When Tata introduced the Nano back in 2009, it caused a global sensation with its attempt to create a new market for low-cost automobiles among a population that, up until recently, could only afford motorcycles. It’s been slow to take off, with a one-month sales record of slightly over 9,000 units, and a low of 589 units last November, but it now has about 70,000 Nanos on the road in India, which isn’t bad.
On the other hand, the Ford Figo, which was introduced last March, and which is already the 5th best selling car in India (behind three Maruti Suzuki models and one Hyundai), has already sold more than 60,000 units within 10 months of launch and is being prepared for export to 48 countries, including South Africa and Nepal.
Seems the Figo is poised to overtake the Nano, selling almost as many cars in less than half the time. Is this the beginning of a new era for Ford? The car might cost about 2.5 times that of the Nano, but it is comparable in cost to the Indica, its Tata equivalent, and doing much better. What do you think? Will India go cheap, or save for a better car? And if they save, and Ford grows, will Ford India become a top global exporter of low cost cars with the Figo? And what will that do to global automotive supply chains?