[samaspire]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Also - ETIS and Ford's statements aside, have you physically checked an Ambiente for the absence of the anti-roll bar? I'm not fully convinced that Ford CC will have checked with someone technically qualified, and the ASC guys also shoot off their mouth with whatever sounds convenient.

I have been asking my dealer and sa to physically check the vehicle but they are reluctant to do so. Maybe they are worried that the owner of the vehicle will then start asking uncomfortable questions. (Apparently they do not have a base model in stock). I can't verify it myself as the showroom is 70km away. But my car should be coming this weekend and then I will do all the checking needed.

[teemus]

Originally Posted by samaspire

After multiple follow-ups I got this final reply from Ford India.


Dear Mr. Samarth,

Greetings from Ford India !!!

We are in receipt of your mail & noted down the contents,

We would like to inform you that Front Stabilizer Bar / Anti-Roll Bar is not available in Aspire 1.2 Petrol Ambiente Model. There was an inadvertent mistake in our website and we thank you for bringing this to our notice. We have taken this up with concerned department for correction.

Please feel free to contact us if you require any further assistance in this regard.

Regards,
Nithin

Ford India Customer Relations
Toll Free No 1800-425-2500 / 1800-419-2500.

Because every buyer of Ford Figo Base & Ambiente variants, and Ford Figo Aspire Ambiente variant (Petrol & Diesel) has been cheated.

I was at the dealership last night and had a good 30-40 mins discusssion with SA regarding various different topics. I brought this topic too and he was surprised and shocked. Though he kept insisting, Ford won't make these errors in the brochure and if they have and admitted then there would have been a memo to all dealership asking to stop distributing the brochures.

Luckily, there are some Ford representatives at the dealership for 2 - 3 days for performing an audit of sorts. My SA said he will discuss it with them.
He was eager to see the Ford response but my Vodafone network failed me and I just could not connect to T-BHP. I asked him to check for himself this thread, hence quoting the response again.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Not related to Ford Figo but the Anti-roll bar is similar in all car's. Check the link below:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...ml#post2954252

You'll get an idea of what is missing in the lower variants visa vis the top variants.

Thanks for the link, now I know what to look for when I will try to click a snap of the anti-roll bar in my Figo.

Originally Posted by arunphilip

Also - ETIS and Ford's statements aside, have you physically checked an Ambiente for the absence of the anti-roll bar? I'm not fully convinced that Ford CC will have checked with someone technically qualified, and the ASC guys also shoot off their mouth with whatever sounds convenient.

My SA was ready to check out the only base variant that he knew they had, but unfortunately it was delivered and we could not check.

This is the other peculiar part - are they saying that they've designed a second (and inferior) suspension without the mounts for an anti-roll bar for a brand new car? I'd have thought that the design and validation of this itself would have made the exercise a futile one. I don't see how this will be of any benefit now (I don't think they'd export cars with this suspension, and I don't think Ford will open up fleet/taxi sales for the Aspire this soon). If you see the pictures that a4anurag linked to, you'll see how the anti-roll bar is something bolted on. And that's why I was asking if you've had a chance to peek beneath the Aspire.

It does not make sense to design a second suspension just to save the cost for an anti-roll bar. Moreover, use that second suspension only for Base and Ambient versions; which, correct me if I am wrong, I feel are least in demand.

Unless, Ford wants to skip the feature in the future from Top variants too; continuing with the recent trend of skimping features. This I highly doubt though.

[samaspire]

BREAKING NEWS (Times Now style) flash flash flash flash flash flash
Just got a call from Ford CC - NO ANTI-ROLL BAR IN ANY VARIANT OF 1.2 PETROL

Edit: The website has been updated with the same.

Originally Posted by heavenlybull

Very very bad from Ford about the missing the anti roll bar. Who knows what else they have managed to skip silently in the base variant, or even in the Trend variant. These days no company believes in ethics (VW scandal the latest). Since the advent of crash test reports these guys have started cost cutting in areas which are not easily visible to a customer while gloriously advertising 6 airbags, ABS bla bla bla.

Here are a couple of more differences between Ambiente and Trend that I had ignored before.

