Pretoria, 10th February 2009 – The Ford Ikon range has been upgraded for the 2009 model year. A revised front end, new 15” alloy wheels, upgraded interior trim and specification adjustments sees the Ikon offering even greater value for money.
The Ford Ikon has established itself as a major player in the B-segment over recent years. The Ikon is geared towards dependability, affordability and low running costs all without sacrificing space, practicality and interior comfort.
“The Ikon offers outstanding value for money in a practical and well equipped package,” explains Ben Pillay, Ford Marketing Manager. “In the current market these attributes are increasingly important. We have therefore further improved upon the package for 2009.”
Styling has been freshened with the introduction of a new front headlamp design complimented by a revised front bumper design. The previous 14” steel wheels have been replaced by 15″ steel wheels on Ambiente derivatives and stylish new 15” alloy wheels on the Trend derivatives.
Upgraded models will boast an enhanced interior environment with the previous Camel fabric colour being replaced with Ebony and Jasper Blue. Fabric inserts in the door panels and the seat covers have been enhanced to create a more dynamic appearance.
A new audio system including four speakers and a single radio / CD player with MP3 compatibility, RDS and Audio Jack will be available in all derivatives in the upgraded model range.
The current engine line-up has been upgraded with the 1.4-litre petrol powerplant being replaced by a more powerful 1.6-litre petrol motor producing 74kW at 6 500rpm and 143Nm at 4 000rpm.
The state of the art 1.4-litre diesel powerplant remains unchanged with a turbocharger and electronically controlled direct injection; it offers excellent torque, remarkable fuel economy and notably low emissions. It produces a maximum power output of 50kW at 4 000rpm and 160Nm of torque at 2 000rpm.
Consumers will therefore have a choice of the 1.4L TDCi in Ambiente spec or the 1.6L petrol in Ambiente or Trend guise. The Ambiente spec models feature driver and passenger airbags, body colour bumpers and door handles, 15” steel wheels and a full size spare wheel.
Comfort and convenience features such as keyless remote central locking, remote tail-gate boot release, rake adjustable steering column, and front and rear power windows offer further appeal.
The 1.6L Trend model offers additional features including a sport suspension, body colour bumpers with fog lamps, headlight with chrome bezel integral indicators and body colour door mirrors. Optimum aluminium interior door handles, painted gear shift and park brake further enhance the interior package.
Safety remains a key priority and all Ikon derivatives come well equipped with structural reinforcements that provide high levels of protection for occupants. A collapsible steering column to reduce intrusion distance, ABS with EBD and driver and passenger airbags are valued commodities.
The suspension layout remains unchanged utilising the highly successful Ford MacPherson strut configuration, with lower L-shaped arms to improve running refinement and dynamic control. The twist beam rear suspension design matched to the front suspension provides well-balanced handling.
The Ikon hails from India, a market that requires a specialised type of vehicle thanks to extreme weather conditions and congested streets. The result is a robust and durable vehicle that offers much in the way of practicality, comfort and driving dynamics.
The Ikon has been created through Ford’s Global Shared Technologies engineering approach, with a core team of Indian engineers working with product development teams from the UK, Germany and Australia on the project.
“The changes to the Ikon range may be subtle but they offer a great deal of added value and convenience to the customer. This is complimented by strong back up from the factory after the point of sale,” adds Pillay.
All Ikon models are offered with a 4 year/60 000km service plan, with service intervals pegged at every 15 000km. A comprehensive 4 year/120 000km warranty offers further peace of mind for the customer.
