If you know Ford India well as a company, then you definitely remember that they started their innings with the Ford Escort. However, it was the Ikon that brought in the moolah. Ford India cashed in on the vehicle’s good build quality as well as peppy engine and European looks to its advantage. The Ikon in a way set the tone for the rest of the Ford India products. However, did you know that there was one Ikon variant that was considered a dud as far as sales were concerned. For more information on this and other Ford cars that weren’t a commercial success, scroll down.
Ford Mondeo
The Mondeo was Ford’s second luxury car in the Indian market. It was a global nameplate. The car was much favoured in Europe. It had a fan following in India too, however due to the higher price tag the model saw few takers. Truth be told, it was one Ford that was way ahead of its times. It boasted all four power windows, powered seats, airconditioning as well as airbags. Space too was good in this Ford. The competition though was in the form of the Hyundai Sonata as well as the Honda Accord. Both these well entrenched (more affordable) competitors had a good service reputation that ensured the Mondeo sales didnt take off as expected. Ford also had a trying time with the aftersales of the Mondeo. In fact, resale values plumetted so much that 3-year old Mondeos were available for less than the base new Ikon’s price.
Ford Fusion
The Fusion for that matter can claim to be India’s first crossover car. Ford India positioned this crossover as the alternative to hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai i20. There was no real competition for the Fusion back then barring estate versions of the Fiat Palio and Maruti Baleno Altura. However, these were bigger as well as pricier cars. The Fusion boasted a mix of 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engines and there was also the more powerful 1.6-litre gasoline option. Practicality was high with the Fusion and its ground clearance could rival some of the well-known SUVs too. However, buyers were as confused as Ford was about the positioning of this vehicle. Eventually, the Fusion was discontinued and in came the Ecosport after a four year gap.
Ford Fiesta second generation
The first-gen Fiesta was a runaway hit. This prompted Ford to launch the hatchback version as well. However, when the time for an all-new Fiesta came, Ford didn’t quite get the formula correct. The awkward looks and the not-so spacious seating did the vehicle in. Ford had a hard time moving units off the showroom floors. In fact, the older Fiesta sold more and it was renamed as Classic a few months down the line. Ford also brought in a new dual clutch automatic trim at a later date, however even this didn’t revive the interest. A facelift at a later stage too couldn’t salvage the damage. Ford had to eventually axe this very capable car. Currently, the Fiesta nameplate isn’t on any Ford car in India. Sad, isn’t it?
Before the now-discontinued 1.4-litre fixed geometry turbo diesel engine, Ford had first introduced a 1.8-litre unit. Yes, this sounds like a big motor but it came at a time when sub-4m norms weren’t applicable. Even the Indian industry was just beginning to see turbocharged diesel engines. As a result, the car had fewer takers. Moreover, horror stories about the aftersales and service parts not being available were making the rounds. The one thing the Ikon diesel was good was mileage and the owners were happy with the handling.
At a time when Ford and Mahindra have joined hands, what does this mean for us? Will we see the revival of any of these nameplates or will the intended plan to bring in three new SUVs be the only one? Well, only time will tell and of course we will bring you all the dope on it.
