Ford India might launch the facelifted Fiesta this month

The 2014 Ford Fiesta was unveiled for the Indian market at the Delhi Auto Expo, last month. A testing mule was spotted in Chennai last week and if reports are to be believed, Ford is set to launch the car in the third week of this month. Dealers in Mumbai and Delhi have been hinting customers that deliveries of the car will start by the last week of March.

Based on the European model, the new Fiesta continues to use the current car’s platform with quite a few cosmetic changes. Most prominent among these is the new front fascia which houses a large, chrome garnished Aston Martin-esque front grille, a new set of angular headlamps, a new bonnet and redesigned fog lamps. The rear profile features a redesigned tail lamp cluster, a new bootlid and bumper with a chrome inserts and claddings. The interiors of the car also get a makeover with a new piano black centre console, high-gloss finish for the instrument panel and a redesigned steering wheel.

The new Fiesta is expected to retain the current car’s engine lineup, made up of a 1.5-litre petrol unit and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. While the former produces 108bhp and 140Nm of torque, the diesel unit produces 89bhp and 204Nm of torque. Both engines are available with five-speed manual gearbox, though the petrol also gets the option of a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The current Fiesta was launched in 2011 and despite being one of the best lookers in the segment, the car failed to make a mark in the C-Segment due to the improper pricing strategy and to some extent, the cramped interiors. With the new car, the American manufacturer has done even better in the design department. But in order to succeed, Ford will have to price the car competitively against the likes of Hyundai Verna, the new Honda City, Volkswagen Vento and the Maruti SX4.

Source: ZigWheels