Ford EcoSport Facelift 2018 Launched in India (Coverage Pg: 34)

[1989rs500]

Just out of curiosity Mr.1989...
Is this DOHC 16V 1.5 120PS BSVI motor , manufactured internationally , is there any chance for that to be manufactured in India ?

Asked this , because , we all know Ford ecosport now comes also with the privileged Ecoboost engine , but still only petrol enthusiasts go with the same , for layman it doesn't make sense , both by figures (For him 1L and 1.5L , 1.5L is more larger , so go with 1.5L). And being an imported engine , it costs more than normal petrol eengine, so if this 1.5 120PS , engine is imported , it can rise prices high.

Also any idea on torque - As regular 1.5TDCi makes 215Nm (In figo and aspires) and also 205Nm (In ecosport) - Correct me if am wrong , just from my memory. So in 1.5 ,120PS version , this 20PS increase in power , either can compromise in torque or if its a boost in torque also , the engineering is just amazing.

The 1.5 TDCi that is manufactured in India is the SOHC one, Ford India dosent sell or make its DOHC 1.5 motor in India or in any Asian country for that matter, the 1.5 DOHC is a motor made in Germany, and UK plants and is used across European countries and is imported to Australia and some ASEAN countries too
the 1.5 TDCi DOHC makes 120 PS diesel is named as ECOBLUE , it makes 95/118 bhp @ 4500 rpm and 300 NM between 1750-2750 rpm

Its a great engine and one that I feel is badly needed in India

Of course , it wont be made in India , so it will be an imported engine and the price for it will be higher, but its still under 1500 cc and passes BS VI norms so all the import duties can be balanced with volumes unlike ecoboost petrol motor which still is a petrol so volumes is not possible.

 

[F4frewin]

Ford, in my opinion, wont bring this Fiesta based crossover (rumoured) in India. However, the crossover may be a rival for S-Cross but not for Creta or Kicks. 1.5 DOHC 120 PS motor packs a punch with 270 Nm torque with VGT turbo. It would be a beast to drive with flat torque curve configuration. Ford wont import this engine for small volumes. If launched, they may stick with 1.5 SOHC.

Ford may well discontinue Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo from Europe b'coz of lower margins and fierce competition and they may just sell commercial vehicles and Vans which fetch better margins. As per last financial quarter results, Ford is working on a profit margin of 4.4% and they are doing everything possible to double that in the next 4 years. The first casualty is the hatches and sedans that had been withdrawn recently from North American Markets. In Europe they may want to explore the possibilities of launching electric and alternate power vehicles with a tie-up that may soon be announced with Volkswagen. In India, they don't have any line-up for future on their own. Anything that may be launched would be out of their second fling with M&M. Given M&M's expertise with SUV's, it is for sure the future products with Ford Logos may all be SUVs and that's where Ford sees the growth coming from in India.

 

[1989rs500]

Ford, in my opinion, wont bring this Fiesta based crossover (rumoured) in India. However, the crossover may be a rival for S-Cross but not for Creta or Kicks. 1.5 DOHC 120 PS motor packs a punch with 270 Nm torque with VGT turbo. It would be a beast to drive with flat torque curve configuration. Ford wont import this engine for small volumes. If launched, they may stick with 1.5 SOHC.

Ford may well discontinue Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo from Europe b'coz of lower margins and fierce competition and they may just sell commercial vehicles and Vans which fetch better margins. As per last financial quarter results, Ford is working on a profit margin of 4.4% and they are doing everything possible to double that in the next 4 years. The first casualty is the hatches and sedans that had been withdrawn recently from North American Markets. In Europe they may want to explore the possibilities of launching electric and alternate power vehicles with a tie-up that may soon be announced with Volkswagen. In India, they don't have any line-up for future on their own. Anything that may be launched would be out of their second fling with M&M. Given M&M's expertise with SUV's, it is for sure the future products with Ford Logos may all be SUVs and that's where Ford sees the growth coming from in India.

