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View Poll Results: Which car would you wanna be seen in?
VW Polo (Petrol) 277 62.53%
Ford Figo (Petrol) 166 37.47%
Voters: 443. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 24th March 2010, 10:42   #121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post
Really? Polo and Indica looks are entirely different to me.


Today there was an article on the 2 new variants of Punto 1.2 in The Hindu WHEELS, and the accompanying picture was a VW polo

Auto sub-editors not being able to differentiate between 2 different brands is pathetic.
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Old 24th March 2010, 10:47   #122
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Originally Posted by cyqed View Post
they think it is absurd.
I think he probably meant that the Figo would be for those that value practical and functional features, that are not premium priced, while the other class of people would be those that associate themselves and their image with the car they drive, and do not mind paying some premium for that. And I am also guessing that he is backfitting those attributes to classify the two sets of people by the names he has picked for their classes. Are they valid names, is the question!
Lets see what he has to say.
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Old 24th March 2010, 10:57   #123
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Friends, here's what I think. But a few disclosures before I begin:

1. I have driven all cars mentioned below except Jazz and Beat. Took a long TD of the Figo, both city and highway. But could only drive the Polo for a short distance - too many people queing up and only one TD car!

2. I own a Swift and have now booked a Polo. So no prices for guessing my vote!

The 'superminis' that have been successful in India have changed the game in one way or the other. Take Swift and i20.

Swift was like a breath of fresh air in 2005 in what was then a boring hatchback market with your M800, Santro, WagonR etc. It soon went on to become the 'sportscar' of the common man and was the harbinger of the hatchback revolution in the Indian market. Proven Maruti service was an added advantage.

i20 got a tepid response initially when launched in early 2009, mainly due to the steep price (vis-a-vis the benchmark Swift). However, it's differentiators began to get noticed - better build, more features and in general it felt a more premium hatch than the Swift. So in a way, the premium price got acceptance over a period of time. Again, proven Hyundai after-sales support.

Now come to the laggards - Punto and Jazz.

Punto did create the initial buzz during its launch around mid-2009 butFogo has it changed the game? It has been a step back in terms of interior fit and finish and has no stand out quality (MJD engine already been hijacked in the Swift). Fiat's suspicious after-sales didn't help either.

Again, Jazz was off to a good start when launched in mid-2009 mainly due to Honda badge and sedan-like interior space. However, the features v/s price equation soon caught up and how!

Enter 2010 - we have the Beat, Figo and Polo.
The Americans have mainly been aggressive on the price front considering the passion for VFM here. All other parameters - engines, build, features - are so-so.
But have they missed a trick? All other hatches mentioned here except theirs are global platforms and quite successful at that. Will this be a deal breaker for today's Indian customer?

What about the Polo? Positives - great pedigree, famed German build and dynamics. Negatives - average engines. Feature-wise, it's a tie. After-sales is unknown but the market can give it the benefit of doubt for now given it's VW.

But does it change the game in any way? It doesn't really stand out in any way. But when I look at the overall package, hell I'm impressed! I particularly liked the big car-like ride quality and how you are enveloped by quality all around.

You know what will be a game changer? The 1.2Tsi. Even though it'll only be in the sedan version, I'll say - Bring it on VW!
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Old 24th March 2010, 11:12   #124
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Again, I just think it is a perspective of how you see, if your 21 collegues do not agree, I cant help I am just guessing by thier marketing strategies.

To justify to my point: Not sure, if you had known the Sandeep story behind Ford Figo marketing, here is the link Ford Figo - A car for Sandeep

Let me recall as paragraph that I read (Source:BS Motoring)
Customer clarity
Aware that they need to think out of the box, Ford designers sat with the Indian marketing team and first gave shape to the customer. The car would come later. The Figo customer was identified as ‘Sandeep’. He was 26 or 27 years old, held a professional degree and was ambitious to move up socially as well as professionally. Newly married with no children, he lived with his parents or extended family and strived to maintain a balance between family and work. At the same time, Sandeep was highly optimistic that he will be recognised for his contributions at work and was thus on his way up on the career ladder. With his newfound success, a car was seen as an exclusive space where he could enjoy freedom from the pressures of work, listen to music and take his wife out safely at night or pick up friends for an evening out in the city.

