Ford Vehicle

After nearly a decade in the Indian market, Ford India Pvt Ltd seems to have got its Zen right - for a second time. The unprecedented success of the Fiesta has the company ‘fida’ on the Indian market. The diesel version of the Ford Fiesta, fitted with a Duratorq engine, is rolling out of dealer showrooms fast.

As a result, in 2007, Ford India has sold 42,060 units compared to 22,526 units during the same period last year - an overall growth of 87 per cent! Though the company refuses to give model-wise sales break-ups of the 3,000 to 5,000 units it sells each month, it is clear from the vehicle population on the roads that except for the Ikon and Fiesta, the sales of other models are not anything to write home about, and it is Fiesta that is mostly responsible for the recent bump-up in figures.

Incredibly fuel-efficient In the incredibly price-sensitive Indian market, say analysts, one of the more important reasons for the Fiesta’s incredible popularity is its low, low fuel consumption. In the Bosch- Business Standard Motoring Mileage Run 2007, the Ford Fiesta 1.4 Duratorq TDCi diesel emerged as the most fuel efficient car across all categories -. it managed an incredible 25.63 km to the litre on the road, in a mix of city and highway driving conditions.

In the Autocar India Max Mileage Marathon, the diesel Fiesta notched up an unbelievable 31.48 km to the litre, while the 1.4-litre Duratec petrol version could manage 22.43 km to the litre. Only, these figures are from a test track, in optimum driving conditions. But that’s only half the story. Fit and finish levels on the Fiesta are also several notches above the more thriftily produced Ikon.