Low maintenance
It seems that Ford has tried to address some of these issues in the Figo. “Key components, which are particularly heavy replacements in Indian conditions, like the engine oil and brake fluid, filters, doors and bumpers have been designed such that durability is long and the cost of repair or replacement is minimal,” says Boneham. The door, for instance, has to be replaced completely after damage in most cases. “In the case of the Figo, since the material (the sheet metal) has been sourced locally, one would need to just change the skin of the door instead of the entire assembly. This means a cut-down of almost 30 per cent of expense on servicing,” Boneham adds.
Ford claims that the cost of periodic maintenance of the Figo is 7 to 13 per cent less than rivals, cost of non-scheduled repairs 10 to 17 per cent lower, cost of damageability repairs 7 to 16 per cent lower, and the five-year service cost for customers who drive less than 10,000 km in a year up to 60 per cent lower.
In fact, so confident is Ford about the Figo that it wants to take the car to South Africa and its Indian engineers world over to showcase how a “world-class car could be made at a price point never done before”. India will be the production hub for the Figo for the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, though the United States and Europe are ruled out for the moment.
A small car calls for a different and larger distribution channel than bigger cars. The socio-economic profile of a small-car customer is not the same as that of a large-car customer. Aware of this, Ford has ramped up its dealership network from 135 a year ago to 167 now. The plan is to take it up to 200 by the end of the year. Along with that, Ford has rolled out other service initiatives. This includes warranty protection, free 24-hour roadside assistance for two years from the date of sale, a range of scheduled service plans and a quick service. Scheduled maintenance not before 12 months is what Ford promises for the Figo.
Says Hinrichs: “For Ford, the stake on the ground in India is of utmost importance because it is going to be the second-largest market for it outside of the US.” Henry Ford had often talked of “opening the highways to mankind”. Hinrichs and Boneham want to get that vision off the ground in India. The odds are formidable.
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