If you see them, they are typically targetting people who is newly married, living with parents and aspiring to grow more quickly, I am guessing these are ones who currently do not own a car in family and he would be the first to buy one. So that he has to take his wife and parents along with him everytime. Thus he will seek more space and VFM than any other factor.

But the VW Polo target customers in my opinion are those, who are typically software guys, but those who want a peppy car and good status symbol (space and utility takes a back seat for them). And typically thier parents would have already owned a big car and Polo car would have been the second/ third car in the family. In that case, Polo matches your need in absolute sense.

Again, I am not arguing that only my theory is rite, it is just my view point. I am Ok to learn if you have any more view points from your side.
But a word of appreciation to Ford for having done some ground work and delivering something according to thier target customer.
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Old 24th March 2010, 11:26   #125
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Originally Posted by xingamazon View Post
But a word of appreciation to Ford for having done some ground work and delivering something according to thier target customer.
I am not sure how much of the groundwork was done for Sandeep, given that this is a global platform. That said, it does look like a very good option, and given the reports of the two engines, the diesel in particular looks to be that one. If one has the need for the kind of use that best suits a diesel. The only question is about the expensive to own reputation that Ford has in India. If that was well addressed, the car should do very well. After all, even if it doesn't look the nattiest, it is not bad, and once inside, who cares about the external looks if it feels good to drive, runs and rides well, is frugal to own, and lasts for a long time in rattle and trouble free form.
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Old 24th March 2010, 11:34   #126
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Originally Posted by Sawyer View Post
I am not sure how much of the groundwork was done for Sandeep, given that this is a global platform. That said, it does look like a very good option, and given the reports of the two engines, the diesel in particular looks to be that one. If one has the need for the kind of use that best suits a diesel. The only question is about the expensive to own reputation that Ford has in India. If that was well addressed, the car should do very well. After all, even if it doesn't look the nattiest, it is not bad, and once inside, who cares about the external looks if it feels good to drive, runs and rides well, is frugal to own, and lasts for a long time in rattle and trouble free form.
Yes, you are rite, this being pre-used platform not much scope for changes in the body etc. But I guess based on the space they would have had a targetted customer and later on built the features of the car for thier need. Again I am guessing. But completely agree to your point, it wouldnt have been developed right from scratch with the user in mind.
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Old 24th March 2010, 12:09   #127
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Still don't see it!

Yesterday, I saw a white and red Figo drive next to me. The car looks new and well finished. But I don't have a doubt in my mind that its going to age very rapidly. The proportions just don't seem right to my eye. Its rear end seeming too bulbous.

I also wanted to address the diesel engine debate between the two cars. The Figo's engine is a 1.4L diesel putting out 68 bhp and giving the car a 16 second 0-100 kmph time. It's a tried and tested, favorable unit.

The Polo has a 1.2L engine putting out 75 bhp and giving the car a 16 second 0-100 time.

Where does this spell out unsatisfactory performance?

That VW was able to extract equivalent performance from a significantly smaller diesel engine is commendable. I can't speak for fuel efficiency yet, but my money is on the Polo, simply because VWs most efficient car, the Polo Bluemotion, uses this exact same engine.
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Old 24th March 2010, 12:14   #128
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Originally Posted by Screwdriva View Post
I also wanted to address the diesel engine debate between the two cars.
I am basing my comparison on the road test reports of the two diesels, and the Ford engine seems to have come out as significantly better in almost all the reports I have read. Its not just about numbers, I guess.
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Old 24th March 2010, 14:20   #129
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Agree with Aseem on the fact that I too hated the Figo when I saw its pictures. I thought Ford had completely lost the plot and would go down the Logan way.
But I had been to the Ford Showroom and to be honest I liked what I saw. Not in the sense that I absolutely loved it. But at the given price (lower than a Swift which is more of a benchmark pricing for the segment), I think it gets the job done.

