Ford Adds Second Shift to Maraimalai Nagar

The success of the recently introduced Ford Figo in India has made the American manufacturer decide to add a second shift to the Maraimalainagar facility where the car is built. The news was revealed by company managing director Michael Boneham, who added that the second shift will begin at the plant from June.

According to Ford's data, the carmaker has orders for no less than 15,000 Figos. In the first month since the launch of the car, 10,000 people ordered a Figo, surpassing even Ford's expectations.

"We are delighted at the initial response to Figo, and are incredibly proud to have struck such a positive chord with Indian consumers," Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India said in the beginning of the month.

The Figo is powered by Ford's 1.4l Duratorq common rail diesel engine, as well as by a 1.2l petrol SEFI one purpose-built for the Figo. The diesel outputs 69 PS at 4,000 rpm, while the petrol engine develops 71 PS at 6,250 rpm. Both come equipped with a 5 speed manual transmission.

The Figo is being offered in four different models, namely LXI, EXI, ZXI and Titanium, each available with different trim levels. All models also will be available with a Duratorq diesel engine option. Pricing for the entry level models starts at Rs. 3,49,900 (approx. $7,695).

"Our exciting new Ford Figo shows how serious we are about India," Ford's CEO, Allan Mullaly when the Figo was launched into the market at the beginning of the year.