Ford has just notified IAB of a New Delhi press conference to be held on the 4th of January, 2012 to announce a development it isn’t willing to dwell on as yet. We all know about the 2012 EcoSport powered by the new EcoBoost engine. We even caught the product page under construction on Ford India’s website last week.
Is Ford going to display the EcoSport on the eve of the 2012 Auto Expo to prepare customers for the mini SUV segment? Its last two launches – Figo and global Fiesta – have been shown months ahead of the price announcement. The Figo was unveiled by Ford CEO Alan Mullaly in New Delhi in September 2009 and the Fiesta was previewed and displayed at the Fiesta Cafe in Delhi in April almost three months prior to the market launch.
We could witness a similar launch program for the EcoSport and many other vehicles Ford’s lined up till the mid-decade. The showcasing of a product helps Ford pickup on customer feedback and thoughts to make last minute adjustments to the product. It is able to generate a giant database of potential customers who are then sent notifications and promotional material. This prompts buyers to postpone their purchase and drives up the anticipation.
If you have been tracking our updates you’d know by now that construction of the new Ford plant is on at Sanand, Gujarat, literally a stone throw away from the manufacturing plant of the Tata Nano.
IndianAutosBlog.com was among a handful of people invited to witness this event which was conducted in a traditional manner. Ford India’s MD Michael Boneham and his team tilled the soil to signify that construction of the plant is underway.
It marks Ford India’s entry into the second phase and they need the gods to shower them with blessings if they are to catch up with Hyundai and Tata Motors.
Here are some of the facts we were provided with at the press conference
- Ford chose Gujarat because it liked the state’s transparency in corporate dealing. Ford says positioning the plant closer to North India, where it registers huge numbers, gives it a strategic advantage in logistics. The Mundra port, the diagonally opposite position of Gujarat from Chennai are other important reason for this billion dollar investment.
- Like Sanand, Ford is constructing seven manufacturing plants around the world. Construction is underway in Thailand and China, while the other five are farther away from India.
- Many of the cars to be built in this plant are going to be where 70% of the market is – 3.5-6 lakh rupees.
- Engine manufacturing begins in late 2013 while cars roll out from early 2014.
- Ford India says engines made at this facility will meet demands from an export perspective. An EcoBoost engine is a definite candidate.
- By 2020, Ford expects India to be only behind America and China in the list of world’s largest markets as many families will break the threshold of car ownership.
- Ford is investing 4,000 crore in this facility.
- Engines as well as cars will be marked for exports. Vehicles are expected to be more or less 80% localized
- Ford’s main markets for its Sanand-made cars (outside of India) will be Mexico, South Africa, North Africa and the Middle Eastern countries.
- This plant can manufacture 240,000 cars annually but Ford says it will take a while for it to utilize complete capacity. Ford is not willing to share the exact numbers, but says more than 50% of the cars produced will be for domestic consumption.
On this special Monday morning, Ford India is going to open a new chapter in its India story. Ford has just finished the ground breaking ceremony of its second plant in India in Sanand, Gujarat. The construction of the new plant will commence shortly and the plant will be fully operational by 2014. The manufacturing plant will be built on 460 acres and the site is adjacent to Tata’s Nano [ Read More ]
Ford India has sent us a press release announcing its foray into Gujarat for a second manufacturing plant. It will be a 4,000 crore rupee investment with the first vehicle and engine scheduled to come off the line in 2014. All the details are packed into a comprehensive press release attested to this blog post.
This begs the question – Could the next generation Ford Ka roll out of this plant in 2014 sporting a Made In India 1L 3cyl Ecoboost engine?
Press Release
Ford Says “Namaste Gujarat!” Announces Manufacturing and Engine Plant in India
· Ford India signs MoU with the State of Gujarat to build assembly and engine plant in Sanand
· Ford will invest4,000 crore (approximately US$1 billion) and create 5,000 jobs on a 460-acre site
· The state government has prioritised land adjacent to the site for supplier operations
click Continue for full details
Wasn’t a particularly good day to launch a hotly anticipated sedan in the market with a series of 3 blasts rocking the city the night before and then the morning filled with torrential downpour, but a work at hand is a work at hand. Ford India decided that the show must go on!
A very low key launch of a very important product of 2011 took place in the Mumbai on 14th of July – the global Fiesta was finally launched in India. We got you minute by minute updates from the launch as promised.
Click Continue to read the rest of the story
Just like the sales of new cars, used cars sales are also on the rise. Many players such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and even Mercedes India have a dedicated channel though which they sell used cars. It contributes to a substantial portion of their revenues.
Looking at the rising demand, Ford has also entered the used car business with the brand – Ford Assured. This will be a multi-brand sales outlet which means that you can buy pre-owned car from various brands (not only Ford).
You can be assured that they are in top notch condition because Ford is going to recondition all cars in its inventory by Ford trained and experienced technicians. You also get a one year warranty on all cars purchased through Ford Assured.
Ford India Marketing Sales and Service, Executive Director Nigel Wark -
The demand for used cars has grown in India following the rising aspirations of the rapidly growing middle income customer group. Ford Assured allows us to offer our world class services to those who aspire to upgrade their vehicles.
Currently Ford Assured outlets are located in Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Pune and Kochi.
click through to read more
After announcing the launch of the Fiesta Classic on the 7th of April, Ford India now says it has more information to share on the 14th of April in Delhi. We can’t think of anything else other than the revealing of the new Fiesta sedan.
Ford hosted a similar event for the Figo where they invited select members of the media six months before the market launch to witness the unveiling by Alan Mullaly, CEO of Ford Motor Company. We’re expecting a special guest at the Fiesta’s launch as well.
If it isn’t the new Fiesta sedan launch, it has to be the 1.6-liter, 101bhp Figo.
Ford India has achieved an important marker in its Chennai plant. The company announced that yesterday it had rolled out its 1,00,000th engine from its manufacturing plant at Chennai – a feat that was achieved in just 14 months after the engine plant was erected. Ford India President and Managing Director, Michael Boneham – This world-class manufacturing facility reinforces our intent and commitment to compete with great products and powertrains [ Read More ]
Ford has just notified IAB of a New Delhi press conference to be held on the 4th of January, 2012 to announce a development it isn’t willing to dwell on as yet. We all know about the 2012 EcoSport powered by the new EcoBoost engine. We even caught the product page under construction on Ford India’s website last week.
