Coimbatore, Feb 16 (PTI) With its hatchback Figo touching 1.5 lakh mark in cumulative sales, Ford India was fully confident that the diesel cars segment would drive the growth of the company and also the industry. Despite the overall slowdown in automobile sales in India, Ford has seen a strong growth in 2011 (calendar year) on the back of robust sales in diesel cars, N Raja, Vice President, Sales, Ford India, told reporters here. Raja, here to inaugurate a sales and service outlet, said demand for diesel cars was still on the rise, and they accounted for two-third of the sales at present. "With more demand for diesel cars, the company expects to post a higher increase in the sales in the current year," he said. Though there had been talk of levy of excise duty on cars fuelled by diesel, which remains heavily subsidised, Raja said they accounted for only about six per cent of the diesle consumption. Â"India is a big growth market. Nearly 70 per cent of FordÂ's growth is coming from the Asia Pacific region where India and China are the dominant markets,Â" Raja said. PTI NVM VS
