Ford Ka MPV India launch in 2016

There is no denying the fact that the success of the Figo hatchback and EcoSport compact SUV has enabled Ford India to establish itself as one of the key players of Indian car market. Both these models, especially the EcoSport, have garnered a huge fan following among Indian car buyers and such is the demand for this compact crossover that the manufacturer has been struggling to meet the demand for its latest SUV.

However, apart from these two cars, Ford India doesn’t have any overtly successful model to speak of. Rather, the car maker has been conspicious by its absence in two hottest new segments of our car market- MPVs and Compact Sedan. Ford unveiled the sub 4m Figo compact sedan earlier this year and the model would go on sale in 2015. While this would solve half the problem, Ford will still need to come up with a MPV to capitalize on the burgeoning sales in this segment. This is exactly where the Ford Ka Concept, Figo Concept’s slightly bigger twin, comes into the picture.

The Ford Ka Concept was unveiled in Brazil just a day after Figo Concept’s debut and unlike the latter, the Ka Concept isn’t a sub-4m sedan and sits on a longer wheelbase. Visually, the biggest changes are the bigger headlights and taillamps. Apart from these and the 4m-plus credentials, there is nothing to differentiate it from the Figo Concept. While the bigger Ka Concept will never make it to India, what’s coming our way in 2016 is a MPV based on this sedan and with the Ford Ka MPV India launch, Ford India would be present in almost all the promising segments of our car market.

The Ford Ka MPV will be a Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and upcoming Hyundai MPV and Honda Mobilio adversary and is expected to score high in terms of passenger comfort and style. While the car will get Fiesta’s 1.5 litre petrol and diesel motors, we won’t be too surprised to see it also getting the highly famed 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine from the EcoSport.

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Ford Motors to have 24-hour shifts to meet demand

The Indian car industry is in the middle of a downturn, but Ford Motor's Indian unit is planning a round-the-clock manufacturing programme at its Chennai plant to meet local as well as overseas demand for its compact SUV EcoSport. The plant will operate 24 hours from the second half of 2014, a first in Ford's 17-year presence in India.

The company plans to produce 1,60,000 units in 2014 by operating the plant in three shifts. The plan is to take it to 2,00,000 cars with vendors' support. Ford India will, thus, join its South Korean rival Hyundai — also at Chennai plant — in operating with three shifts.


Ford currently makes about 350 units of EcoSport a day. It plans to increase it to 450 units per day by June. By October, the plant will produce 750 to 850 units a day to meet demand from Europe and Japan. Ford India is working with vendors to ramp up their capacity to meet the high demand.

The move comes at a time when block closures have become a norm due to a declining market. Ford India spokeswoman said the company continues to evaluate opportunities to remove bottlenecks for reducing the waiting period. "Given the dynamic and challenging times across the industry and low consumer sentiment, we continue to monitor the situation and will adjust our production to match the demand for our products. We do not comment on specific production volumes," the spokeswoman said.

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Ford to unveil concept vehicle at New Delhi Auto Expo 2014

Ford India will unveil a new global concept vehicle at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2014, scheduled to be held from February 7 to 11.

Based on a global design philosophy, but created to serve the specific needs of consumers in India, the concept vehicle will showcase Ford's vision for future in the competitive compact car segment in the country and other dynamic emerging markets.

With Asia Pacific set to account for nearly a third of Ford's global sales volume by mid-decade -- up from 15% in 2010, the concept will give visitors a glimpse into the kind of vehicle that Ford expects to play an important role in the region.


The compact car segment is the most competitive segment in India and has been outpacing the industry for the past decade, accounting to a third of total sales in 2013. Ford expects compact car sales in India to grow from about one million units last year to roughly two million units in 2018, reflecting the significance of compact cars to Indian consumers.


"We're excited to welcome visitors to our stand at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2014, to let them experience firsthand the global products that we are creating to meet and exceed their expectations," said Vinay Piparsania, executive director of marketing, sales and service at Ford India.


"Alongside a stunning new global concept, we're proud to display our exciting global vehicles and the advanced technologies that manifest our promise to go further for our customers with high quality products that are fuel efficient, safe and offer smart solutions," he said.


