Team-BHP - Shouldn't Ford get the new 2017 Ford Fiesta to India?

My Fiesta 1.4 is exactly six years now. It has done 86250 kms, as of now. I must say, it is increasingly becoming a precious possession of mine, with no serious replacement to look for around, in the saloon, in the price segment. Therefore, I have been doing everything to retain it in the best condition possible, for as many years as it will allow.

I would not have bothered much and would have gone for a replacement if a similar car, at least the global Fiesta, was still available. The saddest thing happened in the C plus sedan segment was Ford's withdrawal of that car.

One day recently, after taking feedback from me, the Ford people at Chennai asked me if I will be planning another car, and preferably from Ford. I got a little angry with them, and asked them where the new replacement car is in Ford. I asked them to produce a car first and ask me the same. I told them that they should be reporting my anger to their bosses.

Sometimes I think of Fiat Linea, though it is an outdated car. But when I think of the steering feel, driving pleasure, of course.

But Fiesta has that additional benefit such as the terrific driver seating, etc.

If at all they become wise and sell a car manufactured with those elements in which they are one of the best, Ford should bring it. If not a segment leader, a good car priced correctly will have seriously good number of takers.

Plus, Ford's aftersales have only improved. I did not have to leave my vehicle at the workshop for a single day because of this or that problem, or unavailability of parts. Nor has it been an unexpectedly expensive affair to get the servicing done.

Ford must bring in Fiesta.

Vip.

Maybe :OT
No matter how much we blame Maruti, they have been able to provide a better package of features /safety/entertainment etc. Their cars are simply the best VFM. Baleno delta petrol @ 6.1 lacs: it has dual airbags, abs, music system, parking sensor, space, boot, retractable mirrors, acc. Why would it not sell?
Now, take the example of ecosport ambiente, why can't ford provide abs and tachometer in this model. lower figo/aspire models also miss out on ABS. Similarly Punto Evo has airbags only in top model. While Maruti gives airbag+abs at 20k as an option even in lower trims.
It is a ruthless neglect on the part of management of these companies to force people to buy top models only. I don't understand this because it hurts their sales.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 4225297)

I think Ford will definitely bring the new Fiesta here.

I have quoted GTO here because I agree with all 5 points he has made.

Quote:

Originally Posted by avira_tk (Post 4225388)

Ford shouldn't bother with the Fiesta, I say this even though we have the same at home. All the enthusiasts' talk doesn't translate to actual sales, the car doesn't have favourable reviews even here. The market has shifted to crossovers and it will be profitable for Ford to bring out a Creta rival. The demand exists for cheaper cars like the Ciaz, which Ford cannot take on and the City that enjoys a better appeal.

I beg to disagree with you. Of the top 8 cars sold in May, 2017 - as per TeamBHP sales figures analysis, 6 hatchbacks, 1 sedan based hatchback (Dzire) and 1 solitary crossover.

Yes, crossovers are gaining popularity, but they will naturally always be in the bracket above 10 lakh rupees.

The Fiesta hatch with approx 80-100 bhp in Petrol & Diesel positioned between 7 & 10 Lakh On-Road will be a natural rival for the Elitei20, the Baleno and even the Swift.

Ford, in total sells between 6,000 & 8,000 cars a month. The above mentioned 3 cars sell ~11,000, ~13,000 and ~16,000 units a month respectively. It is a market space that Ford dominates in Europe, so no reason not to attempt the same here. Furthermore, the 7 year old Polo is selling ~1,600 units a month. If a new Fiesta were to do only that much, it would represent a 24% increase in sales over a their base average of 7,000 units.

There is a clear and obvious business case for Ford in India with the Fiesta. They have the product, the plant, the dealer network, the need for volumes and the money to do so. The question is: Do they have the will?

Fiesta was one of the best cars from the Ford stable and was [ and still is] one of the best cars in the Indian Car Automobile Scene.

It is the embodiment of everything that an auto enthusiast can dream of - Beautifully Crafted, Mechanically Reliable , Powerpacked Engine that is FE too and add to that, Fabulously Tweeted Dynamics !

And all credit to the Ford, who have left no stone unturned to fail this product - Little Marketing and Greedy Pricing. Kudos to FORD INDIA; that is one hell of an Achievement they should be proud of.

Regardless of the dearth of rear bench space or branding, which aren't deal breakers at all, Fiesta should be reintroduced in India and Ford can do well to take a leaf or two from the MSIL, who pulled out a real miracle by reinvigorating ' life' into the 'Old' Baleno and made it a runaway Success.

Please Ford, Please, you'd earn tons of respect from the bhpians [and other carlovers] if you'd introduce Fiesta and mint loads of money if you rightly play the 'Art of Balancing' .

As I type this post, I have been on a lookout for a preworshipped Fiesta from last 3 to 4 months.

Preworshipped Fiestas are just to very rare to find and their owners don't seem to harbor the idea of upgrading at all.

