While the popular press continues to wax lyrical about super cars that can return zero to 100 km/h in under three seconds, the real movement in the automotive world is at the other end of the spectrum. The eco-car is where all the action is.
Nissan has done very well with the March released March 2010, and at 375,000 baht it is cheap motoring. Honda have retaliated with the Brio which is due for release next year, and I would imagine will be the main attraction for the Japanese company at the Bangkok International Motor Show at the end of March 2011. There is even talk of Toyota entering the fray with its Etios.
Ford Figo and Fiesta
Now comes the news that FoMoCo also have a small car in the wings, and is an Indian sourced Ford Figo (not to be confused with the Toyota Vigo, which is anything but an eco-car).
The Ford Figo was released in India this year and has been very popular. The Figo is a new subcompact automobile that went on sale on 10 March 2010 in India for U$8400. It is based on the fourth generation Ford Fiesta hatchback that was phased out in 2008. It is built only in Chennai in India, to be sold in developing countries.
The Figo is available in both petrol and diesel versions, all with five speed manual transmissions and power steering as standard.
The petrol engine is a four cylinder 1,196cc 16V DOHC, rated at 52 kW; (70 bhp) at 6250rpm with 102 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm.
The other engine is a four cylinder 1,399cc 8V SOHC Diesel engine, rated at 51 kW (68 bhp) at 4000 rpm with 160 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm.
Will we see it here? I would not be surprised if Ford has one on the stand in March, just to gage public interest if nothing else.