Int Environment Colour - Self-------------Interior Environment Colour-Dark
With Carpet Floor Covering Level 1-------With Carpet Floor Covering Level 2
With Level 1 Door Trim Panel-------------With Level 2 Door Trim Panel
--------------------------------------------With Pass 2 Way Manual Seat Adjust
--------------------------------------------With Variable Intermittent Windscreen Wiper
--------------------------------------------5.5 X 14" Black Steel Road Wheel
--------------------------------------------With Tilting Only Steering Column
--------------------------------------------Soft Feel Type Steering Wheel
Side Repeat Flashers W/Mic Bezel--------With Side Repeat Flashers

If owners of the other variants give me their VIN numbers I can do a full comparison of all 9 variants. I now have:
1) Ambiente - Petrol
2) Trend - Diesel

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by samaspire

Just got a call from Ford CC - NO ANTI-ROLL BAR IN ANY VARIANT OF 1.2 PETROL. Edit: The website has been updated with the same.

Interesting. But reassuring that they're not cutting this based on variant, but on engine (also reassuring that ETIS is accurate). It also means that the when the top-end 1.2 petrol was test driven, it would have been one without this bar, and it didn't seem to particularly alarm the reviewers (since they don't seem to have called it out).

This would imply that the decision has probably been made due to front-end weight. Interesting to see how a weight difference of ~30 kg over the front axle requires a difference in suspension.

I'm also curious to what is done for the AT - given it's the heaviest of the 3 does it get an anti-roll bar? The corrected website still lists it with an anti-roll bar, but hey, I'm justified in being leery of that site!

Originally Posted by samaspire

If owners of the other variants give me their VIN numbers I can do a full comparison of all 9 variants. I now have:
1) Ambiente - Petrol
2) Trend - Diesel

The TD vehicle on page 1 has the VIN MAJZXXMTKZFY00278 - Titanium+ variant with Diesel. I'm not quoting the entire list from ETIS, but it states:

With Front Stabilizer Bar

Unsurprisingly for an Indian variant, there are some structural aspects that are omitted:

Less Safety Packs
Less U/Body Corrosion Protect
Less Bumper Energy Reinforcement
Less Body Structure Upgrade

The following thing confuses me - I thought a water filter/separator was something that came with all diesels.

Less Fuel Water Separator

[sudhirnam]

Originally Posted by samaspire

BREAKING NEWS (Times Now style) flash flash flash flash flash flash
Just got a call from Ford CC - NO ANTI-ROLL BAR IN ANY VARIANT OF 1.2 PETROL

Edit: The website has been updated with the same.

It is surprising how reputed automobile companies can make gross error like this on their specification sheet! Their brochure still states anti-roll bars for all versions of Aspire. And the owners manual still mentions TDCi as naturally aspirated. Hope that is not the case!

What about other cars in the CS segment ? Do they have anti-roll bars in any version? Tata Zest seems to have it on its spec list.

Ford needs to wake up and be more professional.

Nevertheless, enjoying my aspire

[d3mon]

I'll be the first to say that it's a glaring technical mistake from Ford. No question about that.

But honestly, do you really care?


As per the updated website, no variant of the 1.2P (even Titanium+) gets anti roll bars.
Scores of people and auto mags have tested the Aspire petrol and nobody has any complaints about how the car behaves. Don't let this cloud your judgement.

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

I'm also curious to what is done for the AT - given it's the heaviest of the 3 does it get an anti-roll bar? The corrected website still lists it with an anti-roll bar, but hey, I'm justified in being leery of that site!

This is what I was told. "The AT has the anti-roll bar. The 1.2 does not get it because it weighs less and does not need it."

BTW my car has arrived at the dealer's and I will be going to do a pre-registration / pre-insurance PDI in the evening or early tomorrow morning. If all is well then hopefully delivery on Sunday.

[heavenlybull]

Thanks to vigilant T-bhp'ians, the anti roll bar matters seems to be settled. So the 1.2 petrol doesn't get the anti roll bar in any variant, which kind of makes since since it has a lazy engine and an anti-roll bar would probably be an overkill. The diesel is a different beast though.

Still, I am disappointed at how Ford gave incorrect information in their specs and hence mislead customers.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by d3mon

But honestly, do you really care?
As per the updated website, no variant of the 1.2P (even Titanium+) gets anti roll bars. Scores of people and auto mags have tested the Aspire petrol and nobody has any complaints about how the car behaves. Don't let this cloud your judgement.

I'm not having a go at you, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Today, after Samarth's persistent followups we know that:

1. None of the 1.2P variants get an anti-roll bar
2. Therefore, the top-end variants of the 1.2P Aspire that were tested by people/magazines will behave the same as samaspire's Ambiente variant

So yes, its easy to ask "do you really care?" today when we have a complete picture, and when we know that the Titanium 1.2P that samaspire test drove will behave the same as the Ambiente 1.2P he booked.