Well I feel Ford wont ignore this Fiesta based cross over for India for obvious reasons
1. To Maintain a Ford Identity in the midst of Mahindra- Ford, collaborated products
2. Based on Fords cheapest Global chassis, the Global Ford B chassis
3. 1.5l SOHC TDCi is not BS VI compliant engine
4. India is a price conscious market, hybrid-Electrics however cheap they may be wont be below 20 lakhs for one with good range and quality , so at least till 2025, India will still keep on buying fossil fueled vehicles
5. Ford might share the Mahindra Marazzo debut 1.5 DOHC mHAWK100 diesel engine as its locally made and still is BS VI compliant for powering cars like Figo,Aspire,Ecosport and the 1.5 ecoblue for the new cross over which anyway wont generate volumes but might be an expensive yet true Ford

Regarding discontinuing Fiesta, Focus, I think thats never going to happen, if anything, Fords back bone in Europe is Fiesta and Focus, the Mondeo definitely might be discontinued but not the Fiesta and Focus , discontinuing Fiesta and Focus is Europe is like discontinuing Ecosport in India, those cars are that important in Europe.

 

[F4frewin]

If they decide to launch the Fiesta crossover, they might well launch the hatch and sedan versions as well as it makes sense to have improved volumes. My little birdie in Ford India told me categorically that Fiesta is a closed chapter in India.
FORD does have 1.5 Ecoblue which is Euro 6 compliant. That engine will not make it to India due to high costs. Ford last week announced job cuts in Ford Europe that is working on -1.1EBIT margin. The losses are mounting each quarter and they decided to cut jobs ( quite a bit of news already available on web sites). The important decision was made to stop development of future diesel engines that has few takers in Europe. As you said, Ford will switch to Mahindra diesel and even petrol engines pulling the curtain on the Dragon series engines. Mahindra said earlier that they will supply Euro 6 petrol engines to Ford.
In Europe, Ford is betting the soon to be announced partnership with Volkswagen on electric and alternate technologies for its
The very survival of Ford brand in India is dependent on the partnership with Mahindra and it will be sad saga if future Ford's and Mahindra's drive the same.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Another issue what I see is , high chances of one product from Ford killing another of Mahindra and vice versa ,
say eg- Ecosport V/s To be launched XUV300 (If XUV 300 is priced above ecosport , XUV300 won't sell , and if XUV300 is priced below , Ecosport is gonna have few takers ) , the main issue being both covered by 1.5L Diesel engines.

SUV's generally have poor takers for Petrols (Atleast in my area).

Also high time that Ford brings in Diesel Automatics .
Ford needs to plan a very effective plan with Mahindra and VW.

Also , Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Have tied up , thereby its resulting products are expected atleast by 2020.

 

[1989rs500]

If they decide to launch the Fiesta crossover, they might well launch the hatch and sedan versions as well as it makes sense to have improved volumes. My little birdie in Ford India told me categorically that Fiesta is a closed chapter in India.
FORD does have 1.5 Ecoblue which is Euro 6 compliant. That engine will not make it to India due to high costs. Ford last week announced job cuts in Ford Europe that is working on -1.1EBIT margin. The losses are mounting each quarter and they decided to cut jobs ( quite a bit of news already available on web sites). The important decision was made to stop development of future diesel engines that has few takers in Europe. As you said, Ford will switch to Mahindra diesel and even petrol engines pulling the curtain on the Dragon series engines. Mahindra said earlier that they will supply Euro 6 petrol engines to Ford.
In Europe, Ford is betting the soon to be announced partnership with Volkswagen on electric and alternate technologies for its
The very survival of Ford brand in India is dependent on the partnership with Mahindra and it will be sad saga if future Ford's and Mahindra's drive the same.

