Snapshot: Ford India has dropped prices of the Classic sedan (previous generation Fiesta) to the tune of 65,000 rupees across variants. The Classic sedan now starts at 4.99 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Delhi, for the 1.6 liter Duratec engined LXi variant. The price drop on the top-end Classic TDCI Titanium variant is more modest, at 37,000 rupees, to make for a 7.6 lakh rupee ex-showroom Delhi price tag. Ford dealers have confirmed this development to CarToq. However, new stocks of the re-positioned Classic sedan will arrive only in February. Booking now entails a waiting period of a month.
The EcoSport crossover, launched last year, is the only Ford product that is doing well at the hustings. However, long waiting periods and frequent price jack-ups are major dampeners. Sales of the Figo hatchback and the Classic entry-level C-Segment sedan are slumping steadily. The new Fiesta is a sales disaster with chunky discounts doing nothing to improve the car’s off take while the Endeavour SUV continues as a low volume flagship.
In order to pep up sales, Ford India has dropped prices of the Classic sedan (last-gen Fiesta). With prices starting at 4.99 lakh rupees for the LXi 1.6 Duratec petrol variant, the Classic now competes with sub-4 meter compact sedans such as the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and the Honda Brio Amaze. By offering a substantially larger car that is more powerful, Ford India is playing the value card with the re-positioned Classic sedan.
With the Classic sedan sharing a large volume of parts with the entry-level Figo hatchback, Ford is also promising maintenance costs that are easy on the pocket, a crucial detail that often makes or breaks a sale, especially in the value conscious entry-level compact sedan segment. This parts sharing also means that the interiors of the Classic might prove to be underwhelming for many.
Revised Bangalore prices of all Ford Classic variants are as follows:
Ford Classic 1.6 Liter Duratec Petrol
- LXi 518,620 rupees
- CLXi 589,865 rupees
- Tiranium 671,286 rupees
Ford Classic 1.4 liter Duratorq Diesel
- LXi 651,033 rupees
- CLXi 699,886 rupees
- Titanium 773,166 rupees
Friendly CarToq tip: At the reduced prices, the Ford Classic is one of the cheapest fun-to-drive sedans. A direct pure hydraulic steering, fantastic handling, a rev happy petrol engine and a responsive turbo diesel engine round off the “driver delight” package on the Ford Classic. If you love driving, you’ll love this car.
The Classic won’t be around for more than a couple of years given the fact that the next-generation 2014 Figo based compact sedan is likely to arrive here by the end of 2015. In keeping with the impending discontinuation of the Classic after a couple of years, Ford India seems to be trying to squeeze out the maximum possible sales from the car through the latest re-positioning effort.
Another interesting possibility emerging from the re-positioning of the Classic sedan is that the poor-selling new Fiesta might be the next Ford car to get a big price drop. With a facelift on the cards later this year, Ford India is likely to re-position the new Fiesta sedan, lower down the price range. By dropping prices of the Classic, Ford has given itself enough leeway to drop prices of the facelifted new 2014 Fiesta sedan. Do watch out for a related announcement soon.
