We already told you how the new Ford Figo helped resolve the Smart and Smarter debate between men and women. Here’s your chance to watch the debates see why the Figo is both smart and smarter! Watch the videos below and tell us what you think!
Who is smart and who is smarter? Men or women?
There’s never been an end to this raging debate between men and women, so we decided to settle the matter by bringing to life the concept of “smart and smarter” at the launch of the new Ford Figo in Delhi and Mumbai.
For this, we did the daring thing—we got a newly-married couple to slog it out in a live debate in front of the television, print and web media. The couple was Sandeep and Priya, who were smart and smarter, played by the vivacious Gul Panag and the witty Gaurav Kapur.
In this fun and engaging debate, the husband-wife duo took to the stage with India’s favourite quiz master Derek O’Brien. So while Priya said “smart” was great music, cool comfort, and vibrant colours in a car, Sandeep said “smarter” was phonebook and friends, excellent boot space, and enough leg room for his tall frame. As the couple battled on, Derek offered a solution—the Ford Figo with its smart and smarter features!
As we tweeted about the debate, Gul replied: “[I] loved it:) @gauravkapur was the perfect ‘husband’.”
After the debate, Derek asked Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India what he thought “smart” was. Michael responded: “Smart is cost of ownership!” To which Nigel Wark, executive director, marketing, sales and service added, “Smarter is the great pricing!”
We couldn’t agree more.
Soon after the Ford Figo rolled on to the stage, we asked Rahul Gautam, Ford Figo’s brand manager, about the idea behind this unique creative execution. “There are so many little nuggets in this car. The smart and smarter debate was a nice hook between the Figo and connect with consumers,” he said. Like in a relationship, Rahul explained, “It is not about one being better than the other, but how each can compliment the other to make a great couple.”
This debate was designed specially for the Figo’s launch, bringing the car’s features to life. “It drove home the first message about the smart and smarter features of the Figo,” Rahul said.
All those who saw the debate and experienced the Figo later said that the debate was an excellent out-of-the-box idea, and agreed that the car is a great buy. And they’re right—the Ford Figo is indeed a very cool car!
The country is in the throes of excitement over the new IPL season, and so are we! This time, the IPL’s going to be different, we promise. It’s not just because it’s a brand-new season, but also because we’re bringing IPL matches to a theatre near you!
Yes, it’s true! Ford Figo presents UFO T20 Hungama, guaranteed to be a favourite among all cricket lovers!
The best part about the T20 Hungama is that you can enjoy all the cricketing action on the big screen with friends and family! It’s like being in the stadium, but more up, close and personal with the cricketers.
What’s more, there will also be a chance to check out the brand new Ford Figo and a chance to win exciting prizes, including the Figo itself.
Let the games begin!
The Ford Figo was launched in New Delhi a short while ago!
Our joy knew no end today as the car was launched. Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia, Pacific and Africa spoke about the Figo. “Our dealers are excited, customers are waiting and the new Figo is now ready to hit the streets,” he said. Shedding light on the Figo’s journey as an idea, he added: “From the start we wanted to offer all the features of a B-Segment car at a Sub-B price. We’ve accomplished that with Figo.”
Of course, the question everyone had been asking was also answered — what is the Figo’s price? As promised, the Figo’s prices are competitive: starting from Rs 3,49,900 for the petrol, and Rs 4,47,900 for the diesel (more information below).
“We have priced all four Ford Figo models very competitively to emphasise Ford’s commitment to this huge segment of the growing Indian automobile market,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India.
Talking about the Figo’s features, Michael said, “We are committed to setting new benchmarks with Figo in this segment. Figo offers more features, interior space, technology and durability than other vehicles at this price in the segment. When you look at all the features, generous interior proportions, styling and fuel efficiency, all Figo models are extensively equipped and truly a bargain at these price points.”
Add to that new dealerships and service facilities– and the Ford Figo is truly a substantial package. We can’t wait to see it on the roads!
Price information:
Prices start from Rs 3,49,900 for the petrol, and Rs 4,47,900 for the diesel.
Ford Figo EXI petrol Rs.3,81,900 & diesel Rs.4,72,900
ZXI petrol Rs.3,99,900 & diesel Rs.4,96,900
Titanium petrol Rs.4,42,900 & diesel Rs.5,29,900
Have you driven the Figo yet? If not, go to your nearest Ford dealer now. Meanwhile, check out our guest blogger Rohini’s experiences with the Figo, written from the woman’s point of view.
I was one of the few lucky ones who got to drive the Figo in Goa this January. I drive a small car, and even some of the bigger cars whenever I get the chance, so I was already looking forward to driving the Ford Figo.
But first things first. For most women who claim to know nothing about cars, how a car looks is something we can definitely talk about, right? My immediate reaction to the Figo was: “It doesn’t look small at all!” I loved the Figo’s front and the long comet tail on the side. I found the green colour (called squeeze) the perfect colour for Indian roads—bright and cheery, not too harsh. The sea grey looked very stylish and elegant too.
So there I was, in the driver’s seat of the sea grey petrol Figo, with Sarosh, Vehicle Integration Engineer, to accompany me for the ride. The door closed with a strong thud. “Great build quality, nothing small car about it”, I noted as I shut the door. I’m a bit on the petite side, so I quickly adjusted my seat. Unlike some cars in which shorties have to lean forward to get a better view of the road or the car ahead, I didn’t need to do that in the Figo. I had a great driving view. I started the car, went into first gear without a hitch, and we were off.
As the car picked up speed, the car’s locks clicked (Sarosh told me that happens beyond 7 kmph). The pickup was quick and the gears had a short throw, and I knew it was going to be a good drive. A few minutes into the drive, I felt something was missing. It seemed odd at first, but then it hit me—there was practically no noise in the cabin. The silence felt like being in a safe haven, cut off from the world. I recalled that Anthony Hall had mentioned the Figo’s silent cabin the previous evening.
The steering was smooth and steady, but not heavy for a woman. I could turn it without any major effort. The ride was smooth—smoother than any other small car I’ve driven before. The Figo rolled over speed breakers, bumps and potholes with grace.
Sarosh suggested I drive to a scenic spot up a hill which he knew of. As we drove uphill, I compared it to my daily commute, which requires me to go up and down steep slopes. While I often struggled between the first and second gear going these slopes, I had no problem climbing up this one, despite the road being a tad rough.
As we went back down the hill, Sarosh decided to test the Figo (or was it me?) by asking me to change the gears from third-to-fourth-to-third a couple of times. Not sure what that was for, but I did notice the smooth transmission of gears, a blessing during rush hour.
On our way back, I began to relax and really enjoy the ride despite the heat, what with the powerful air conditioning. Someone from the Ford team had mentioned it would work well even at 49 degrees Celsius!
I began to wish I had my iPod to connect to the music system’s aux input, but a van trying to overtake me on a narrow street immediately got my attention. I had to quickly pull over to the left to let the impatient driver go by. There were no jerks, no screeches.
“That was close,” Sarosh said, visibly relieved.
“Awesome brakes!” I replied with a smile. The Figo really was a cool car to handle!
Back in the parking lot, I decided to challenge myself by reverse parking my Figo between its twins since women are known to be terrible at parking. But the Figo was a parking wonder—the visibility in the rear view and side mirrors was excellent, giving me great judgement of space, and I managed to park the car without too much back-and-forth.
As I handed back the Figo key to Sarosh, I only wish I’d driven the Figo longer. Later, back home, when someone asked me about the Figo, I said, “It really is a substantial package!” And women are going to love it.
Have you driven the Figo yet? Tell us about your drive!
