DriveBlog

Expect more josh

Some good news for fans of the blue oval. Ford seems like it'll come in all cylinders firing with the possibility of up to 3 new launches (yeah, one isn't enough) spaced over the rest of the year. Apart from the new edition Mondeo and the toppish-end, C-segmenter Focus, they might also bring a smile to the faces of those who swear by diesel with the launch of the Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) variant of their crossover, the Fusion.

Keeping it fresh

There's nothing like a new product or variant launch to keep you in the consumer's mindspace. Atleast that's what seems to have worked for Ford, Honda, Tata, Maruti and Hyundai (just barely) this year, as new launches, VFM pricing and good fuel efficiency pushed their sales graphs in the right direction.

Got Josh?

Kannan Parthasarathy of Journal of My Thoughts sure does!

Baby got (hatch)back!

Finally, a shootout to warm the cockles of the hearts of the hardest-core hatch lovers! In a comparo that a lot of people will have been waiting for, Overdrive pits the Opel Corsa Sail against the Fiat Palio nv against the Hyundai Getz against the Ford Fusion.

The final verdict? Surprise, surprise - while the Getz scores on styling and driveability and the Fusion is the more technically superior car, the Palio continues to emerge as the best overall package when it comes to picking a hatchback.

In a shift from tradition, fuel efficiency is something that has more or less been ignored in the final analysis, the difference between the four being too close to call.

More Ikon Anniversaries

Encouraged by demand for the limited edition Ikon Anniversary, Ford India has extended the offer to cover December 2004 as well. Also in the pipeline are plans for a diesel version of the Fusion UAV sometime next year and expansion of their dealer network.

In focus?

With the Fusion now firmly in the bag, Ford India, in keeping with their promise of launching atleast one new model a year (Aamir Khan for brand ambassador, anyone?), is looking at the C segment again, with the Focus being the frontrunner among the cars likely to be introduced.

Fusion Music

Soundbytes from Ford officials heard at Fusion previews held across the country:

"Fusion is for progressive and contemporary families and the car offers the appeal of a SUV along with the luxury of a sedan in one model."

"The interiors are people-focused, spacious and practical, with high seating for greater visibility; while on the outside, Fusion's tough on-road presence is confident, protective and compact. It is the fusion of these attributes that inspired the vehicle's name - Ford Fusion." Aaah, now we get it...

“We are in the volume business but it is also a fact that we create niche segments in a crowded market and try and achieve leadership position. This is true since the Ikon was launched in 1999.”

First Fusion

Ford India rolled out the first Fusion from their plant oustide Chennai yesterday. As promised, India's first UAV or Urban Activity Vehicle should be ready for customer delivery in about 4 weeks.

Update: The base version of the Fusion will make you poorer by about Rs. 6.2 lakhs, with the 'luxury' version doing damage worth Rs. 75000 more.

Ford's Christmas gift to India

Armed with an optimistic outlook for the rest of the year, Ford India is looking to close out 2004 with a bang. The Fusion, India's first (almost-)indigenous crossover passenger vehicle is slated to be ready for customer delivery by December this year.

To Palio D or not to D

That is the question that I posed to a bunch of rather erudite gentlemen and which I now pose to any and all of you who happen to drop by here and have an opinion to offer me on which is the better car to buy - the Fiat Palio 1.9D ELX or the Ford Ikon (1.3) Flair.