Ford's product-driven transformation will be on full display at the Auto Expo, with a dynamic and interactive exhibit of the vehicles and technologies that have helped the company grow its brand in India. Visitors will be greeted by a full display of Ford vehicles for India, with Ford Figo, Ford Classic, Ford Fiesta, Ford EcoSport and Ford Endeavour displaying the latest look and feel for 2014.

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Double win for Ford's tiny triple

As in 2012, it is Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that earns the automaker the accolade, achieving the highest accumulated score in the 15 years that the award has been handed out.

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The new three-cylinder engine heads New Zealand's way later this year as an option in the facelifted Fiesta hatch, though in Europe the engine is also used in the Focus, B-Max, C-Max and Mondeo and is the staple offering in the Indian-built EcoSport baby SUV.

A panel of 87 automotive journalists from 35 countries are responsible for choosing the world's best engines, and this is only the third time an automaker has managed back-to-back victories.

Voters were impressed by the smallest EcoBoost engine's power output - 90kW between 1400 and 4500rpm, 201 Newton-metres of torque from 1400 to 4000rpm - and its compact size.

Ford has demonstrated that the package is small enough to fit in the overhead bin of a passenger airplane and its overall footprint can fit on single sheet of A4 paper.

With so many applications which will soon extend to several Transit Connect models, Ford is to increase production of its smallest engine in the plant at Cologne, to meet demand.

The engine may not be Ford's smallest for long, as it is expected that a parallel twin 650cc version may soon see the light of day. 

 The new entries for 2013 include Fiat's 800cc twin-cylinder turbocharged CNG unit that won the Green Engine of the Year Award. GM's 1.4-litre range extender plummeted from first in the class to sixth place overall this year.

Ferrari's 6.3-litre V12 engine in the F12 Berlinetta was voted the Best Performance Engine as well as best powerplant over 4.0-litres (last year's winner was the Ferrari 458's V8 unit).

BMW lost its 2.5 to 3.0-litre class to the Porsche Cayman and Boxster's 2.7-litre flat six, as well as the 3.0 to 4.0-litre category to the McLaren MP4's 3.8-litre V8.

What is remarkable about this year's winners is that not one of them is a diesel unit.

In previous years at least one diesel engine had made it into the final 10 and had at least won a capacity class.

This possibly reflects the gains made by small capacity turbocharged petrol engines which now rate as well as diesels in terms of economy and emissions levels.

The lack of hybrid and plug-in powertrains is also remarkable, especially with such units as Toyota's Prius unit and the GM Volt powertrain winning overall and in their categories over the past five years or so.

Ford and VW each have other small-displacement turbocharged power units ready for introduction in the next 12 months, along with those by Mercedes-Benz and Fiat Chrysler, but we're not going to make predictions 12 months out.

The panel of journalists judged the awards on drivability, performance, economy, refinement and the successful application of advanced engine technology.

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Double win for Ford's tiny triple

For the second year in a row, Ford has won the top title in the International Engine of the Year awards.

As in 2012, it is Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that earns the automaker the accolade, achieving the highest accumulated score in the 15 years that the award has been handed out.


The new three-cylinder engine heads New Zealand's way later this year as an option in the facelifted Fiesta hatch, though in Europe the engine is also used in the Focus, B-Max, C-Max and Mondeo and is the staple offering in the Indian-built EcoSport baby SUV.

A panel of 87 automotive journalists from 35 countries are responsible for choosing the world's best engines, and this is only the third time an automaker has managed back-to-back victories.


Voters were impressed by the smallest EcoBoost engine's power output - 90kW between 1400 and 4500rpm, 201 Newton-metres of torque from 1400 to 4000rpm - and its compact size.


Ford has demonstrated that the package is small enough to fit in the overhead bin of a passenger airplane and its overall footprint can fit on single sheet of A4 paper.


With so many applications which will soon extend to several Transit Connect models, Ford is to increase production of its smallest engine in the plant at Cologne, to meet demand.


The engine may not be Ford's smallest for long, as it is expected that a parallel twin 650cc version may soon see the light of day.

