Ford EcoSport Compact SUV launch story and crucial details emerging out of the event!

It isn’t every other day that an iconic figure like Alan Mulally comes along for a product launch. Coming from an aviation industry background where he headed Boeing, Alan Mulally has been largely credited for Ford’s spectacular turnaround over the past few years.  The man’s tight leash on costs is legendary and he shared the stage with another Ford global CEO hopeful, Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s Asia Pacific head who is touted to be in the race for leading Ford after Mullaly hangs up his boots. Such is the importance of a product like the EcoSport compact SUV, which is targeted squarely like emerging markets.

The proceedings began with Ford India’s CEO Michael Boneham welcoming the assorted media contingent comprising both of local as well as the international media. Soon, Joe Hinrichs took over, explaining where the EcoSport fits in Ford’s overall strategy for the emerging markets. Likening the EcoSport to the launch of the Figo, a car that single handedly transformed Ford India from an also ran to a car maker to be taken very seriously, Joe Hinrichs went on to highlight the outstanding feature of the EcoSport compact SUV, that of the 1 liter EcoBoost engine.

The shutterbugs wet crazy once Alan Mullaly landed into the event and from there on, Mullaly highlighted the success story that the Figo has been for Ford India and hoped that the same could be replicated with the hot new EcoSport. IndianCarsBikes has been emphasizing on turbo petrols being the next big thing for petrol engine technology and here we are, at the cusp of a turbo petrol revolution in India, with direct injection and variable valve timing thrown in for good measure. We’ll now focus on the key aspects of the Ford EcoSport.

* Ford will invest 142 Million dollars to build the EcoSport SUV in India.

* The Ford EcoSport Compact SUV could in all probability measure under 4 meters in length, excluding the spare wheel.

* This means that the EcoSport could qualify for the Indian government’s excise duty exemption and thus be a car that is very competitively priced.

* Mid to end 2012 is when the EcoSport compact SUV will be launched in India.

* The EcoSport has been developed taking into consideration feedback from Indian customers on what they want from a compact SUV.

* The EcoSport will be available with a 1 liter EcoBoost petrol engine generating 120 Bhp of peak power and 170 Nm of peak torque.

* While a diesel engine hasn’t been announced just as yet, expect the 1.5 Liter TDCI diesel found on the all new Fiesta to power the EcoSport as the dimension of this diesel engine qualifies the compact SUV for the excise duty exemption. Now, it all makes sense as to why Ford developed the 1.5 Liter TDCI engine by downsizing the 1.6 Liter TDCI engine in the first place.

* The EcoSport will be available in front wheel drive for the Indian market.

* The production version of the EcoSport will retain most of the design language of the concept that was unveiled but some of the concept specific bits like LED headlamps will make way for more conventional items.

* While pricing hasn’t been officially revealed yet by Ford India, a figure between 7-8 Lakhs was what was doing the rounds. Pricing will be key to the EcoSport compact SUV, a product that holds a lot of promise both for Ford India as well as the Indian car market as a whole, for this car could carve a brand new segment, and one which could grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.

* Team ICB’s renders of the Ford EcoSport, especially the front grille and the bumper design has closely matched the concept. Full credit to our roving eye in the sky, EarthFusion for that.

With this, the 2012 Indian Auto Expo is off to a cracker of sorts with two very different yet compelling products, the Bajaj RE60 our wheeler and the Ford EcoSport, being unveiled in as many days. Watch this space for more stories lined up for you as the media days kick off tomorrow. For now, don’t miss the EcoSport video and image gallery that we’ve lined up just for you.

Text: Jay Prashanth M

Images: Tushar Kelshikar

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