John Mellor’s
GoAuto News
Mar 22, 2017
Australia’s No.1 Automotive Industry Journal
No. 867
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Budget time
Ford Figo development ‘mules’ point to new budget car project in Australia
EXCLUSIVE
By RON HAMMERTON
A FLOCK of Indian-made Ford Figo
light sedans and hatches have been
spotted under test at the Ford Asia-
Pacific Product Development Centre’s
You Yangs proving ground at Lara in
Victoria, pointing to more budget car
business at the facility.
Reasons for the appearance of
Figos at the high-security facility
remain elusive, but they could signal
groundwork for another entry-level car
developed here, possibly a new Figo for
India in about 2020 or a new contender
for China to sit below the Australian-
developed, Focus-based Escort.
The Figo – the cheapest car in Ford’s
global range – is running around in
various guises between next-generation
Ranger utes and other vehicles being
tested by the Australian-based vehicle
design and engineering team which
late last year received a massive 50 per
cent budget boost, to $450 million, for
2017.
Most of that budget is thought to be
allocated to the development of the
2019 Ranger ute and related Everest
and Bronco SUVs.
This time, the Ranger is also being
aimed at the North American market,
meaning a massive expansion in
development work for the Australian
team.
While the Ranger project dominates
proceedings at the proving ground, the
Australian operation has developed
a handy sideline in budget model
development for Ford’s developing
markets, starting with the first-
generation Figo – launched in India
in 2010 – that was recycled from a
superseded Fiesta.
That was followed by the Escort that
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has gone on to become Ford’s great
Chinese success story, topping Ford’s
sales charts there.
While the original Figo was a red-
hot success in both India and export
markets, the current second-generation
Figo – developed in parallel with the
Brazilian-developed Ford Ka – has
struggled for various reasons, including
increased competition in the rapidly
expanding Indian market.
The Figo range is due for a facelift in
the next year or so, potentially followed
by an all-new model about 2020.
Continued next page
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