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Ford's EcoBoost wins Engine of the Year award

Ford’s much hyped 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine was awarded the International Engine of the Year award in the sub-1.0-litre engine category. This is the same engine that will debut when the EcoSport is launched here soon.

In addition, Volkswagen has won the 2013 Engine of the Year award in the 1.0 to 1.4-litre category with its 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine. The German carmaker also received the coveted Best New Engine award for its TSI technology in combination with automatic cylinder deactivation (ACT). This award honours the best engine innovation of the past 12 months.

In the 2.0 to 2.5-litre category, Audi’s 2.5-litre TFSI engine was adjudged the International Engine of the Year for the second consecutive year.


In the 2.5 to 3.0-litre category, BMW lost out to the Porsche Boxter’s and Cayman’s 2.7-litre, while in the 3.0 to 4.0-litre category, it was the McLaren’s MP4-12C that took top honours. Ferrari’s 6.3-litre V12 was adjudged the best Performance Engine of the Year.


The jury comprised of 87 motoring journalists from around the world, while the awards were handed out at the Engine Expo in Stuttgart.

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Ford EcoSport India launch soon. Brochure leaked

It has by now become a well known fact that the Ford EcoSport will be launched in India later this month.

Ford India has so far refrained from announcing the prices but the fact that the EcoSport will be exclusively manufactured in India for right-hand drive markets would mean that the heavy localization could enable the manufacturer to price the car ultra competitively. Ford India has already got their fingers burnt by initially pricing the new Fiesta sedan pretty high.


However, the official brochure of the EcoSport has leaked on to the cyber space and seen here are images of the upcoming compact SUV’s brochure.

The Ford EcoSport will come to us in as many as three engine variants. The base engine variant will sport the same 1.5 litre normally aspirated petrol engine that powers the Fiesta. The second petrol engine variant will have the much hyped Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine. The third engine variant, and the one that will be seen bringing the volumes, will be powered by the Fiesta’s 1.5 litre turbocharged diesel engine.


The Ford Ecosport will be sold in four trim levels- Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium Plus. The Titanium variant will be available only with the 1 Liter EcoBoost turbocharged petrol and 1.5 Liter Ti-VCT petrol engine. The Titanium trim level brings along 6 speed PowerShift dual clutch automatic transmission for the 1.5 liter Ti-VCT petrol.


The Ford EcoSport will be launched in as many as 7 color options. The Titanium variant will get Smart Keyless entry and Push Button Start. The SYNC emergency system will come in the top two variants. The two top of the line variants will also get a CD/MP3 player and a 3.5-inch multifunction display.

The EcoSport will come in two interior colour options- Charcoal Black + Warm neutral gray (on all variants except on Titanium (O) and Charcoal Black + dark shadow gray (on Titanium (O)).


As for the prices, they aren’t out yet and your guess is as good as ours.

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2014 Ford Fiesta ST combines hot hatch power with 35mpg

Ford will expand their American high performance lineup later this year with the introduction of the 2014 Fiesta ST and today, FoMoCo announced their own fuel economy measures for the sporty new 5-door hatch with an impressive measure of 35 miles per gallon on the highway.

The 2014 Ford Fiesta ST - which is powered by a specially tuned version of the 1.6 liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine that produces 197 horsepower and 214lb-ft of torque when running on 93 octane fuel – will offer drivers an impressive fuel economy capability of 35 miles per gallon on the highway. Around town, that same EcoBoost’d Fiesta ST with a 6-speed manual transmission is expected to achieve 26 miles per gallon while the “combined” figure sits at 29 miles per gallon.


When you compare that to the Fiat 500 Abarth that serves as the Fiesta ST’s top competition here in the US, the compact Ford 5-door offers a slight advantage on the highway while falling short around town and in the combined column as the Fiat offers 28 city, 34 highway and 31 combined. However, it should be clearly noted that the Fiat 500 Abarth packs “only” 160 horsepower and 170lb-ft of torque and the Fiat is considerably smaller than the Fiesta ST…especially the 5-door models being sold in the US. While European buyers will get to grab up the styling 3-door Fiesta ST hatchback on which the current Ford Global RallyCross cars are based, Americans are currently only slated to see 5-door Fiesta ST hatchbacks here in the USA. 