However, if you wind the clock back, you'll see that Ford CC told samaspire (incorrectly) that only the 1.2P Ambiente (Ford Aspire : Official Review) doesn't get this bar. Now, in that situation, we don't have any TD reports of how the Ambiente would behave differently, since all those TDs were of Titanium and Titanium+ variants.

If you look at samaspire's past few posts, you'll see how he was grappling for accurate information from Ford, and the earlier angst is totally understandable, and Ford have no one to blame for that but themselves.

Originally Posted by samaspire

BTW my car has arrived at the dealer's and I will be going to do a pre-registration / pre-insurance PDI in the evening or early tomorrow morning. If all is well then hopefully delivery on Sunday.

For the first time in the history of TBHP, I suspect the PDI will occur more beneath the car than above/inside. Good luck . Do remember to check that they're giving you a roof - I didn't see it mentioned on the website.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

This is confusing. Are you saying that none of the petrol variants have the anti-roll bar and only the top variants of the diesel have it? Or do all variants of diesel have it?

If the car is a 1.2 petrol, then it has no anti-roll bar. Any other engine (1.5 petrol or 1.5 diesel) gets the anti-roll bar. This is irrespective of variant.

[hemant.kamat]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

For the first time in the history of TBHP, I suspect the PDI will occur more beneath the car than above/inside. Good luck . Do remember to check that they're giving you a roof - I didn't see it mentioned on the website.

Do they ever mention the obvious?

[vnabhi]

This is confusing. Are you saying that none of the petrol variants have the anti-roll bar and only the top variants of the diesel have it? Or do all variants of diesel have it?

Ford should not make such mistakes in their brochure.

Edit: The other question I have is whether or not the 1.5 DCT have a 10-year warranty?

[d3mon]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

I'm not having a go at you, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Today, after Samarth's persistent followups we know that:

1. None of the 1.2P variants get an anti-roll bar
2. Therefore, the top-end variants of the 1.2P Aspire that were tested by people/magazines will behave the same as samaspire's Ambiente variant

So yes, its easy to ask "do you really care?" today when we have a complete picture, and when we know that the Titanium 1.2P that samaspire test drove will behave the same as the Ambiente 1.2P he booked.

However, if you wind the clock back, you'll see that Ford CC told samaspire (incorrectly) that only the 1.2P Ambiente (Ford Aspire : Official Review) doesn't get this bar. Now, in that situation, we don't have any TD reports of how the Ambiente would behave differently, since all those TDs were of Titanium and Titanium+ variants.

If you look at samaspire's past few posts, you'll see how he was grappling for accurate information from Ford, and the earlier angst is totally understandable, and Ford have no one to blame for that but themselves.

Yes, it's only in hindsight that we can confirm that Petrol Aspires are good to drive as well.
Please don't get me wrong - Kudos to samaspire for digging out these details!
But don't lose sight of the bigger picture here - should this affect his buying decision?
I think not, and that's all I was trying to say.

[samaspire]

Saw the car, took a short drive and confirmed it.
Delivery on Sunday. The sun had already set but took a few snaps of the car and underbody.

One big difference from the initial batch - the voilent boot opening has been fixed.

[Hammy]

Originally Posted by samaspire

Saw the car, took a short drive and confirmed it.

Congratulations samaspire, she looks beautiful in Silver. I think the silver painted boot strip looks more sporty than the chrome one (if the car is silver) .

By seeing the exteriors I presume its a 1.2P Ambiente variant. Looking forward for more pics this Sunday. I would also love to see a pic of the dash at night with the lights on.

Aspire owners: Is there any differentiation between the a/c controls on the Ambiente and Trend variant, like chrome inserts etc? Please do share pics if feasible. Thanks in advance.

[dragonov007]

Originally Posted by samaspire

One big difference from the initial batch - the voilent boot opening has been fixed.

Yes it seems that Ford has taken the initial feedback seriously and fixed it.I did a second TD of the Diesel Titanium+ yesterday.Asked the accompanying SA to show me the boot release from the key-fob.On double pressing the key-fob boot unlocker button,the latch unlocked and the boot-lid popped up a little bit only.After that it had to be raised manually.However it was an eyesore to see the wire connecting the the boot lamp exposed and dangling quite a bit.