Brazil - India-bound new Ford Ka (new Figo) RHD spotted for the first time

Ford's new Hyundai Grand i10/Maruti Wagon R rival enters India next year. 

In a first, the new Ford Ka (which comes to India as the new Ford Figo) was spotted testing in Brazil in RHD (right hand drive) configuration. Carsale, which spotted this test mule, suggest that Ford is conducting preliminary tests on the Ka for RHD markets like India and U.K., where the car will be sold in the coming months.

For India, Ford will manufacture the hatchback (and a sub-4 meter sedan based on it) at its second plant in Sanand, Gujarat with a high degree of localization for price competitiveness, from around April next year.

In its debut market in Brazil, the Ka is offered with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder flex-fuel engine which produces 83.8 bhp and 107 Nm of torque, and comes paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. A more powerful 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine is due later on in the product's life.

Also read: Ford targets nine-platform range by 2016

The new Ka has made a little dent in its debut market as Ford of Brazil received over 7,000 orders for the car in its first full month of sales.

Competitors: Maruti Celerio, Maruti Wagon R, Hyundai Grand i10
Expected Price: INR 4-6 lakhs, ex-Showroom
Launch date: 2015 in India

[Source - CarSale]