Slow and steady, that’s the key to running a marathon. And that’s exactly what the iconic Ford Ikon is doing on its 46-day pan-India drive across 26 state capitals and three union territories.

Twelve days from its flag off from its manufacturing facility in Maramalai Nagar on April 22, the Ikon has now arrived at Ahmedabad, a rising centre of education, IT and scientific industries, which is also known as the cultural and commercial heart of Gujarat.

A Ford Ikon with the new 1.4-litre DuraTorq common rail TDCi engine is being used for the Ikon Cross Country Drive, organised by Ford India and Autocar India. It is a standard Ikon diesel without any modifications to fully showcase its endurance, fuel efficiency and low cost of ownership. The car will be undergoing service checks at Ford's widespread authorised service centres during the 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 will truly reflect the real character of this car. It will be a true test," said Nigel Wark, executive director, Marketing, Sales & Services, Ford India, who was in Ahmedabad as the car arrived at Cargo Motors, one of Ford's dealerships in the city.

The cross country journey will test both man and machine as they traverse 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 and from the gridlock of Hosur Road to the runway-like roads of Rajpath.

Manned by a two-person crew from Autocar India who will be rotated every six days, the drive encompasses the complete tapestry of climatic, geographical and road conditions. KPMG have been appointed as independent auditors to validate the proceedings and the end result of the drive programme.

"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," said Hormazd Sorabjee, the magazine’s editor.

The team will monitor and log every parameter of the car's performance including fuel consumption, tyre wear, and consumables such as engine oil and brake fluid to establish its true-world fuel efficiency and cost of ownership after 20,000 km.

"At Ford we have been listening to our customers and are committed to delivering a rewarding and enjoyable ownership and motoring experience," added Nigel Wark. "The concept of this drive is unique and it will be exciting to see the final outcome." He said.

The drive will end on June 6 at Ford’s manufacturing plant in Chennai.

Courtesy: Ford India

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Posted by Naresh Koshti on 8 May, 2009 12:59:22 PM IST #