Because of the added size of the Fiesta ST 5-door sold here in the US, the 500 Abarth might offer comparable performance even though it packs quite a bit less power than the boosted Ford hatch. Ford expects that the Fiesta ST 5-door with a manual transmission will have a curb weight around 2,720 pounds while the Fiat 500 Abarth tips the scales at just over 2,500 pounds. This means that the Fiesta ST has a power to weight ratio of 13.81 pounds per horsepower while the Abarth rings in at 15.63 pounds per horsepower. Based on those numbers, we would expect that the Fiesta would have a clear advantage in terms of basic acceleration but the diminuitive stance of the Fiat 500 Abarth could give the Italian compact an advantage in handling (and fuel economy). The other side of the coin is that the Fiesta ST 5-door offers real seating for 4 adults and vastly more cargo space under the rear hatch than the boosted Abarth Fiat.

We should also point out that these 214 Ford Fiesta ST fuel economy figures are preliminary numbers reached via internal testing performed by Ford Motor Company. These fuel economy figures have been sent to the US EPA for approval and the federal agency can either accept these figures as they are or conduct their own testing to verify the correctness of these figures but when you consider the recent troubles faced by Ford Motor Company over their fuel economy figures of the Fusion and CMax Hybrid models – it would take some mighty large corporate stones to fudge the numbers on a new performance compact. Official EPA ratings (the ones that appear on the window sticker at the dealership) will be announced by the US government when we get closer to the dealership debut of the new high performance compact 5-door Fiesta.

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Ford EcoSport may be a big threat to Renault Duster in India

Competition in the compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) segment seems to be intensifying with every passing month, with several companies bringing out new models for this category. Renault Duster is the leader in this segment of vehicles, but its days of domination could be numbered once the Ford EcoSport is launched in India.

From the outside, the Ford EcoSport appears more radically designed with the large front grille, while the Duster looks better proportioned overall. Though the appearance of the Duster is not as compelling as the EcoSport, it is designed in such a way so that it does not offend any buyer. On the other hand, the modernised headlamps and machine gun-style fog lamps create a massive on-road presence for the vehicle. While the EcoSport gets body coloured Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVMs), the same appear silver-tipped on different variants of the Duster. In addition the ground clearance of the Duster, at 210 mm, is marginally better than 200 mm in the EcoSport. The EcoSport also has a water-wading capability of 550 mm, which is not present in the compact SUV from Renault.

In terms of features, an additional feature seen on the EcoSport is the Emergency Assist system, which allows one to make an emergency call to the operator, in case the vehicle gets involved in a road accident. The vehicle also comes with the advanced Sync system, which can configure the smartphone with itself, for making calls on the move. No such provisions have been provided in the Renault Duster.

If an individual wants to select a vehicle purely based on gadgets, then the EcoSport is the one for him. However, if he wants a whole-hearted SUV, which is more of an all-rounder, then Renault Duster should be the one for him. Top industry experts are expecting some fireworks in the Indian auto market, once Duster and EcoSport lock horns in a direct face off. Therefore, it is going to be interesting to see if the upcoming Ford model is able to dethrone Duster off its number position in the compact SUV segment, upon its launch.. 

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Ford India lists EcoSport Urban Discovery finalists on its website

After an extensive Ford EcoSport Urban Discoveries campaign organised over social media platforms which started back in March 2012, the finalists have been announced. Entries for the most unique urban places of discovery were invited from 12 cities in the country. Participants were shortlisted on the basis of gathered votes and the quality of discoveries. For the final round here shortlisted participants were accompanied by two friends to take part in a video audition, which was then judged by a jury. Names of the finalists have been put up on the website http://ecosportdiscoveries.co.in/2013/05/14/and-the-finalists-are/

More than 8000 entries had been received during this campaign. In fact, it was one of the largest online and print media marketing campaigns to have been ever organised. 35 teams were originally invited to take part in the second phase of this contest, but unfortunately 4 teams were unable to make themselves due to unavailability of one or more team members. Each of these 31 finalist teams would now get a chance to own and drive a Ford EcoSport for the next 21 days, in which they would continue to discover more unique urban places. This time, a TV crew would also be accompanying each of the teams, to help them shoot small videos of the newly discovered places.


