Ford Figo Aspire Facelift: Launch date of Maruti Dzire challenger revealed

Ford India has just revealed the launch date of the facelifted Figo Aspire. The Maruti Dzire challenger will be launched in India on the 4th of October, right in the middle of the festive season, a time when car buying is at its peak. The facelifted Figo Aspire will get a host of changes, both on the outside and inside.

Mechanically, there will be a major change as well. As for pricing, we expect Ford to continue with a sharp price strategy for the Figo Aspire, and prices are likely to start from about Rs. 5.5 lakhs, undercutting the segment leader – the Maruti Dzire.

Talking of changes, the facelifted Figo Aspire will get a heavily revised front end with a new grille design and a revised front bumper. The alloy-wheel design will change on the side while the rear will get a revised tail gate and bumper design. On the inside, the dashboard is expected to see a change with the inclusion of a pop-up, touchscreen infotainment console similar to the ones seen on the Freestyle and EcoSport.

As for mechanical changes, the 1.2 litre-4 cylinder Ti-VCT petrol unit will make way for a new, 1.2-litre-3 cylinder Dragon petrol unit with 95 Bhp and 120 Nm on tap. This motor is more powerful than the unit it replaces. A new 5-speed manual gearbox will accompany this engine.

Ford is also expected to add a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox option to the petrol powered Figo Aspire Facelift. As for the diesel variants, the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre TDCI turbocharged unit will continue to be offered. This motor makes an impressive 98.6 Bhp-215 Nm, and is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. Ford will not offer an automatic gearbox on the diesel motor. Notably, the new petrol engine and the diesel motor make more power and torque than those offered by the Maruti Dzire. The Figo Aspire Facelift is also expected to be more equipped than the Dzire. It remains to be seen if these advantages translate into higher sales for the car.