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Ford launches Ikon

Neena Haridas in Delhi

Ford India launched Ikon, its new offering in the mid-car segment, in the capital on Monday. Though the company has not yet announced the price, John Fink, vice-president, Ford India, says the Ikon will compete with the Maruti Esteem and the Fiat Sienna in the mid-car segment.

Ikon will roll onto Indian roads by the end of November and the company will start taking orders by the end of October.

"We hope to sell about 20,000 units in 2000, and this target does not include exports. We will place Ikon in the Esteem and Sienna category. But it is still premature to fix the price," Fink said.

The Ikon will have three variants -- two petrol models and one diesel model. It has a contemporary European design with a new Rocam 1.6 litre petrol engine and an Endura 1.8 diesel engine with computer-controlled engine management. Other features include a sporty instrument panel in silver metallic finish with white dials, an additional air conditioning vent for rear cooling and reading lamps. The Euro-II compliant Ikon also has a child safety lock on the rear doors for extra safety.

The company claims the Ikon has been especially designed for India at Ford's small vehicle centre in Germany. According to Philip G Spender, managing director, Ford India, Ikon is targetted at the young and trendy achiever.

Asked if the Ikon will withstand competition from the well-entrenched Esteem, Fink said, "So far, the Indian customer did not have a choice. But now with the entry of the Ikon he will have access to world class technology and that will make all the difference."

Ford Escort, the first model from the Ford stable to enter the Indian market, did not do too well. Asked if the company has such apprehensions about the Ikon, Partha Barua, general manager, northern region, Ford, said, "The mid-car segment in India is still maturing. There have not been too many players until recently, hence whenever a new model enters the market customers buy that and forget the earlier one. It happened with the Escort, the Opel Astra, now it is is happening with the Honda City. We had our heady days initially, but then the dust settles. What matters is consistency in the market and we feel with Ikon we will be able to do that."

The mid-car segment had had a negative growth of about 12 per cent these last two years. However, according to a study by the Indian Credit Rating Agency in June, the segment is on it way to recovery due to increased customer interest in new launches from existing players.

Ikon is the first car to roll out of the Ford plant in Maraimalai Nagar, 45 km from Madras. It was built at a cost of Rs 17 billion and has a capacity of 100,000 units per annum. Ford Escort was only assembled in India.

Says Barua, "With the Escort we were still experimenting in the Indian market. Now with our new plant we are ready to take on the Indian roads in a big way. "Initially, the Ikon will have 70 per cent local inputs. The gear box will be imported," Fink added.

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