The current-gen Ford Figo and Aspire are on sale since 2015 in India and the entry-level models are due for a mid-cycle update soon. The carmaker has begun testing the refreshed Figo hatchback internationally. A first set of spy shots of the test mules have emerged in South America where the car has been seen wearing thick camouflage on its exteriors.
As part of this refresh, Ford is likely to update the front and the rear styling of the cars in order to bring them more in line with the latest design that is seen on the newer models sold abroad. On the inside, the dashboard is likely to see changes in order to accommodate a sorely-missed touchscreen infotainment system with the latest interface.
Under the hood, the Figo and Aspire facelifts will get the all-new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor, essentially a derivative of the new Dragon series of petrol engines which will make its debut on the upcoming facelifted EcoSport soon. This engine will replace the current petrol powerplant that’s under the hoods of the Figo as well as the Aspire compact sedan.
The Dragon range is expected to come with technology like an integrated exhaust manifold, a rocker shaft with hydrodynamic bearings, a variable oil pump and a dual-valve independent valve control. It is also believed to feature individual ignition coils for each cylinder, spark plugs centralised in the combustion chamber and hydraulic tappets with rotor arms. This full-aluminium engine is believed to be over 10 percent lighter than the current four-cylinder Sigma motor.
Ford is also readying an all-new hatchback and a sedan – codenamed B562 and B563 – to take on the Hyundai i20 and the Honda City. Read more on that here.