At the end of this contest, each participant would be submitting a video of his or her discovered place. Each team would then get to keep these EcoSport vehicles till June 4. In addition, Ford India is also giving followers of their website a chance to soak in the excitement by giving chances to win tablets or the EcoSport itself. RJ Mantra is continuously giving updates and blogging on the Ford website, for engaging the audiences.


The Ford EcoSport is a revolutionary new compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), to be launched by the company in India during June this year. The vehicle looks just as attractive from outside, as it does from the insides. It would be available in three engine options, two of which would be petrol an one would be diesel.

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Mahindra launches electric car, e2o

Mahindra and Mahindra, on Monday, launched its all-electric four-seater passenger car, the e2o, with price starting at Rs.5.96 lakh.

The car is developed by Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles (formerly Reva Electric Car Company), and will replace its predecessor Reva, India’s first electric car.

“The launch of the Mahindra e2o marks an important milestone for the Mahindra Group…this is not just about selling a car, it is about telling people to change their lifestyle. We are working at creating an ecosystem that includes mobility solutions along with other environment-friendly innovations,” Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra told reporters here.

The group also plans to extend the electric mobility technology to its two-wheelers.

On sales target for the e2o, President (Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors) Pawan Goenka said, “Sales of 400-500 vehicles a month will be a good number for us. We expect Delhi to be the biggest market and should account for about 150-200 units.”


e2o is the first car from Mahindra stable post the acquisition of Reva Electric Car nearly three years ago. It would be produced at the company’s plant in Bangalore with a capacity of 30,000 units annually.

“The total investment that we have put in for e2o, including the plant in Bangalore, is about Rs.100 crore,” Mr. Goenka said.


The car is powered by new generation lithium-ion batteries, and a three phase induction electric motor. It has driving range of 100 km per charge, which takes five hours for one full charging. The fully automatic car can be charged from any 15A power socket, and is aimed for city driving.

Other features of the car include a remote emergency charge activated through a mobile application, GPS navigation system, keyless entry and regenerative braking feature, which puts energy back into the car’s batteries and charges them every time it is slowed down or brakes are applied.


“In Delhi, we get 15 per cent subsidy on the base price, VAT (which is 12.5 per cent) refund and road tax is also halved to 2 per cent,” Chief Executive (Automotive Division and Member of the Group Executive Board) Pravin Shah explained.

The e2o will be launched in phases across the country. In the first phase, it has been launched in eight cities. Prices will vary depending on the subsidy state governments will give to the electric car.

The company also plans to export the new electric car to Europe in six to nine months.

Asked if the group would extend the electric vehicle technology to two-wheelers, Mr. Mahindra said: “Yes. We do plan to take this technology to two-wheelers. We have some exciting plans.” He, however, did not share details.

On commercial viability of the project, he said, “ Clearly, we are doing this because we think there is a monetary reward…”

The company said the price of the car could be reduced further if the government re-introduced its subsidy scheme for electric cars.

Mr. Goenka said: “We would have been happier if there were subsidies in the budget. However, one should not make subsidy a pre-condition for the success of this vehicle.”


The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had, in 2010, launched a scheme under which incentives of up to 20 per cent on the ex-factory prices of the vehicles were offered subject to a maximum limit. The scheme had expired on March 31, 2012.

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Can Ford EcoSport launch boost Indian auto industry passenger vehicles sales volumes

Can Ford EcoSport launch boost Indian auto industry passenger vehicles sales volumes. Utility Vehicle (UV) segment contributes for 20% of industry volumes, and recorded 34.8% YoY sales growth for Feb 2013.


Current economic scenarios and the Budget session have forced many an auto brand to stick by the side of their compact SUV models to help increase sales for their respective brands. Passenger car sales volumes have declined by 26% in February 2013, though utility vehicle sales is promising. Indian domestic passenger vehicle (PV) industry volumes sales declined by 16.7%  for Feb 2013 when compared YOY. Sales decline for YOY January 2013 was reported at 4.6% , and 1.1% for December 2012.


