Ford Ikon Flair to have 1.4TDCI and Fiesta to have 1.6TDCI

[aslambhai]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

A spruce up of the interiors is definitely required as all of you have said. A little bit of exterior changes won't do harm as well.

And the price ofcourse - if priced well - could take on the Dzire.

This month's Autocar has some graphic images of face-lifted (or new) Ikon. They have gone forward and said that it is due for launch in Oct'08. That is all I could make out from the small cover image at their site. But this does mean that Ford is working on Ikon.

[phamilyman]

I would love the Ikon in the TDCi avatar - the 1.8D is my preferred taxi in Bengalooru! It has a superbly comfortable ride comparable to the likes of NHC!

[gendarmee]

Wow.Thats great news. I always wondered why the meter console on the flair wasnt upgraded, while the exterior's/engine have been constantly upgraded since its release in

.....Looks like its gonna be done now, that and a digital console tossed in would be great.
Guess they possibly want to give the diesel-Logan/Indigo CS competition with the entry level sedans.
Any clue about the price range? Def should be priced below/at the entry level fiesta price range.
Don't think the fiesta sales would go down much because most buyers look for a new model, in terms of how new it is to the market, and turn away from a vamped up stuff, plus many features, like electrically controlled sideview mirrors are amiss in the FLAIR...

But even today, the ikon is exciting to drive, comfortable for the passengers in the back seat.


What is thisFord - Ikon Home Tested: Ford Ikon 1.4 TDCi: Road tests: Latest tests: Wheels24
Found it while trying to run a search on the ikon tdci!?!
Has the old ikoc been replaced with the fiesta in that part of the world?

[mezereo]

if that happens in next 6 months, it is will b my another car
i mean if the changes are:
face lift (not mandatory, current design is also fine by me),
change the interiors(this is mandatory, without disturbing the comfort it provides in 1.8D)
do not need great FE, but good FE would be fantastic and last but not least
price it right

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Good news. Hope the prices of A** & spares will also come down with this.

Originally Posted by VC12

Ikon can re workits magic with the following:...

1. New Diesel heart as per the Autocar....
2. New Dash board
3. Digital trip meter/ inside-outside temperature.
4. Better qlty of plastics than current
5. Retian the same sports streeing + add tilt /adjustable streeing
6. bring in height adjust...
7. The exterior door gaurd plastic can be trimed to thoise like on Fiesta
8. upgarde on the tail lamp to clear/jewel type...
9. new look head lights.....
10. re visit suspension / brakes and 14" or 15" a must... from 13" Flair.
11. Door handles can be made like fiesta or swift kinds....
12. Retain the gr8 fog lamps style....with the front grilll....
13. cosmetics like chrome strips likes of fiesta...
14. Add some features like remote boot release, parking sensors, rear defogger
15. utility portion btw driver and co passenger to be improved
16. New wiper style( Logan/fiesta) and twin sparys for windscreen
17. light in glove box
18. change in postion of current hazzard lights, to center dash board console...

Originally Posted by benbsb29

According to me, what needs to be improved are:
* Improved dashboard
* Better utilisation of interior space for providing cubby holes for storage
* Provide space for stacking away some CDs, or something
* Tilt steering option (A serious grouse i had !!)

Like GTO mentioned, the rear seat comfort for the ikon is among the best in its segment, and makes for a good family car. Ford India also needs to sort out the perception of poor after-sales which many people hold against it.

I hope they wont over-price the diesel version.

An open letter to Ford:

Dear Ford,
What you see above is real-time feedback from owners of the Ikon. Even more so, as they are car enthusiasts and are passionate about their favourite brand/model.

A new Ford Ikon with that delightful 1.4 TDCi is great news. But, if that face lift is treated as an after thought, then the market would like to think of the Ikon TDCi as an after thought/has been as well. Treat the above as a 'fix-it' list.

To summarize, the consensus is that Ford have to continuously update their current models, bring in new exciting models, Improve A.S.S, reduce costs of service/spare parts, take a long hard look at their pricing policy and become a fun-to-own brand once again!

Cheerio!

[ram_hyundai]

Maybe OT-but i like the front end of the latest IKON flair.The old one was a sure NO NO.IKON had a good run in sales earlier and then they squeezed out the juice left using the new front end.
When will the new heart join the old body?
ram

[karanraheja]

Heard that Overdrive & autocar April Issue has scoop pics of the New Facelift Ikon .Expected to be out by Sept - Oct '08. Any one got any pics??

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I would love the Ikon in the TDCi avatar - the 1.8D is my preferred taxi in Bengalooru! It has a superbly comfortable ride comparable to the likes of NHC!

I thought Ikon had the best back seat comfort in the segment. Height, thigh support were pretty good.

