Ford EcoSport Set For Jan 2013 Launch

Updated: Thursday, December 13, 2012, 11:20 [IST]

The Ford EcoSport compact SUV is set to be launched in January 2013 an year after it was unveiled at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.

Ford India officials have confirmed that the EcoSport will be launched in India by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

Ford has invited Jayalalithaa to unveil their latest product and the carmaker has said the chief minister has graciously agreed. The EcoSport's launch will be a pivotal event for Ford as sales of SUVs have picked up in recent years

The EcoSport will be Ford's first compact SUV in India and it is based on the new global platform it developed in 2011. The Ford Fiesta sedan is also based on the same platform.

Ford has its plant near Chennai where the EcoSport compact SUV is being built. Jayalalaithaa launching the car might add to the car's value in the state.

The Ford EcoSport Compact SUV has already been launched in Brazil and has emerged as a competitor to the Renault Duster. We can expect a similar competition to begin once the EcoSport is launched here in India.

The Ford EcoSport will be powered by the new one litre EcoBoost diesel engine. The EcoSport will be available with a petrol petrol engine too. But the preferred in India will be the EcoBoost diesel.

Ford is said to be planning to launch the EcoSport in India with an automatic variant too. The Duster is available only with a manual gearbox.

The EcoSport is a sub four-metre SUV and hence will attract lesser excise tax than the Duster. This will provide it the much needed price advantage over its French rival.