As such, it remains to be seen whether or not the soon to be launched Ford EcoSport compact urban utility vehicle  can help boost sagging sales figures in the Indian auto industry. Ford India is leaving no stone unturned to create awareness for the new EcoSport SUV in India which is scheduled launch most likely in June 2013. The model which was showcased at Delhi Auto Expo last year will come in with a host of features. Ford India is going full steam ahead in their EcoSport debut, success of which they are confident of. This sub 4 meter SUV will display enhanced agility, latest in technology and will be a compact family car with 200mm ground clearance.

Ford EcoSport with a 1.0 Ford EcoBoost engine offering 125 hp along with a 1.5 liter gasoline engine with 110 hp while its 1.5 diesel engine is capable of 90 bhp. EcoSport is the second global Ford SUV after Kuga to be launched in Europe. It brings with it a contemporary design with a certain amount of sportiness. Its front end is seen with a large grille and bonnet and angular headlights. Ford EcoSport will possess latest in technology right from its voice command SYNC to AppLink and music streaming service Spotify. Safety features will be at its optimum with on board Emergency Assistance in the event of an accident while hill start assist, Keyless Entry, Push Button start, Rear Parking Sensor and ESP are also to be seen.


Another contributor to current sales contraction is pre-buying in 2012 Q4 based on expected excise duty hike in the Union Budget for 2012-13.  Utility Vehicle (UV) segment contributes for 20% of industry volumes, and recorded 34.8% YoY sales growth for Feb 2013. This being said, there are a few new compact SUV entrants to be available to customers in the next 2 years. Last month saw sales of passenger vehicles fall to a 12 year low as compared to the same period last year which saw a growth of 13.11%.


During 2012, Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto compact SUV variants were launched and greatly appreciated, translating to positive sales. Compact SUV’s are a key vehicle segment as there are a number of car manufacturers looking to capture the market with these vehicles. During this year Ford EcoSport SUV will be launched, while Maruti XA Alpha SUV last seen at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo will also soon make an entry. General Motors (Chevrolet Trax) is oft spoken about, and recently the Mahindra SsangYong jointly developed compact SUV for India was spied.  As per the Budget, excise duty on full sized SUV’s has been increased to 30% while compact SUV models  precisely sub 4 metre) are subjected to 12% excise duty. The lower prices owing to less amount of excise duty being paid translate into reasonably priced vehicles for customers opting for compact SUV models.  

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Ford India to Locally Make Engine for EcoSport SUV

Ford Motor Co.'s Indian unit is likely to locally manufacture a 1.0-liter gasoline engine for its soon-to-be-launched EcoSport sport-utility vehicle, a move which will help the company reduce tax on the vehicle and keep its price competitive.

"We will initially import the engines [from Europe], but will in future manufacture them locally," Sriram Padmanabhan, vice president for marketing at Ford's India unit, said Friday.

Ford plans to manufacture EcoSport at its plant in the southern Indian port city of Chennai.


Locally manufactured vehicles fitted with imported engines attract a 30% import tax. Manufacturing engines locally will make the SUV cheaper for India's price-sensitive customers.

Ford has to keep the price of the SUV's gasoline variants low as demand for vehicles powered by gasoline has fallen in India. Gasoline is far costlier than diesel, which is subsidized by the government.


Overall too, automobile demand in India has been hit by increasing fuel prices and high borrowing costs.

Ford expects the compact SUV will help the company turnaround its falling sales in India--its sales fell 30% to 7,253 vehicles in February.


Sales of compact SUVs, especially with diesel engines, are still strong.

For instance, sales of the local unit of Renault SA RNO.FR -2.42% rose about 10 times to 6,723 vehicles in the past month, helped by strong demand for its Duster SUV. The Duster, which was launched in last July, accounted for 5,590 units of the company's total sales in February.

Ford will likely introduce the EcoSport in India in June with 1.5-liter gasoline and diesel engines as well as the 1.0-liter engine. It already manufactures 1.5-liter diesel and gasoline engines in India.