I dont think Ford has plans for killing Dragon petrols in India,
Mahindra to supply BS-VI engines to Ford
More so like providing both as engine choices, like base variants ie Ambiente and trend+ will have Mahindra engines to keep costs mouth watering low and the Titanium/Tit+ and AT might still use Fords Dragon engines with slight increase in price as of current pricing and a CNG or hybrid like variant too will be added for those Green conscious buyers.
The reason why I feel Ford might bring ecoblue to India is because, ecoblue is just 2 years old and yet havent seen much markets, and India might be one of the markets that might take its own sweet time to kill diesels because its very difficult to introduce hybrids and electrics in a mass market like India, so the 5 years or so might be crucial for brands like Ford to keep customers coming to the brand.
Europe etc has the maturity / money power to accept hybrids and electrics , so killing diesels makes good sense there , also not just Ford, almost all brands are cutting jobs and are in SAFE mode nowadays, because every brand knows, they ve to save all money to maximize the damage the IC engine factory closures and development costs etc has to bear in near future, so they are preparing for this, also they ve to fight a GIANT TESLA, so its inevitable , but still I feel Ford will still produce Fiesta and Focus and some of its derivatives in Europe till the last nail is put to fossil fueled cars sale in Europe just like all others will be,
The motor racing leagues namely IMSA, FIA etc still show signs of fossil fueled cars being in production at least for 3 years from now , so what I feel is all brands are preparing for a heavy hit, but still knows that the formula that works best shouldnt be killed in one GO as it will affect them in unprecedented way.

 

[1989rs500]

Another issue what I see is , high chances of one product from Ford killing another of Mahindra and vice versa ,
say eg- Ecosport V/s To be launched XUV300 (If XUV 300 is priced above ecosport , XUV300 won't sell , and if XUV300 is priced below , Ecosport is gonna have few takers ) , the main issue being both covered by 1.5L Diesel engines.

SUV's generally have poor takers for Petrols (Atleast in my area).

Also high time that Ford brings in Diesel Automatics .
Ford needs to plan a very effective plan with Mahindra and VW.

Also , Maruti Suzuki and Toyota Have tied up , thereby its resulting products are expected atleast by 2020.

Even Nexon has taken a huge share of Ford sales, so @VISHNUCARCRAZY is absolutely right, Ford definitely needs some real master plan to make positive progress , unless ,the tie up might end up in both brands suffering each other.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Recently had gone to Harry Ford dealership , Karamana , Trivandrum for test driving Ecosport Petrol Automatic.

Advisor - Mr.Sharukh (I think he left from job this week , as he himself was saying he was aiming for better prospects in abroad , great luck ahead man , you have a great future. )

A detailed test drive report will be put soon , but just one overview here .
Advisors of other brands should learn from such chaps like these from Ford. The conversation with this guy was so welcoming , especially one striking sentence from him , "Sir , you buy the ride , only if you are satisfied with it completely ." (As I had mentioned to him , as I had test driven Creta Diesel Automatic , and I was planning to check in XUV300 also )
I asked , "Mr.S , do you have any test drive route ".
He replied - "Sir you can drive until I get a call back from showroom again ."
I test drove for 10kms , mixed pattern (For those from trivandrum , I had taken the highway stretch Karamana to Pappanamcode , from there proceeded to Industrial Estate - where there was a rough stretch to check the behaviour on broken tarmac, and proceeded then towards Studio Road , back on highway from Vellayani to Showroom)

Why I posted here was , I really need to appreciate the SA , he had neately described all features , especially there was a confusion for both me as well as SA , as Ford is sending Titanium variant with 16 Inch alloys (Thats better than 17 Inch ) , while Titanium + gets 17 Inch . He had told me , he will confirm it with his seniors and will answer , as he had been enrolled to this job only since 2 months.

These simple gestures , especially add a feather to Brand as well the SA - Some may say , he's not sound with the vehicle , I think differently , he's not misleading a customer by giving an answer which he's not sure off. Also he told , the mileage can be expected in range of 11-13kmpl , highest from one of his customers was 15kmpl (Highway) . In the ages when most SA's echo with the company claimed mileage figures , this man was honest with the answers.

I really expect that Ford brings in such ones into jobs as it will shape the brand to better prospects .
Go Ford.

 

[Akash1886]

Regards
Akash