Slightly different opinion here- Ford won't bring it because it doesn't take risks. Most of their products till date have been outdated international platforms or low risk new ones.There was only one example in their history where they did it and it bombed completely - the old Fiesta. Will they do it again?

1. Escort - Old platform introduced in India.
2. Ikon - Older generation introduced specifically for India. Low risk.
3. Fiesta - Outdated international platform modified for India. Low risk.

4. Figo - Outdated international platform modified for India. Low risk.
5. Ecosport - Production hub. Booming segment. Unique product. Low risk.
6. Global Fiesta - High risk. International product. Flopped.

7. Figo / Aspire - Booming high number segment. Replacement to a successful model. Ideally should have been low risk, or so they would have thought!
8. Endeavour - CKD. Low risk.
9. Mustang - CKD. Low risk.

For any sort of success chances to the Fiesta, it has to be produced in India. Like the older one, which was a competent car but too far advanced for the segment, perhaps.

Times have changed though. Compact SUVs like Brezza and Creta are eating the sedan segment volumes from either ends.

It will enter a segment where the mighty Honda City is struggling at 4k odd units per month along with Ciaz who is the new champion due to the value card it played. And Hyundai is reduced to a distant third with not much scope of improvement soon.

So. A lot of investment to enter a dying segment.

Will they take that big risk? As much as I'd like to see it happen, practically speaking - I don't think so. :Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR (Post 4227287)

6. Global Fiesta - High risk. International product. Flopped.

Ohh how wrong you are in saying that. The Fiesta got flopped not because of being "international". In fact we Indians have a fetish of owning things that are considered to be international.
I have not found any shortcoming of the owning the global Fiesta in India for these two years of my ownership.
The very and the only thing that made thr Fiesta fail was its absurd pricing and a no marketing strategy from Ford India.
The Fiesta was not the only vehicle in India that got flopped because of idiotic pricing, there are plenty of such examples, to support my argument. The mighty Baleno sedan with indestructible mechanics. It was like a Subaru in that sense, perfect for Indian roads, nothing can beat the Baleno in simple and robust engineering. It got flopped because of absurd pricing, despite of being better in reliability and driving dynamics than any Honda City model till date. Even the Maruti badge couldn't help. Pricing is that important for us Indians.
The Baleno was given a refreshed front makeover and a new reduced price tag, did it help, not at all.
Same story with the Fiesta, it got a cosmetic makeover with much reduced prices. Heck in 2015 I got my top end Fiesta diesel for 12.50L. One of my friends got the City top end for 13.50L in petrol. That is how good the pricing got and that is how Indian automotive market works. Once a flop, always a flop.

IMO the new Fiesta should be launched in India. To support this, I quote the example of the Jazz. It was a flop product, given a break of 2-3 years, relaunched with a diesel option, even with pathetic build quality, is selling well.
Fiesta needs to follow the Ecosport path here. Launch it at a killer price. Get the hatchback here with <4m length. Same 100hp diesel and an Ecoboost option as standard, why would anybody buy a Polo/Baleno/Jazz/i20 and say no to an Ecoboost Fiesta hatch?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar (Post 4227321)

But I have this doubt, if the Global Fiesta failed because of a platform otherwise unknown to India. Is it necessary that "high risk" should translate into high pricing?

Absolutely. It failed because of initial pricing.

Now it's a very high risk product because a good amount of investments and localization is required to produce it here and undercut the competition in terms of pricing.

And -

1. The segment is losing volumes by itself.
2. Unlike earlier, MSIL has established itself in the segment with the value card. Beating the City on pricing would have been easier than beating Ciaz

3. Even if it succeeds and goes to the top of the segment, the volumes to be had will be very less. The very well established City and the might of Maruti Suzuki both can't pull of more than 5k sales per month consistently.
4. Undercutting on pricing and excelling of features won't guarantee success also, because Ford caters to a niche driver centric set of costumers who wouldn't appreciate too much cost cutting either. They would have realized it the hard way now with the Figo and Aspire twins.

5. The Fiesta being discussed here resembles the old one 90%. Ford has stuck to an evolutionary styling, and as it is being discussed for the all-new Verna as well - it's hard to revive a product which has lost its favour in the Indian mass market, when the new product is an evolution of its earlier self. That would have worked for a successful product like the Ecosport, but the Fiesta? I wouldn't bet on it.

So, in short - High investments. But low guarantee of success. Which is what I called as a high risk product.

PS -

Instead of discussing on the new Fiesta, I would have liked to discuss on the Kuga instead. IMO - This is the biggest opportunity they are wasting now. Creta is a huge success, products like Ecosport and Endeavour have already established Ford as a family SUV maker.

Kuga costs about 40% more than Ecosport in the UK and would be the ideal product to give them the next big break they are looking for. But they need to act fast and bring it before the Vitara comes and establishes itself in the segment.

EDIT (Because I saw it after posting this subsequent post) -

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma (Post 4227361)

Ohh how wrong you are in saying that.

