth position. In 2007, Ford fell from second to third-ranked car maker for the first time in 56 years, behind only General Motors and Toyota.

PSA Peugeot-Citroen
The French car company sold 1,586,900 units in 2009. Last year it showed a sale of 1,844,700 units. The company was formed in 1976 and sells under the Peugeot and Citroen brand names. PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe.

Honda
The Honda Motor Company secures the seventh place with sales units of 1,586,000 compared to last year's 2,022,00 units. Honda became Japan's second largest car maker in 2001 by superseding Nissan. Moreover, Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines. The company was founded by Soichiro Honda on 24th September 1948. Soichiro Honda dreamed to provide a personal mobility to everyone. The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car.

Nissan
Nissan Motors was founded in 1932. It is among the top three Asian car companies. Nissan is in the eight position with 1,545,976 units. Last year it sold 2,013,611 units in the first half. Nissan faced severe financial difficulties in 1999 and entered an alliance with Renault S.A. of France. The Nissan VQ engines, of V6 configuration, have featured among Ward's 10 Best Engines for 14 straight years, since the award's inception.

Suzuki
Suzuki Motor Corporation is the ninth largest car manufacturer in the world. The company began as Suzuki Loom Works in 1909 under Michio Suzuki. Suzuki started producing cars in 1955. Maruti Suzuki, the Indian arm of the Japanese car honcho is India's largest car manufacturer. The car company sold 1.152,000 units this year compared to 2008's 1,283,000 units.

Renault
Renault is the world's tenth largest car maker with 1.106.989 units this year. Last year, it sold 1.326,164 units. Renault S.A. is a French carmaker producing cars, vans, buses, tractors, and trucks since 1899. The company was formed by Louis Renault, his brothers Marcel and Fernand, and his friends Thomas Evert and Julian Wyer. Renault has joined hands with Nissan on March 27, 1999. The Nissan-Renault Alliance is world's fourth largest car maker if their individual units were taken together. Nissan-Renault Alliance sold 2,652,965 units this year.

India Poised To be “Detroit of the East”

It seems like India certainly has arrived in the big scene of motoring. India as a whole could be the “Detroit of the East” soon with so many major car brands bringing their production centre to “Incredible India”. India has taken the centre stage producing small cars and the global automakers already seem to have been enchanted with the sub-continent for this sole purpose. India is all set to pip China in the automotive production scene and earn all the automotive laurels to itself when it comes to small cars.

We in India already have Suzuki Motor Corporation pitching in with the erstwhile Maruti Udyog to become Maruti Suzuki India which has already scripted a success story for itself in style in the span of twenty five years. Hyundai Motors, a Korean car company soon followed suit and set shop here and has marched in India with their superior products and now has already exporting cars to European countries keeping India as its production base for small cars.

Likewise, Toyota Motor Corporation tagging along with the Kirloskar Group in India about a decade ago also started producing cars here in India and already acknowledged the fact that the Indian operations of the company has stood still even with the recession taking its toll in other countries abroad. Toyota also plans to come up with a small car factory by 2011.

General Motors which has its presence in India with the Chevrolet brand stood firm ground during “Motown Meltdown” which affected its parent company in the US and other countries. It also might have contributed to the revival of the parent company. Business for Chevy here in India is blooming in an unexpected pace making GM count on GM India as a profit making venture.

Tata Motors earlier a commercial vehicle manufacturer barged into the great Indian Motoring scene with the advent of its Tata Indica and soon went up to produce more models of which the Tata Nano certainly awaits a mention. This small wonder has broken all the barriers the motoring world ever knew and will soon become a cash cow for Tata Motors once the export of the Tata Nano begins.

Another Indian auto manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra also has known the importance of India as a production hub and has already started exporting its products to lucrative auto markets like that south-east Asia, America, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Honda, Ford, Mitsubishi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat and Skoda all have their production plants in India already. Audi, Nissan, Renault and PSA Peugeot-Citroen have also confirmed their participation in this big production marathon here in India. India expects a lot of other auto manufactures to set shop here in India.

But why is this big rush of global auto makers queuing in line to set shop in India? There are many benefits in India, including a high-quality vendor base that is also cost-effective, leading to globally-competitive pricing. In coming days we surely can see a lot of global auto makers emulate companies like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki, which make small cars in India to export to Europe.

Ford India to launch small car in India

Ford India Friday said it will launch a small car in 2011 in order to tap the growing market for compact cars in the country.

"The launch will be a game changer. It will take us into the centre of Indian market," said Ford Motor executive vice president for Asia Pacific John Parker.

The car will be priced between Rs.3-4 lakh. "It will be in the range that 70 percent Indian consumers buy," Parker told reporters on the sideline of the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Ford has invested about $500 million in India since 2008.

The company will also launch a refurbished version of its sports utility vehicle - Endeavour - next month.

"We will launch a significantly improved Ford Endeavour in a week's time. Consumers were looking for higher technology in the product and they will get the same," said Ford india president and managing director Micahel Boneham.

Ford Launches Ikon iKool

Ford India, as earlier announced, has launched a new variant, the Ikon ikool. This new variant from Ford India has an iPOD compatible MP3 Player.

This addition in the model is surely targeting at the music lovers. The car has another added attraction; it has anti theft system with remote entry ensuring that the car is safe.

“The Ikon iKool is a fun to drive yet economical car. Its new feature rich persona along with legendary driving characteristics will appeal to the upwardly mobile and ambitious customers who want their car to complement their active lifestyles.

The Ikon has proved its mettle and raised the bar in terms of dependability and fuel efficiency during the marathon ‘Ikon Cross Country Drive’ registering an extremely low cost of ownership which makes the iKool a phenomenal value vehicle that is feature rich, dependable and affordable,” said Nigel Wark, executive director for marketing, sales and service at Ford India.

The spacious interiors of the car now have the new seat covers, which gives a sportier look for the car. The exteriors of the sedan have new iKool badging, chrome deck lid applique, a spoiler, and chrome deck lid.

The Ford Ikon ikool will be available in both petrol and diesel variants, the diesel version will be powered by an advanced Duratorq TDCi 1.4 engine and the petrol by a ROCAM 1.3 engine which offering wonderful mileage of 28 kmpl on the highways and extra smooth driving experience.

Starting 12th August the Ford Ikon iKool will be available at all Ford dealerships across India at a price point of Rs. 4.82 lakh for petrol and Rs. 5.42 lakh for diesel version (ex-showroom New Delhi).