Ford plans all new small car for China to rival the Chevrolet Sail

In India, the Chevrolet Sail hatchback will debut in the next few months with petrol and diesel engine variants. The Chevrolet Sail will take on the Ford Figo hatchback, amongst many other B+ segment cars in India. In China though, there seems to be a role reversal of sorts. While General Motors has the Sail hatchback for the Chinese market, Ford is yet to have a car to rival the Sail, with the Fiesta hatchback clearly sitting a segment higher. So, the American automaker plans to build an all new small car for the Chinese market, and this car is expected to be one of the 8 new models that Ford plans to launch by 2015 in China.

Brazil-spec Ford Novo Fiesta Hatchback used as an illustration

While the Figo could most certainly be the ready option that Ford has in its line up across the border in India, the Figo has been ruled out for the Chinese market. Funnily, the reasoning given for the Figo not being considered for the Chinese market is that the car is available only in right hand drive guise, when it is clearly not the case. For instance, Ford sells the Fiesta Nov hatchback, which is essentially a Figo in different clothes in Brazil, and this car features a left hand drive layout. But then again, Ford plans to build an all new small car for the Chinese market which is expected to debut within the next 3 years.

The new small car for the Chinese market will be sold under the Ford brand with the automaker having no plans to establish a sub brand like its arch rival General Motors has, in China. The small car is expected to drive volumes for Ford in China, even as the automaker lags behind its rivals in the world’s largest car market. Ford has already begun producing the EcoSport crossover in the China, and the compact SUV is a part of the 8 car line up that the American car maker has planned for the Chinese car market by 2015.

The EcoSport has already been launched in Brazil and the Chinese market is next. In India, the crossover is expected to be launched in early 2013. While the EcoSport will get petrol engines for China and Brazil, India will be the first market where the crossover will be made available with a diesel engine, most probably the 1.5 Liter TDCI turbo diesel unit borrowed from the Indian-spec all new Fiesta sedan.

Source DetroitFreePress