If Ikon comes with a good diesel engine unlike the 1.8 and decent maintenance cost, nothing like it. Josh at lesser price is not bad.

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by VC12

*New Diesel heart as per the Autocar....
*New Dash board and some add on's like Aveo's style speedo/tacho's...( like teh racing kinds)Digital trip meter/ inside-outside temperature.
*Better qlty of plastics than current( though the current is better than Indigo's ...)
*Retian the same sports streeing + add tilt /adjustable streeing
*Seating is cool but can bring in height adjust...
*The exterior door gaurd plastic can be trimed to thoise like on Fiesta /Mondeo
*Sure thing needed is upgarde on the tail lamp to clear/jewel type...
Also is new look head lights.....
*Must do is re visit suspension / brakes and 14" or 15" a must... from 13" Flair.
*Door handles can be made like fiesta or swift kinds....
*Retain the gr8 fog lamps style....with the front grilll....
*Can do some cosmetics like chrome strips likes of fiesta...
Add some features like remote boot release, parking sensors, rear defogger( to have variants( for fabia or swift zxi...)
Retain the best in class a/c with current flair it rocks...
utility portion btw driver and co passenger to be improved as with new dash board
*New wiper style( Logan/fiesta) and twin sparys for windscreen
light in glove box
change in postion of current hazzard lights... to center dash board console...
the bumpers can be made more into the body and thus appeal to be more integrated...

Finally atleast some of the above listed vital point can make a winner and re invent Ikon flair's pedigree...

Remember its one thos 1st rally style sporty sedan which still has its unique style compared in the segment...

Originally Posted by benbsb29

* Improved dashboard
* Better utilisation of interior space for providing cubby holes for storage
* Provide space for stacking away some CDs, or something
* Tilt steering option (A serious grouse i had !!)

*Add a in cabin Clock (digital or analogue)
*Redo meter console, add digital meter at par with the stuff nowdays, and have the speedo needle to glow(with the ambient light) like the ones do cars nowdays.
*Dash should be re shaped & made use able to keep stuff on it, atleast at some places.
*lockable glovebox
*The AC controls can be made button input rather than the old fashioned knobs. The AC is great btw. Redo the AC vent's shape
*arm rest/cup holder/Glove box(all inone) between front seats
*arm rest/Glove box(all in one) in the rear seat
*Adjustable steering, driver's seat height.
*Redo the brakes & add ABS if possible at nominal price(but heck nominal pricing is as alien to FORD as repairing a part is to HONDA)
*New design door handles,Clear tail lamps,Chrome trims on side skirting bumpers, And have a boot/tailgate handle handle as standard.
(the current fog lamps serve the purpose of head lamps in the city)
*If not remoter boot release have a cable boot release like on Hyundai cars(Remote boot release is available as an add on, cost 5000 bucks)
**remote boot release/rear parking sensors/louder horns/tailgate handle are available as add on's, check ikon web page for details

[rajneeesh]

Well the Ford senior managers were asked if there were any immediate plans to launch the fiesta 1.6 dieseland they replied in the negative. It is unlikely that Ford will launch the Ikon with a 1.4 tdci without changing the powerplant in the Fiesta.

Moreover, Ford so far has been a pretty reactive company. It took them ages to put the 1.4tdci in the Fusion and even then it was priced out of contention. Rather than launching the Ikon with a Diesel engine, Ford should have relook at the pricing of the Fusion Diesel. Being less than 4 m long, the excise duty will be much lower and there will be no need to spend any money on re-engineering the Ikon.

[karanraheja]

Had just picked up the Overdrive April issue. They had the pic of the facelift Ikon. It is based on the Ford Ka hatchback. Not much changes in the interiors. Dashboard almost same like present Ikon . Best part was Ford thinks new Ikon looks better than our Fiesta .

[gendarmee]

Originally Posted by karanraheja

Had just picked up the Overdrive April issue.

Just curious, couldnt find anything online, could ya take a pic of the ikon from the magazine and post it here?

[aslambhai]

Originally Posted by gendarmee

Just curious, couldnt find anything online, could ya take a pic of the ikon from the magazine and post it here?

This will raise many copyright issues.

Better go to the overdrive site and click on the link to this month's magazine. It will pop-up and enlarge this month's cover image. Its a small image but still you can have a look.

[indivic]

Well, the pics on Overdrive are from the Novo Ka in Brazil. If you do a search on You Tube, with just Novo Ka you will get the videos.

In my view, the interior is worse than the current Ikon, if Ford are indeed going this way, no way this will sell if it is going to cost over 4 lakhs OTR.

[shatrughna]

Ikon 1.4TDCi will sell well provided that Ford brings down the cost of service and prices it reasonably well. It is a proven and frugal engine and well received by customers here. Ikon is still a good platform and body lines and chassis are well sorted IMO.