I hope so, but I'm afraid I'm not.

By the way, my post never meant that it failed because of being an international product. It meant that it was a high risk project which I believe they won't try again. It's an even harder task now.

Elaborated better above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma (Post 4227361)

Once a flop, always a flop.

Exactly. Please refer to my point #5 above. One other prime reason why the new Fiesta is a high risk project for Ford in India.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsashishsharma (Post 4227361)

To support this, I quote the example of the Jazz. It was a flop product, given a break of 2-3 years, relaunched with a diesel option, even with pathetic build quality, is selling well.

I wouldn't say thats a right example for your argument.

Jazz had the significant advantage of looking nothing like the previous generation. Infact, current generation resembled the very successful City a lot. Still it didn't succeed though, if you compare it to the segment sales standards set by MSIL and Hyundai.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmayogi (Post 4227182)

I beg to disagree with you. Of the top 8 cars sold in May, 2017 - as per TeamBHP sales figures analysis, 6 hatchbacks, 1 sedan based hatchback (Dzire) and 1 solitary crossover.
...
There is a clear and obvious business case for Ford in India with the Fiesta. They have the product, the plant, the dealer network, the need for volumes and the money to do so. The question is: Do they have the will?

Maruti dominates the hatchback space and Ford will not be able to unseat them, there is no use arguing about that. Creating a sub 10 lakh crossover isn't impossible, but Ford hasn't got much interest in our market to do it. The European market is very different, the cars are much more expensive, better put together and customers demand the same. Competing with the three models you mentioned is simply beyond Ford, I know people who bought these cars, brand Ford was the last thing they would consider.

A new Fiesta won't sell 1600, it'll barely crack the 100 mark as previous sales records show. The VW twins are updated on a quarterly basis, they are pretty much current in every perceptible way. Ford didn't have mind share, plant and dealership doesn't count when you are not a contender.

Should Ford bring in the new Fiesta?

From my perspective: Yes, Yes, Yes!!

Should Ford bring in the new Fiesta?

From FORD's perspective: NEVER!!

The potential customer base for the Fiesta in India comprises mostly enthusiasts who get excited at the thought of performance / good handling cars and then go out and buy a Hyundai Creta or a Swift Dzire because the back seat of the Fiesta won't accomodate all the uncles, aunts, neighbors and their kids for the Saturday evening drive to the mall.

True blue Fords have a lot of investment sunk into suspension and handling - areas that substantially increase the price of the car but cannot be seen or touched unlike a sun roof or touch screen ICE.

For the traditional customer at this price range he needs to touch and feel something if he has to pay for it and so handling and suspension are out as he and his neighbour can't see it. Ask Hyundai and they'll tell you what makes their cars so successful in India.

Take a look at the S Cross 1.6 - even on this forum only a handful have bought it and the majority have gone with the 1.3 either for reasons of cost or to play safe with a trusted engine etc. So why should Ford even attempt to bring in a Fiesta ?

Because a few enthusiasts get excited about it even though they won't eventually but it ?

Let's face it - it isn't going to happen.

It would probably take the Indian market another 5 years to mature enough to buying Ford Fiesta's until then it doesn't make sense for Ford to bring in the car.

Additionally, with its current American way of doing business in third world countries that lack a certain savvy to succeed, it's only a matter of time that Ford gets tired of doing business in India.

In fact, Ford is still testing the waters in India after 20 years!! - that's why it's throwing crumbs (read Mustang) and some half baked models (New Figo and Aspire) to find out what will really succeed in India!!

Any company that can launch a car like the Global Fiesta without an advertisement campaign worth mentioning, get its price positioning wrong and discontinue the model so quickly cannot survive for long in India or any similar market.

And although you and I wouldn't like to hear this - it probably is just a matter of time before Ford goes the GM way.

Very sad.

Do I want the Ford Fiesta back? YES Why so? I owned the global fiesta for a year and don't know what to say, Its a car that has to be only felt not described.

Build - Solid, Engine - Superb, Dynamics - " " no right word i could find. And people say its Pricey :Shockked:

Ok, Ford says let me build a people car(Figo Twins) - Enthusiast say I don't want, no Ford DNA. Mass Market says - We have Maruti and Hyundai.

So Ford says let me bring the Fiesta - Enthusiast will say WoW(but pricey) and buy it @ say 1500 units per month. Can they afford it for that much sales..Nah. I have heard Michael Boneham(Erstwhile MD of Ford India) saying in employee meetings, I cant gauge what the Indian customer wants.

Now with Quality, Dynamics, price, After Sales Support, Customer Care, Resale Value getting discussed while buying car by many people, settling with Maruti or Hyundai is the easier way for the 50% of the Market. Being an auto enthusiast and driver at heart I need the Fiesta, Being financial professional and Ex Ford - May be not feasible

See the number of pages Ford products garner in TBhp and the numbers in the monthly sales analysis. Inverse relationship.

Cheers