After an evening of great insights into the Figo and a good look at the car, the bloggers were eager to drive the Ford Figo.

So, the next morning, we handed over four Figos to a group of automotive bloggers for their test drive (both petrol and diesel versions), with Michael Boneham flagging them off. The Squeeze and Sea Grey Figos lit up the 21.8-kilometre scenic drive from Cansaulim to Cavelossim in Goa as they zipped by. The “Figo twins” negotiated the winding streets, narrow paths and the sharp turns with ease, even over the trickier bits.

While the bloggers tested the car, Ford’s engineering and management teams were on their toes, ready to answer questions, and listen to the bloggers’ first drive impression about the car.

The drive went off without a hitch, and the bloggers loved the car. Shrawan Raja of Indian Autos Blog said he just loved that the car was completely driver-centric. Kartik Ganesh of CarWale.com agreed. “The Figo’s got the traditional Ford DNA —great handling, decent ride quality and stability through corners.” Motorbeam.com’s Faisal Ali Khan didn’t hesitate to say, “The Figo handles like a big car!”

The love for the Figo was echoed by other bloggers as well. Subhash Kamath from Mumbai enthusiastically said, “Figo’s a great car. And it’s not a B-car at all, because it has a premium hatchback feel.” Karthik of Vicky.in summed it up well when he

Early last week, the streets of sleepy Goa came alive as four brand new cars zipped across the beach state. For the lucky few who saw the cars, it was the first public glimpse of the new Ford Figo.

It all began when automotive journalists and bloggers from across India arrived to see, feel and drive the Figo. They got to mix with the who’s who at Ford—Michael Boneham (president and managing director, Ford India), Nigel Wark (executive director, marketing, sales and service), Anthony Hall(B-car vehicle engineering manager), Scott Strong (APA design director), Emily Lai (colour & materials design manager)and Sundar Sundarrajan (chief program engineer).

Just before dinner, it was time to get down to business. But it was Goa, after all, not the most business-like place. So Nigel gave us the reason for choosing Goa as the drive destination. He shared a video showcasing several Sandeeps, the Figo’s target customer. On being asked their favourite holiday destination, most of the young men had replied, “Goa!”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason—for the Figo exploration had just begun. Anthony narrated behind-the-scenes Figo stories, replete with impossible cross-border shipping schedules and trans-national teamwork. He even showed a photograph of the Figo in an Australian plant—a “potentially sackable offence”, he said tongue-in-cheek.

Scott elaborated on the Figo’s fluid ‘tear drop’ silhouette and the kinetic design cues. The graphics he used to explain the car’s lines and curves made us realize that the photos could never completely convey the extreme ‘coolness’ of the cars.

Next, we discovered the philosophy behind the interiors, as Emily explained the four trim levels and what they indicated; like the red dot matrix seats meant precision and technological sophistication.

Sometime in the first quarter of 2010, a young man called Sandeep will walk into a Ford dealership with his parents and wife, and drive out in the Figo. Later that evening, he’ll text his buddy: “Hey Akash, I just bought the Figo! Coming for a drive?”

We’re not Nostradamus, but our marketing team’s little “prediction” might well turn out to be true. After all, the team has met not one, not two, but dozens of “Sandeeps” over the past few months. Our Sandeeps are in their mid-twenties, and are quintessential middle class youth. They are recently married and have earned a promotion and recognition at work. As the marketing guys put it, “Sandeep is Figo’s ideal target customer”.

Engaging these ideal customers was no mean task – the marketing team approached several Sandeeps to learn not only what they looked for in a car, but also what made them tick. They met their families, went shopping and even clubbing with them, and asked them a long list of questions. And their thorough work paid off – we now know their favourite movies (Sholay, DDLJ, Ghajini), gadgets (Apple iPod) and music (A.R. Rahman), what they do online (banking and Orkuting) and just about everything else in their lives (some want to buy a car, others a plasma TV).

What have we achieved from this exercise? For starters, we learned that the Figo’s customer, Sandeep is a complex person indeed: we figure that Sandeep is ambitious while being rooted to family values and traditions. Ford India brand manager Rahul Gautam says, “Sandeep wants to give attention to his family, spend time with his wife, and aspires to

Why would Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally trek across an overgrown field to get his picture taken with a tree? What does a 5,000-person town hall meeting actually look like? How can everyone in the room be named Sandeep?

Get answers to these questions and more in a special issue of @Ford, our company newsletter. The issue provides in-depth look at how Ford is transforming its business in India.

Enjoy reading our newsletter and let us know what you think!

-By the Ford Figo Team