Voted for the Figo.
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Old 24th March 2010, 15:20   #130
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I am not sure we remember the polled question - of the two petrol cars, which one would we like to be seen in! So it is all about image after all!
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Old 24th March 2010, 16:47   #131
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If we want to buy a petrol car, On the price front alone Figo petrol clearly has edge not only on Polo but also on Swift. In terms of design, As somebody said, Figo would become ancient in no time. After 5 years, swift still looks good. But Swift will also age, may be in the next 3-4 years. But Polo is a different design concept. It has an element of "Elegance" which can make you to use your car even after 10-15 years with out feeling bad about your car. Polo has a charm in the whole design. You are enveloped by quality completely. So the tradeoff which VW has made is in the engine which I agree. I am not going to rip the engine of Polo to make myself happy. I am going to drive it like a precious piece of luxury!. I am going to park it before my house and watch it for five minutes before I enter my house.

I have never seen this kind of charm in any other hatchback previously. Not i20, not Beat, Not even in Jazz. Fabia was very close.

I am planning to book Polo Trendline and get it upgraded to 15 inch tyre and alloys. May be I will get the door handles painted with White too. By the way, I liked white. Red was the only other option.

Though not necessary here, I found this kind of elegance in other physical objects like Mobiles (Nokia E51, Blackberry 9000, 9700) Motorcycles (Honda Unicorn-Grey, Honda Activa- White, Bajaj Chetak- Cream white) etc. (Personal Views)
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Old 24th March 2010, 17:40   #132
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Daewood View Post


Today there was an article on the 2 new variants of Punto 1.2 in The Hindu WHEELS, and the accompanying picture was a VW polo

Auto sub-editors not being able to differentiate between 2 different brands is pathetic.
Worst part is, they source the articles from ACI. Can't they even do a copy-paste job properly? And this isn't the first time they have goofed up.
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Old 24th March 2010, 17:59   #133
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gkoneti View Post
If we want to buy a petrol car, On the price front alone Figo petrol clearly has edge not only on Polo but also on Swift. In terms of design, As somebody said, Figo would become ancient in no time. After 5 years, swift still looks good. But Swift will also age, may be in the next 3-4 years. But Polo is a different design concept. It has an element of "Elegance" which can make you to use your car even after 10-15 years with out feeling bad about your car. Polo has a charm in the whole design. You are enveloped by quality completely. So the tradeoff which VW has made is in the engine which I agree. I am not going to rip the engine of Polo to make myself happy. I am going to drive it like a precious piece of luxury!. I am going to park it before my house and watch it for five minutes before I enter my house.

I have never seen this kind of charm in any other hatchback previously. Not i20, not Beat, Not even in Jazz. Fabia was very close.

I am planning to book Polo Trendline and get it upgraded to 15 inch tyre and alloys. May be I will get the door handles painted with White too. By the way, I liked white. Red was the only other option.

Though not necessary here, I found this kind of elegance in other physical objects like Mobiles (Nokia E51, Blackberry 9000, 9700) Motorcycles (Honda Unicorn-Grey, Honda Activa- White, Bajaj Chetak- Cream white) etc. (Personal Views)

Wow, wow, wow, I guess you must be one of those sales guys doing sales pitch for VW Polo man... Those words are as smooth as honey to earn vote for Polo.
Even if you are not a sales person, I will surely recommend to VW recruit you to do a good sales job. Your words created a clean picture of how one would like to enjoy Polo. Hope you get a Polo and enjoy the experience according to your wishes. All the best
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Old 24th March 2010, 18:11   #134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xingamazon View Post
Again, I just think it is a perspective of how you see, if your 21 collegues do not agree, I cant help I am just guessing by thier marketing strategies.


But the VW Polo target customers in my opinion are those, who are typically software guys, but those who want a peppy car and good status symbol (space and utility takes a back seat for them). And typically thier parents would have already owned a big car... a word of appreciation to Ford for having done some ground work and delivering something according to thier target customer.
Point well said.I saw lots of people arriving in C and D segment cars to checkout polo.seemed like they valued brand value over practicality as the car would be a 2nd or 3rd one in their homes.
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Old 24th March 2010, 18:17   #135
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Originally Posted by aditya116 View Post
Point well said.I saw lots of people arriving in C and D segment cars to checkout polo.seemed like they valued brand value over practicality as the car would be a 2nd or 3rd one in their homes.
Well thanks for agreeing,
I hope @Cyqed and his 21 collegues too agree to my point, waiting for his response on this.
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