Ford Aspire CNG comes with segment first suspension type cylinder fitment and front stabilizer bar along with premium features like touchscreen infotainment system
Ford has officially launched the Aspire CNG in India and it is available in two entry-level variants – Ambiente and Trend Plus. The company is focusing on the fleet market with Aspire CNG models as only Trend Plus can be registered as a personal car. The entry-level CNG Ambiente variant is priced at a premium of Rs. 72,414 compared to regular petrol model.
The Trend Plus comes at a premium of Rs. 52,414 only. Ford has partnered with a company called Lovato as they will supply and install the CNG kits at the dealer level. According to Ford, the Aspire CNG variant cost just 46 paise/km maintenance cost. The Aspire CNG also comes with 2 years/ 1,00,000 Km warranty.
Ford Aspire CNG comes with first in segment ‘suspension type cylinder fitment’, which free up boot space as it was one of the problems with CNG cars. The CNG Kits service will be only required once every two years or 20,000 km and the CNG kit will be integrated with the engine control unit (ECU) to ensure optimized gas flow in each cylinder.
The Aspire CNG model is slightly heavier than the regular model so the company installed front stabilizer bar for handling and comfort. The company has also focused on safety as the Aspire CNG model come with dual airbags (driver and co-passengers) as standard with driver and passenger seat belt reminder and ABS with EBD.
Ford has also added more features on the CNG variant as it comes with 7-inch touch screen infotainment system, an embedded satellite navigation system, Bluetooth and Aux-in connectivity, rearview camera with parking sensors, climate control, four-door power windows and remote central locking. These features are not available on regular petrol and diesel variants.
The Aspire CNG is available only with a petrol engine and the specifications haven’t changed as the new 1.2 L dragon series engine produces 96 PS of power at 6,500 rpm and 120 Nm of torque at 4,250 rpm. The power is sent to front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox and Hyundai Xcent Prime is the only other model to come with CNG option. Ford Aspire CNG Ambiente is priced at Rs. 6.27 lakh and Rs. 7.12 lakh for the Aspire Trend Plus (ex-showroom).