Ford unveiled the new Figo Aspire on Thursday at its Gujrat plant in Sanand.
Due to go on sale later this year, the sub four-metre compact sedan enters India’s highly competitive compact car segment, which made up 45 per cent of the market in 2014. Ford expects the segment to grow to around 1.6 million units in India by 2018, from 1.1 million last year.
The company will also export variants of the Figo Aspire to compete globally.
“The Figo Aspire was designed to meet the needs of consumers in India and around the world who told us they wanted a sophisticated compact car with a comfortable, flexible and roomy interior,” said Nigel Harris, President, Ford India. “The new Ford Figo Aspire delivers all this and more.”
The car packs in features such as an innovative device dock, which allows the driver to store, mount and charge mobile phones, MP3 players and satellite navigation systems, and to integrate these devices into the car’s entertainment system.
The Aspire is also equipped with SYNC with AppLink, the in-car connectivity system. SYNC with AppLink allows drivers to control their phone, entertainment and apps hands-free using simple voice commands.
Safety features include driver and passenger airbags, and for the first time in a compact car in India, side and curtain airbags. In the event of a serious collision, Emergency Assistance uses a Bluetooth-paired phone to automatically call emergency responders and provide information regarding vehicle and location.
The car is powered by the tried and tested 1.5L TDCi diesel engine and the 1.2L TiVCT petrol engine.
The Figo Aspire will be built in Sanand, Gujarat at Ford’s newest manufacturing plant.