It currently sells the vehicle in Brazil and will shortly start selling it in China.

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Ford EcoSport India launch date is 4th March 2013 with Rs 5.99 lakhs price tag?

Ford had confirmed earlier in 2012 that the new EcoSport SUV will be launched in India by early 2013. It’s last day of February and we have no official word from Ford India, yet.

But TopGear India seems to have some news. They have revealed that the new EcoSport from Ford India will be launched on 4th March 2013, which is just 4 days from now. They further add, that the Ford EcoSport will be launched in India with a starting price of INR 5.99 lakhs to INR 6.25 lakhs for the petrol model while the diesel model will be priced from INR 6.99 lakhs to INR 7.25 lakhs. This will be quite a shocker for Renault India, whose Duster petrol base is priced from INR 7.7 lakhs.

In order to be competitive, Ford India is keen on keeping the prices of EcoSport below the 10 lakhs mark. EcoSport with 1.0L EcoBoost will be expensive than the diesel and petrol EcoSport base models. So expect the price of EcoBoost EcoSport in the range of INR 7-8 lakhs. With such aggressive pricing, EcoSport will not only give a tough time to its arch rival Duster, but also to cars in the hatchback and sedan segment like i20, Polo, DZire, Vento, and also to the yet to be launched diesel Brio Amaze from Honda.

In all, three engine options will be offered on the new EcoSport by Ford India – 1.0L EcoSport with 120 ho, 1.5L petrol offering 110 hp and a 1.5L diesel offering 90 hp. It will be interesting to see that which variant of EcoSport will prove to be a winner, considering the drama behind removing diesel subsidy. Apart from this, petrol EcoBoost EcoSport is expected to deliver a mileage of 17 kmpl, which will further add to the dilemma of buyers. Bookings of the EcoSport have already begun at some Ford India dealerships.

Apart from India, Ford has also announced plans of launching EcoSport in Europe by end of 2013. EcoSport will make its debut at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show on 5th March. In Europe, where it is currnetly on display at the 2013 Mobile World Congress, EcoSport will be seen with Ford’s state of the art SYNC Applink, which allows you to control your smartphone via voice, while you can continue concentrating on driving the EcoSport.

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Ford India looking all set for the EcoSport launch

The entire country is keeping fingers crossed for the launch of Ford EcoSport, one of the most awaited models in the Indian passenger car market for the year 2013. Ford India Private Limited (FIPL), a completely owned subsidiary of the American multinational automobile major Ford Motor Company, seems pumped up as the launch of EcoSport on Indian turf looks just around the corner. Upon its arrival, the Ford EcoSport will pose some stiff competition against the likes of Renault Duster, Mahindra Quanto and Premier Rio in the Indian auto market.

The stunning and powerful Ford EcoSport is a compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and is believed to take the segment by storm and lure domestic car enthusiasts away from buying Renault Duster units in the country. The American auto major has already started shipping the EcoSport units to its retail stores located across the country. Further, the compact SUV has been caught testing on number of occasions on Indian roads, and the EcoSport seemed sharp in its initial spy shots.

The soon-to-be launched Ford EcoSport compact SUV will come trimmed with an All Wheel Drive (AWD) drive option, which will make it the first model in its class with such capability. The EcoSport is already a hit in the overseas international markets, owing to its uber-cool visual appeal and enamouring presence on road. Coming to its under-the-hood specifications, the beast of a compact SUV will be powered with the much fawned upon 1.0 litre Ford EcoBoost power-mill, which could produce an astonishing peak power output close to 120 bhp. Further, the petrol trim of EcoSport is expected to come fitted with a 1.5 litre powertrain under its hood.

Ford India will be hoping to capitalise on the prevalent market fervour witnessed among domestic car enthusiasts towards investing in compact SUV models. Currently, Renault Duster is the undisputed market leader in the segment and is closely followed by Mahindra Quanto in terms of total sales in the Indian auto sector. At present, the Duster is offered in the range Rs. 7.7 to Rs. 12 lakhs, whereas the Quanto model comes with retail price tags between Rs. 6.10 and Rs. 7.7 lakhs in the country. Industry sources suggest that the Ford EcoSport could be launched with introductory price tags in the range Rs. 8 to 10 lakhs in the domestic auto market. Hence, some fireworks are expected when EcoSport gets involved in a turf war with Renault Duster and Mahindra Quanto, upon its launch in India.

