New Delhi, April 22, 2009:Ford India and Autocar India are preparing to set off on an epic 20,000km drive across the country. The 'Ikon Cross Country Drive' will pass through 26 state capitals and three union territories of India and will take a total of 46 days to cover the entire distance.
Michael Boneham, president & managing director of Ford India flagged off the iconic Ford Ikon from its manufacturing facility in Maramalai Nagar on 22nd April 2009. Also present at the flag off were Nigel Wark, Ford India's executive director, Marketing Sales and Service and Autocar India's editor Hormazd Sorabjee.
The drive will engage a Ford Ikon with the new 1.4-litre DuraTorq, common-rail TDCi engine under its hood. A standard Ikon diesel, without any modifications what-so-ever will be used to demonstrate the endurance, fuel efficiency and low cost of ownership of the vehicle. The car will be undergoing service checks at stopovers at Ford's widespread authorized service centres en-route the 20000km run.
''The Ford Ikon is a phenomenal vehicle. It is contemporary, stylish, affordable, fuel efficient and is capable of effortlessly cruising through a diverse range of terrains. The drive demonstrates our confidence in the product and believe will truly reflect the real character of this car. It will be a true test.'' said Michael Boneham.
The journey will test both man and machine as it traverses through varied and extreme conditions. From the sapping heat of Rajasthan to the numbing chill of the Himalayas; from rutted mountain trails to smooth expressways; from the gridlock of Hosur Road to the runway-like Rajpath; the drive will encounter the complete tapestry of climatic, geographical and road conditions.
The drive will be manned by a two person crew from Autocar who to be rotated every six days. KPMG have been appointed as independent auditors to validate the proceedings and the end result of the drive program.
Hormazd Sorabjee said, ''At Autocar India we believe that cars have to be tested in real life conditions, and not under ideal conditions. This drive will be the ultimate road test and will give us good idea of the road conditions and driving habits across the country.''
The team will monitor and log every parameter of the car’s performance including fuel consumption, tyre wear, and consumables like engine oil, brake fluid etc to establish its true-world fuel efficiency and cost of ownership after 20,000km.
''At Ford we have been listening to our customers and are committed to delivering a rewarding and enjoyable ownership and motoring experience. The concept of this drive is unique and it will be exciting to see the final outcome,'' commented Nigel Wark.
The drive will end on 6th June 2009 at the Ford India's manufacturing plant in Chennai.