DriveBlog

Ford Fiesta rolls on

Things really do seem to be happening fast for the much-vaunted Ford Fiesta since its national launch only a couple of days ago. Observe, if you will, this sequence of developments that have since unfolded:

• Ford launches the Fiesta amidst much excitement and anticipation. The sedan has been in the news for being their 'global car' launch for developing markets, and India is admittedly one that is very high on their priority. The Fiesta is being seen as pitted against such deserving rivals on Indian roads as the Honda City, the Hyundai Accent, the Maruti Baleno and Esteem and the Chevrolet Optra. From what I've seen of the car so far, it seems like it's more than just your regular sedan and I tend to agree that it would be unfair to pit it against the more entry-level sedan options like the Ikon and the Esteem. The ones that should be worrying are the likes of the Honda City.  Moving on, retail sales are expected to kick in by mid-December with expectations of about 2000 units of the car going off the shelves every month. With sales of the Ikon dipping over the past few months and the Fusion failing to set the market afire, the Fiesta probably couldn't have come at a better time for Ford.
• They then proceed to knock almost everyone off their feet with the price announcements - the base (1.4 litre) petrol version can be yours for a little over 5 and half lakh rupees. That's not much higher than the base version of the Ford warhorse, the Ikon and definitely cheaper than their recently-launched super-hatch, the Fusion. A case of cannibalism? No, say Ford.
• They get current Bollywood wunderkind Abhishek Bachchan to 'Go Fida' over the Fiesta.
• And now, the announcement that the sticker tag on the Fiesta will go up by about Rs. 25000 more in the months to come as the prices being touted right now are only introductory prices.

Well, Ford's never been one to take new launches lightly, so methinks there's going to be plenty to hear from them in the days to come.

Now you know: In the market for a new car and with a budget of between Rs. 5 and 6 lakhs, you'd currently have about 30 options to choose from.

FAQs

How many times have you wondered...

• ...just how safe your car is?
• ...why your car costs so much more in India than it would have abroad?
• ...just what the heck Maruti keeps doing right every year, year after year?

Moving along swiftly

As I type this post, the number of Swift bookings made so far could safely be at the 15000 mark, going by the numbers it's been chugging since launch last week. Pretty much enough to have the folks at MUL leaning back in their chairs and grinning, I reckon. And not just for all the money that the Swift is going to make them, but possibly more for what the car promises to do for Maruti's image. There are of course, the naysayers who predict that the new kid on the block will now eat into the sales, or for that matter, the existence itself of some of the older inhabitants of the Maruti stables. But MUL's having none of that.

With what's being now looked at as a two-month waiting period and with people willing to pay up to Rs. 25000 up front to make sure they get it sooner, it looks like the Swift has lived up to all the hype that preceded its arrival.

Do we hear the Koreans shaking in their boots or worse, buckling at the knees? Hardly, as Hyundai doesn't even consider the Swift as being in the same segment as the Getz. It'd rather have it do business with the Santro for now!

Also see:
The Hindu reviews the Swift

Swift makes debut today

The entire nation, I daresay, can now let go of the collective breath it's been holding all these days in anticipation of the launch of the Swift. After much vacillation on both the launch price and date, the car 'officially debuted' today. The bottom-end LXi version has been launched at a cool Rs. 387000 (ex-showroom Delhi). The mid-range VXi option can be yours for Rs. 405000 and the fully-loaded ZXi (the one with the 'Z' is always, the coolest, isn't it?) comes in at Rs. 485000. Again, smart on the part of Maruti to price the 3 variants with almost a lakh of a difference between the bottom and top. Something for everyone to choose from.

And going by the reviews (read what BS Motoring had to say after they did the car), it looks like the Swift is the answer to both the Indian carbuyer's and Maruti's dreams and looks very unlikely to disappoint either. Or should I say it better not disappoint, because over 8000 of the cars have been spoken for already.

Update: The Swift will grace Indian roads only by the first week of June when customer delivery begins. And the mouth-watering prices at which it's been launched may not be the same for too long, but no one's confirming that yet.

Also see:
Inside the Swift
The average Joe's take on the Swift ('Registration required' link)
All the news on 'Maruti Swift' from Google News India
All the news on 'Maruti Suzuki Swift' from Google News India

Swift likely price announced

The Maruti Suzuki Swift will soon be available in 3 variants: the base Lxi, the intermediate Vxi and the fully loaded Zxi. Industry speculation is that prices may be around the Rs. 3.99 lakh range for the base version to about 4.75 lakhs for the top-end version. All variants will run on 1.3 litre petrol engines.

In terms of features towards the top end, the Swift seems like it packs a better punch than the Getz. The Zxi, for example, will be armed with an automatic climate control system and dual front airbags along with ABS. The premium-end variant of the Getz in comparison, the GLS ABS has only...well, ABS.

Update: Methinks it's going to be a smart move on the part of the Maruti to offer a 'pared down' version of the Swift starting at Rs. 3.99 lakhs. Reminiscent of the 'psychological pricing' tactic that Bata (yes, them of the Hawaii chappals) tends to use all the time, I think the average Indian car buyer is going to be very tempted by the proposition of the Swift being available at less than 4 lakhs (so what if it's only a 1000 bucks less?). An opportunity that perhaps Hyundai missed by pricing the base version of the Getz, the GL at Rs. 4.5 lakhs. Opinions have already begun to fly fast and free that some rethinking on the part of the Koreans may be in order.

Mark off May 27th...

...on your calendars. And in red, preferably. Because that's the date that seems to be on everyone's lips these days. As are various opinions on what the price tag on the Swift is going to be.

Update: Well, it looks like my Jamaican friend was right. This good piece on the reasons for the slow but sure emergence of the new B+ segment in India does in fact, confirm that the Swift will officially be launched on the 19th of May.

Respect for da' tip off, mon! =)

Will the M800 get its Mojo back?

Some interesting updates on a couple of car brands that pretty much are the opposite ends of the spectrum that is the Indian passenger car market.

DaimlerChrysler India will recall about 2350 E-Class, S-Class and SLK sports versions of their Mercedes Benz cars because of problems in the brakes and the software that controls the battery unit. Have there been any such large-scale recalls before in the Indian market?

Maruti's March sales are up, but M800 sales continue to head in the downward direction, as more and more customers find favour in its close cousin, the Alto. In fact, the 800-Alto battle is looked upon as a case study for cannibalisation of a company's car brands by its own new launches.

Ne'VAT'heless, the price tags on both the M800 and the Merc S-Class will get bigger - by Rs. 1000 and Rs. 2.5 lakh (do I honestly need to include the 'respectively'?). In fact, all of motown seems set for a new price regime - in some cases it's the regular April hike, in some cases it's VAT and in others, it's thanks to an increase in road tax.

To cut a long story short

The cars / companies that have and haven't reduced prices, post the duty cut in this year's budget:

The Haves

• Honda City
• Honda Accord
• Hyundai  Elantra
• Hyundai Sonata
• Toyota Corolla
• Toyota Innova

The Have-Nots

• Hyundai Santro
• Hyundai Accent
• Hyundai Getz
• Maruti
• Ford
• General Motors

The Euro'pain' angle

Respective spokespersons (read CEOs) of the various car companies continue to differ in opinion on how badly the rise in prices due to the adoption of new Euro III technology will hit demand. Maruti may have good reason to be worried as steep hikes could mean anything but good for most of their models, which are at the entry-level, more price-sensitive end of the market. And there's no better example of that than the M800.

Update: The new and improved M800 will now not only conform to the latest emission norms but will also sport spiffier interiors, headlamps and come in 3 new colours. All this, of course, at an added price.