First Ford Figo rolls out of new Chennai plant

Ford has rolled out the Figo, a car much awaited in the Indian market for its new Chennai plant. The first Figo was rolled out of the plant by Ford Indias VP, Tom Chackalackal in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister D.M Karunanidhi. The new facility has a capacity to produce 200,000 units anually and was developed after an investment of $500 million. The new Chennai facility will produce both petrol and diesel engines along with four cylinder engines with capacities varying upto 1.6 litre for export. The Figo will feature a standard 1.2 litre engine designed specially for the Indian market and will be available in the 1.4 litre Duratorq diesel engine as well. Both models will feature a manual five speed transmission and a retuned chassis, specially for the Indian terrain. Ford India has announced that it has hired 700 employees for the expanded assembly and manufacturing unit and plans to provide additional employment once full line capacity is reached. Here is the original press release:  "Chennai, India, February 5, 2010 - Less than six months after Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company president and CEO, revealed the new Figo to India, the first production model was driven off the assembly line today with Honourable Chief Minister of the State of Tamil Nadu D. M Karunanidi in attendance. Dr. M K Stalin, Honorable Deputy Chief Minister; Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India; Raj Nair, Ford vice president of operations, Asia Pacific and Africa; Sandip Sanyal, Ford executive director of operations for India and nearly three thousand employees of the newly expanded facilities, were on hand to take part in the Job 1 ceremony.
 

"Less than six months ago, Ford Motor Company reaffirmed its commitment to transform the plant located here outside of Chennai into a regional manufacturing centre of excellence," Boneham said. Its a great honour to have you with us as our projects and investments are turning to reality and the completion of our first Ford Figo off this assembly line."  Following the Figo Job 1 ceremony, the group inaugurated the new engine facility that manufactures the exclusive 1.2L petrol engine for Figo."Figo is a great example of the role Ford will play in the future of India," Shri. Karunanidi said.  The new compact car underscores the importance Ford has placed in the burgeoning India automotive market as well as throughout the region. While Figo will be manufactured primarily for Indian consumers initially, the new model also will be exported to other countries including South Africa, as early as middle of 2010. The new, 40,000 square metre flexible engine line, also part of Fords nearly $500 million (USD) commitment over the past two years in the facility, will build both diesel and petrol engines side-by-side for the new model. Four cylinder engines in varying displacements up to 1.6 litres also will be produced for export at the Chennai facility.