Ford to Employ Expertise Gained in India for Other Emerging Markets
NDTV Auto Team
1 min read
Aug 13, 2015, 06:20 PM
Following in the foot-steps of carmakers like Suzuki and Hyundai, Ford intends to use low-cost engineering expertise gained in India to make compact cars for other emerging markets. The carmaker has struggled to grab a decent share in the world's fifth-largest automobile market - where small, inexpensive, and yet, powerful cars are favoured.
Also Read: Ford Figo Aspire Review
Ford India sold just 75,000 cars in the previous fiscal year, whereas Maruti Suzuki sold 1.2 million unit. However, the carmaker intends to change that with its first India-specific small car - the Figo Aspire. The car, launched on August 12, gets a starting price of Rs. 4.89 lakh that undercuts rivals like Maruti Suzuki, Honda Motor and Toyota Motor.
Also Read: Ford Figo Aspire Review
Ford India sold just 75,000 cars in the previous fiscal year, whereas Maruti Suzuki sold 1.2 million unit. However, the carmaker intends to change that with its first India-specific small car - the Figo Aspire. The car, launched on August 12, gets a starting price of Rs. 4.89 lakh that undercuts rivals like Maruti Suzuki, Honda Motor and Toyota Motor.
Ford believes small cars could make up 60 percent of global sales volumes, and thus the Aspire's engine will also make way into other cars that the company plans to export to Africa and Southeast Asia.
John Lonsdale, head of Ford's B-car program in Asia Pacific, told Reuters, "We are being challenged to find engineering solutions at lower costs than we have traditionally been able to do. This market, probably even more than Brazil, is demanding cost strategies and cost structures that are lower than anywhere else."
IHS Automotive, a consulting firm, believes India is set to become the third-largest automobile market in the world by 2020, when sales of compact cars are expected to double to around 1.73 million.
© Thomson Reuters 2016
Related News
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
car&bike Team | Feb 3, 2026China Mandates Fitting of Mechanical Door Handles On New Cars From 2027Vehicles already on sale to be given an additional 2 years to conform to the new norms.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 3, 2026Mercedes-Benz CLA EV India Debut In April 2026The new-gen CLA, in its all-electric avatar, was globally unveiled in March 2025.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 3, 2026Two-Wheeler Sales January 2026: Hero MotoCorp, TVS, Royal Enfield, Suzuki Report Sustained GrowthMost brands have reported year-on-year growth in the first month of CY26.4 mins read
car&bike Team | Feb 2, 2026Car Sales January 2026: Six Marutis in Top 10, But Tata Nexon Takes Top SpotTata Motors sold 23,365 units of the Nexon, creating a clear gap to the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, which finished second with 19,629 units.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 2, 2026Maruti Suzuki Victoris Crosses 50,000 Sales Milestone In 4 monthsThe compact SUV launched at the onset of festive season has crossed the 50,000 sales mark in about 4 months1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 2, 2026Maruti Suzuki Announces Price Protection Amid Long Waiting PeriodsCountry’s largest carmaker has said that prices of the cars will not be increased for customers who have already made the bookings1 min read
Preetam Bora | Feb 2, 2026TVS NTorq 150 Road Test Review: Bigger, Better & More Efficient!We test the new TVS NTorq 150 out in the real world to get a sense of what it offers in terms of performance, dynamics and fuel economy.7 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 21, 2026Tata Punch Facelift Review: New Turbo Engine; Same Old SoulWith the update, the Tata Punch facelift retains its character of being a healthy runabout, which is perfect for Indian roads. But have these changes made it any better?7 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 17, 2026Bajaj Chetak C25 First Ride Review: Basic, Likeable E-Scooter For First-Time RidersThe Chetak C25, in quite a few ways, is poles apart from the larger and more powerful 30 and 35 Series models, but in its mannerisms, it is very much a Chetak.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 9, 2026Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 10,000 km Long-Term ReviewAfter spending over three months and 10,000 km with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid, we were impressed by its real-world mileage, seamless hybrid, practical comfort, and Toyota reliability. Is it the best C-SUV then?5 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Jan 8, 20262026 Mahindra XUV 7XO Review: Big On Tech, Bigger On ComfortThe new Mahindra XUV 7XO is flashier, feature packed, and comes with more advanced tech. But are the changes just incremental or actually substantial?1 min read