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Ford Chassis 30 vehicle auction expected price $350,000 to $500,000 range

 

The oldest Ford car in the world is likely to go under the auctioneers hammer next month. This will be a 109 year old Ford which was known in its hay days as the Chassis 30. While Model A was the first Ford design, Chassis 30 was the third of which only 1750 units were produced during the period 1903 to 1904.

This particular vehicle is the oldest surviving vehicle in existence today. It is this 1093 Ford Model A Rear Entry Tonneau that will be up for auction on October 11th and 12th at Hershey, Pennsylvania. Presently in the possession of John M O'Quinn, a lawyer in Houston, the prized Ford was commissioned at the Ford Mack Avenue Plant. It was later sold to a butte maker in 1903 for a princely sum of $880 after which it changed hands to O'Quinn in 2007 for $630,000.

The car comes with extensive documentation which details condition and history, including its five owners. RM Auctions had earlier tried to auction the car but received a high bid of only $325,000 short of its reserve price of $600,000 to $800,000. Though this Ford car is said to be the oldest surviving model, Carlton Pate III, an antique car collector and author of Pate's Early Ford Automobile Encyclopedia states that the Model A up for auction is one of the oldest Ford cars but not the oldest as there was at least one other car that was shipped on that same day.

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Ford India to Recall Cars

NEW DELHI--Ford Motor Co.'s F +0.53% Indian unit is in the process of recalling some Figo hatchback and Classic sedan models because of potentially faulty parts which could result in breakdowns or even fires.

The company said it is inspecting both gasoline and diesel variants of the Classic manufactured between January 2008 and December 2010 and those of the Figo made from March 2010 to December 2010 for a possible crack in the rear twist beam.


The crack can cause an abnormal noise which can lead to diminished performance, and even render the vehicle inoperable, the company said in an emailed statement Monday.


It is also recalling gasoline variants of the Figo and the Classic made between September 2010 and February 2011 because of oil leaks from the power-steering hose.


It is possible for the fluid used in the power-steering system "to come into contact with the vehicle's exhaust components, creating potential for smoke and, in extreme cases, fire," the company said.

Ford didn't say how many vehicles it is recalling or what will be the cost.


Ford launched the Figo, its first small car in India, in March 2010. The model has helped Ford revive sales in the country as it allowed the company to offer a product at price points which are preferred by a majority in India where nearly two-thirds of all cars sold are small hatchbacks.


The auto maker was banking heavily on local suppliers for the Figo to keep its costs low. The company buys nearly 85% of the Figo's parts from local suppliers.


Ford now joins Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., 532500.BY -1.20% Toyota Motor Corp., 7203.TO -0.63% Honda Motor Co., 7267.TO +0.12% Suzuki Motor Corp. 7269.TO +0.13% and Tata Motors Ltd. TTM -1.09% in recalling cars in India to replace faulty parts.


Suzuki Motor Corp.'s local unit, Maruti Suzuki, in April last year recalled 13,157 units of diesel cars to inspect a defective part. That followed a similar move in February 2010 when it recalled more than 100,000 units of small car A-Star to replace a defective part in the fuel tank.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. recalled 40,000 units of its Etios sedan and Liva hatchback cars in December for possible cracks in their hose pipes and fuel pipes.


Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. has had three recalls in India in the recent past, the latest being in September 2011 to replace power-window switches on 72,115 of its City sedans.


Tata Motors, India's biggest auto maker by revenue, offered additional safety equipment on its Nano minicar in November last year after some incidents of the car catching fire.


Besides the Figo and the Classic, Ford also makes the Fiesta sedan and the Endeavour sport-utility vehicle at a factory in the southern city of Chennai.


Ford is investing $1 billion to build a new factory at Sanand in the western Gujarat state that will be operational by 2014.

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