After about a hundred billion
speculations that were floating in the cyber space, official word is out
that the Ford EcoSport will be launched in India in June 2013. The
information comes straight from Ford India’s marketing, which recently
informed many prospective buyers about the launch date of the car.
The Ford EcoSport is already on sale in
many markets around the globe and is making life tough for Renault
Duster and the likes. The marketing campaign for the EcoSport is already
underway and the car has easily managed to stir a great response from
the prospective car buyers in India.
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.
The Ford EcoSport for India will come
with as many as three engine variants- The entry level variants will be
powered by the same 1.5 litre normally aspirated petrol engine that does
duty in the Fiesta. The second petrol engine variant will be powered by
the much publicized Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine
that has power figures of a normally aspirated 1.5litres petrol engine
and has won a lot of accolades for being high on both performance and
efficiency. The third engine variant, and the one that has good chances
of bringing the volumes, will be powered by the Fiesta’s 1.5 litre
turbocharged oil burner that will take the fight straight to the high
selling diesel variants of the Renault Duster.
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.
That the boffins at Ford India are very
serious about getting it right with the EcoSport can be seen from the
marketing campaign and promotions that are being conducted across the
country. Also, in a first of sorts, a total of more than 150 experts and
media professionals from India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
and Taiwan will be driving the EcoSport in and around Goa. Our team
recently spent a day with EcoSport in Goa and our first impression of
the EcoSport is that of a well sorted out car that looks fairly potent
to eat into the sales of many contenders in the C segment of our car
market.
via ICB
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