Ford registers 91 pc sales growth in Q1 FY06

Kochi, Jul 19: Powered by a re-styled Ikon and newly launched Fiesta, Ford India has registered a 91 per cent growth in sales in the first half of this year, company's vice-president, marketing, sales and service, Scott McCormack said today.

Talking to reporters here on the occasion of Ford India launching the Fiesta Diesel EXi in Kerala, Mr McCormack said that the company had sold 18,000 units across all segments during January-June, 2006.

While the overall automobile market was increasing at about eight to nine per cent, the mid-size segment was the fastest growing at about 20 per cent, he said.

Stating that better diesel engine technology and rising costs of petrol were fueling the popularity of diesel cars, Mr McCormack said that 35 per cent of all cars sold in India had diesel engines. This particular niche was growing at about nine per cent annually, he added.

''The present day diesel engines are 40 per cent cheaper and more efficient than petrol engines,'' he added.

Mr McCormack said that Kerala was among the 17 top markets in India in which Ford was leading in the mid-size segment. He said with the launch of Fiesta in the country, Ford had strategically introduced its proprietary Turbo Direct Common Rail Injection technology in India.

The Fiesta Diesel EXi is priced at Rs 6.85 lakh (ex showroom Kochi).

Stating that the recently re-styled Ikon was targeted at ''youthful icons'', Mr McCormack said that Ford was poisitioning it as the aspirational entry midsize sedan in India.

UNI