Archive for the ‘Ford Figo’ Category

2 big announcements from Ford: To launch 8 new vehicles by the middle of the decade, Ford Figo to be exported to 50 new markets

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

We have 2 big announcements to share today. First. Ford Motor Company will launch 8 new vehicles in India by the middle of the decade as it moves to rapidly expand its presence in the fast growing market. Second. Ford India will export our locally-produced, hot-selling Ford Figo to 50 new markets, including Mexico, North Africa and the Middle East starting next year.

The announcements were made by Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa (APA), and Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India, at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Conference in New Delhi today.

In his keynote speech titled “Managing Growth – Evolving Market Dynamics” Joe said, “We have big plans for India and for this region. As we have seen from the spectacular early success of the Ford Figo, more and more Indian consumers appreciate the fuel efficient, economical, high quality, safe, and fun-to-drive vehicles that Ford offers. By the middle of this decade, we will introduce 8 new vehicles to India from our global platforms, in segments appropriate for this market. This is part of our ‘better plan’ to bring more and more vehicles from our vast global portfolio to India and other markets in Asia Pacific and Africa.”

Focusing on strategies for managing change, specifically the impact of rising demand and increasing capacity on the value chain, Joe said, “Introducing eight new vehicles by the middle of the decade is an ambitious plan that will have tremendous impact on our manufacturing operations, supply chain, dealers and employees. As part of our better plan for India, we are working today to make sure the value chain is ready for the demands we will place on it in the years to come.”

On capacity expansion creating new challenges for suppliers, he said, “In India and in the rest of the world, we are simplifying the way we work with suppliers by

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Motorbeam – winner of the Ford Figo Bloggers Drive

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Drum rolls, please! We are happy to announce Motorbeam as the winner of the Ford Figo Bloggers Drive activity. We had many great posts coming from all the bloggers and had a great time reading those as well . We would like to thank all the bloggers and everybody else who participated in the conversations on the blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and everywhere else.

Next step: Motorbeam will inform us of the 10 lucky readers they have picked as the winners based on their comments on Motorbeam’s posts so that we can courier off the souvenirs as promised.

Before we sign off, check out these last posts from the bloggers. Each one is a gem.

The Metalmorphosis Diary: Squeeze Please! Day 6 – Carwale
How many people can fit in the Figo? – Dance with Shadows
The Week That Was – Motorbeam

Our congratulations to all the winners.

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A Week with the Figo – Ford Figo Bloggers Drive

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Early this week, we announced the Ford Figo Bloggers Drive, where we gave away 3 Figos to 3 bloggers for this whole week. The bloggers were informed that they could drive the cars wherever they wished, make interesting videos, take pictures, write poetry, review their Figo cars, etc, basically anything that caught their fancy. At the end of this week, the blogger who gets the maximum number of comments on his posts will be declared the winner and he can then select 10 of his lucky commentors and present them iPods worth Rs. 50,000, courtesy Ford India.

Our bloggers seemed to have been having a wonderful time.

Javeid from Motorbeam announced the contest right away to his readers and then went on to talk about Figo’s smart & smarter features. He asked the readers certain fun questions at the end of every post, which the readers can respond to as comments. He also took the car for a ride on some great winding roads and sweeping corners with breathtaking views – a must read. Then he gave us a bit of a shock by writing that his Figo got stolen. Thank goodness, we saw the creative spark in time :-) . He seems to be still searching for the car, which was the diesel variant and is enjoying driving the petrol Figo now on the Mumbai roads at night.

This is one of the many great videos Javeid has put

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Bloggers Figo Drive: 3 bloggers get behind the wheels of the Figo this whole week

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Hey Figo lovers, we have been doing a number of activities with bloggers over the last couple of months. This time we thought, why not do an activity where Figo fans can also take part in. So starting today till the end of the week (July 31), we will have 3 key bloggers get behind the wheels of the Figo. They will publish their experiences, upload videos and pictures on their blogs and social media networks. You are invited to leave your feedback and comments to their postings and take the conversation forward.

At the end of the week, the blogger with the maximum number of comments on all the posts together will get to select 10 of his readers (based on quality and quantity of comments – we have left this to the bloggers on how they want to choose their winner commentors) and present them attractive Ford Souvenirs. So are you game?

So head off to the blogs and let’s have a good conversation going around our favourite Figo. Here are the three bloggers and blogs that you need to check out, in alphabetical order:

1. Ajit, Dance with Shadows
2. Dr. Javeid A. Khan, Motorbeam
3. Kartik Ganesh, Carwale

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Monsoon Tips from Ford India

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

The monsoons are here! It’s time to pack your bags, get into your car and venture into uncharted territory. Enjoy the lush greenery, picturesque views and enchanting cascades as you drive to your favourite monsoon getaway. But driving in the rains calls for caution and care. The Ford Service team in India recommends some tips to help you drive safely this monsoon.

  • Check your car’s condition. The brakes, steering system, tyre pressures, tyre tread depth and defroster operation should be checked regularly so that you’re ready to deal with a downpour.
  • Every car should have a good emergency kit. Breakdowns can be stressful. Taking a few steps in advance can save you time, emergency service costs and a headache. Have an emergency kit ready for many different situations. The kit should meet your individual needs and be equipped with items ranging from spares, torch, fuses, tyre inflators, to safety kits and other items to attract or provide help.
  • Make sure that your wipers are in good condition and functioning properly. If the blades are brittle or damaged, replace them before the rains begin. Allow sufficient wetting of the windscreen prior to using the wipers to avoid scratching of the windscreen owing to dry wipe.
  • Use the windshield washer fluid as recommended by the manufacturer. Using a blend of water and washer fluid will clean the windscreen more effectively than washing with plain water.
  • Tyre pressures: Maintain correct cold tyre pressures as recommended in the owner’s manual for different loads. This is even more critical for monsoon conditions since the traction is paramount for vehicle stability.
  • Windscreen fogging. Use the de-frost mode with AC ON, in fresh air mode to clear the windscreen of condensation whenever the windscreen gets fogged up. Also use the rear heated window option, if present, since rear visibility improves.

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Glimpse of the Figo’s cool features!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

The much-awaited Ford Figo is almost ready. So we put together a video for all Ford fans who are dying to see the car inside-out! Here’s a never-seen-before look into the car, the roomy interiors, mobile connectivity and so much more. Watch the video and tell us what you think of the car!

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The Kinetic Figo: Explained!

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

As the youngest member of the kinetically-designed Ford family, the Figo is creating ripples among car enthusiasts. So we got Design Director for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa — Scott Strong himself, to explain the exterior design of the car. According to Mr Strong, the car is snug and just right for its class. The graphic elements, shape, proportion and lines make it look very dynamic. The most significant kinetic design element is the comet tail-like gesture that runs through the body of the car.

For more such insights into the Figo’s design, check out the video below and tell us what you think of the car’s kinetic elements.

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