A few years ago, Ford cars in India were always considered a bit heavy on the wallet. Cars such as Ikon, Fusion and Mondeo were brilliant to drive but hardly anyone could vouch for their reliability. Then Ford decided to take India seriously and launched the Figo hatchback for Indian masses. The Figo was a runaway success in India which made the blue oval a household name in the Indian psyche.
The car that established the foundation of Ford India is all set to be revamped soon. A yellow colored test mule was spotted recently on the Chennai roads with camouflaged rear taillights. A few more shots emerged on the internet of the same mule in the passing days. However, all the shots so far only revealed the rear profile.
But thanks to IAB’s avid reader Prashanth Padmanabhan, we have the first ever frontal shots of the Ford Figo facelift. Due to the extensive and detailed camouflage, it is very difficult to identify the changes. But one can easily notice that the front bumper has been tweaked and sharpened. Considering the camouflage also exists on the fog lamp surrounds, headlamps and tail lamps, expect a few subtle changes (read chromed housing) in that area as well.
Moving to the rear, the taillight has been revised. The profile is in tact but the detailing is different with the transparent bit of the housing moved downward.
Prashanth was also quick to point out that there was a marking on the car that read - "Voice Of Customer Fleet". This could mean that Ford India has collected feedback from its customers and has incorporated it in the facelift.
Ford India will definitely make slight tweaks to the engine to juice more performance and fuel economy, especially from the petrol variant. We also predict that the Figo may get push-button start and keyless entry. With the growing demand for automatic cars, Ford India should consider the ‘PowerShift’ automatic transmission box for the Figo. It would certainly add a massive selling point in the Figo’s list, but sadly Ford may find it more lucrative to invest on a global platform.
It is easy to predict that Ford India is looking forward to a festive season launch for the Figo facelift. Remember, Ford does not have anything for the festive season. The EcoSport is still a good 7 months away. The Figo facelift will be in charge of bringing some festive joy to Ford India this Diwali.
