New Ford-India car will be named 'Ikon'

MUMBAI, INDIA,  -- Ford Motor Company will soon be building "IKONS" in India.

Ford Motor Company President and Chief Executive Officer Jacques Nasser announced "IKON" as the name for the new car that will be built at Ford India Limited’s new integrated manufacturing facility during a news briefing in Mumbai.

The name, derived from the word icon, symbolizes how important the automobile will be for India in the 21st Century.

"While the name IKON is a tribute to the automobile’s past, this vehicle is designed for India’s future," said Nasser,. "IKON will bring a contemporary sense of styling, performance and driving comfort to India. The car was designed and engineered in Germany and the U.K., but it will be built in India, by Indians, for Indians."

To meet the needs of the Indian consumer, IKON has gone through rigorous testing for India’s lifestyle, culture and environment. "IKON will have enough headroom to accommodate a man’s turban, enough entry space to keep saris from getting snagged, and enough ground clearance to handle local road and weather conditions," said Nasser.

IKON will be built at Ford India’s new Maraimalai Nagar site which was dedicated in March 1999. This flexible manufacturing facility has annual capacity of 50,000 – but can be quickly expanded to 100,000 as demand grows. IKON will launch with 70 percent local content and will be exported to other markets.

"As we approach the next century, the Indian market is poised to become one of the largest automotive markets in the world," said Phil Spender, managing director, Ford India Ltd. "IKON will help Ford grow in India. It is an excellent example of what Indian consumers what in their next car."

At launch, IKON will be one of the cleanest vehicles available in India. It will exceed current Indian environmental standards and is expected to meet future governmental standards with only minor updates.

"At Ford, protection of health and environment is not an option, but a requirement in everything we do," said Terry de Jonckheere, chairman, Ford India Limited & president, Asia Pacific and Africa Operations. "We are proud to introduce a vehicle in India that will improve air quality through our technology."

Ford IKON will be revealed later this summer and will arrive at Indian dealerships in early 2000. Production is scheduled to begin in late 1999.

Ford India Limited is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. To date, Ford has invested over $800 million USD in its Indian operations that include the Maraimalai Nagar facility, Visteon component facilities and two automotive financing joint ventures.