We Go On The Figo
Day 3 of the Bloggers Drive has us taking the car to Lutyen’s Delhi and to a bird sanctuary
Photos: Avneesh Kumar, Ajit
Driving on Delhi roads is no fun anymore. The roads are always choked, and streets dug up, thanks to the upcoming Commonwealth Games. Of course, the rain just makes matters worse.
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Fortunately, the weather today was perfect to take the Figo out for a spin. So we headed to Lutyens’ Delhi—one of our favorite driving spots in the city. The roads here are wide and lined with trees and colonial bungalows on either side. We drove around Rashtrapati Bhawan and clicked a few pictures there.
It was time now for us to head to the Ford dealership to swap the diesel Figo for the petrol variant—this marked the beginning of the second leg of the Ford Figo Bloggers Drive. While both variants look the same, the 1.2-liter Duratec petrol motor doesn’t feel as peppy or rev-happy as its diesel cousin. But what it lacks in performance, it makes up in its admirable ride quality and excellent torque in low and mid-RPM range. This is a car that will trundle smoothly all day long without your needing to shift gears frequently — a boon in city traffic.
On our way back, we drove in to a bird sanctuary, close to the Delhi-Noida border. We hadn’t ever seen or heard about this place before so the lush greenery and the scenic riverfront took us by surprise. The sanctuary sits discreetly on the bank of the Yamuna, and apparently is home to several bird species.
In the distance was the city skyline, dotted with some low-rise buildings. While it wasn’t as majestic as Manhattan’s, or even Mumbai’s, it appeared beautiful with the sunset serving as a lovely backdrop. We hung around for a while admiring the views and shooting pictures. And the Figo — in its lemon green skin—gelled perfectly with the surroundings.
Thanks to the Figo, we discovered a new hideout right in the heart of the city.
shalini said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 17:41
go FiGO! wow man..it appeals to me that the petrol version actually needs less of gear shifts..which is a boon for a new driver like me!! and hoping that the birds didn’t get disturbed at all due to less engine sound unlike other cars!
Heena said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 18:14
I would call this piece a reader’s delight. Figo is a perfect eye candy. It’s not just about the look and appearance, the driving experience could only be equally exciting if one knows where to go. You have not only got us introduced to a funky machine, but the perfect place to enjoy riding it too. So now, I am gonna get set and GO…
Sarthak Ray said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 20:25
Car of the year – I Figo’d as much.
RP said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 20:59
Now here’s an interesting match with this hatch. A lemon-green Figo in a surprisingly lush green Delhi! I would imagine the petrol Figo to be a very refined city-car, while the diesel that you previewed a couple of days ago is the best all-rounder. It has amazing boot space, lovely acceleration once you figure out where your turbo kicks in, and decent cruising capabilities. It really doesn’t feel like a small car inside, but yet it’s under 2.5 meters. Amazing packaging from Ford. It’s a winner for sure. Oh yeah, and little creature comforts like the hands-free Bluetooth system and electric mirrors are welcome additions as one doesn’t expect these things at the price Ford’s offering this car. Rs 4.69 lakh for the diesel? Seriously? That price blows a hole in the Polo and trips up the Swift. And Rs 3.75 lakh for the top-end petrol is going to knock some height off the Wagon R and Ritz sales.
pappu said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 21:07
Figo i loved the first pic … WOW …
nitin said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 22:19
umm i would wanna hear about driving it through sadar bazaar. even offer a ride to a stranger and get him or her to react.
Gaurav Jha said on Friday, July 30, 2010, 0:04
Thanks for sharing the details on the new hangout. I bet it wouldn’t remain a secretive getaway anymore. Lovers will flock to this new place to find “shelter”
The Figo however has to be a companion on this new journey. I loved the Lemon Green, looks cool and yet demure. A fresh new look. I didn’t like the same color on the Beat (Chevy) as much.
Elizabeth said on Friday, July 30, 2010, 0:23
Compact, attractive, comfortable and affordable – sounds (and looks) pretty good. Rumoured to be an improvement on previous Ford models, the Figo’s certainly got me interested. Still, I’d wait and see how it fares against some other big names in the overpopulated B-segment before I cave in and buy it.
Bhaskar said on Friday, July 30, 2010, 9:46
That sounds like a great day! I wish I’d heard of this sanctuary place when I was still in Delhi, I would have loved to hang there.
Though I do have to ask: In what universe does a lemon green lump of car blend with a sunset?
A Week with the Figo – Ford Figo Bloggers Drive | Driving Ford said on Friday, July 30, 2010, 14:20
[...] the picture is so stunning, we have provided it below for you guys to check out. Ajit went on to discovering a bird sanctuary on the outskirts of Delhi in the Figo. The car looked stunning in the backdrop of Lutyens’ Delhi and in the sunset. Today, he wrote [...]