Chennai, Sept. 26 : Premium carmaker Ford launched the Ford Fiesta1.6 Fida in Chennai on Tuesday.

The new edition with a 1.6 litre duratec engine is available in new copper rust and panther black.

The car is priced at 6.6 lakhs.

Scoot Mcormack, Vice President (Marketing), Ford India, put the sales figures for the earlier version at 55,000, and said he expected good demand during the forthcoming festive season.

"We wanted to do this for the festive season and to recognise the taste of Fiesta. Fiesta is coming into second year now and we have 55000 people who have brought this. It is very good for the Fiesta brand, because I think, 1.6 petrol engine really delivers the performance and fun to drive," Mcormack said.

The Indian automobile industry is experiencing a never-before seen boom with world's biggest carmakers making major investments.

Several foreign automakers have recently announced plans to step up capacity in India to meet the growing demand in Asia's fourth-largest economy, and use it as a regional export hub.

Economists predict Indian automobile market will see an unprecedented growth over the next two years.

As India's Gross Domestic Product, continues to rise by some eight per year over the next decade, the number of drivers in India is set to soar from seven in 1,000 today to 11 in 1,000 by 2010 - a doubling since 2000 when 0.5 per cent of Indians had a car.

According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, the passenger car market, which was one million in 2003-2004, can easily cross the three-million mark by 2015.

The value of India's automotive industry is set to double by 2010, then double again by 2016, the ministry predicts in its Automotive Mission Plan, which has been written by senior industry figures. (With inputs from ANI)