In a closely contested time bound chess game, Ford and Renault watched each other closely. Ford India set a date. Renault didn’t reply, and conveniently waited for the the big day.
Yesterday afternoon, new Ford Figo was launched, at an introductory price tag of Rs 4.30 lakh. The morning news said Renault Kwid launches tomorrow!
Renault Kwid is an entry level small car that takes on Hyundai Eon and Maruti Alto. But hey, you don’t make a new car every quarter, so, Renault India decided to take as big a bite as possible.
And waited with baited breath for Ford Figo launch day. In an industry that’s selling lesser cars than anticipated, every sale matters. With Renault Kwid expected at a sub 4 lakh entry level price tag, it’s the higher end battle that shouldn’t be lost.
Ford Figo base petrol sits at a comfortable Rs 4.3 lakh tag. Renault Kwid high end variant could very well be nearabout that price. Renault India has done what they thought best, and played a last minute trump card. It’s not going to make a hell of a lot of difference, but competitive pricing is every auto manufacturer’s mantra.
(L-R) Nigel Harris – President and Managing Director, Ford India and Anurag Mehrotra – Executive Director, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford India launched the Ford Figo yesterday.The impertinent move to wait for Ford to show its full hand, is smart play by Renault. Having constantly aimed at a bigger share in the Indian auto industry, big hopes now lay pinned on a small car. Every Kwid must sell, and there’s no other way of looking at it.
With manufacturing concentrated at the Renault-Nissan Oragadam plant, the site surely needs some action. Both manufacturers have little to show for the the 400,000 units annual capacity. Renault India sales for the last two months stand at a mere 3,200 units. To put that in perspective, Maruti Suzuki sells more cars each day.
Also Read – Renault Kwid Review
With only three manufacturers bobbing their head in the 800cc entry level market, Renault Kwid successfully attains 3rd spot on day one. But to what extent can that be celebrated? The Kwid ain’t just a new car, it’s Renault’s renewed determination. This penny wise offering can only stop Renault India from being pound foolish if it reaches target sales. That will also fuel warrant Renault’s ability to make 5-7 cars based on Kwid platform. As of now, it’s a brand new day with a brand new story waiting to be told, or not. All the best.
