After Delhi, Ford EcoSport spotted at a Mumbai dealership

05/02/2013 - 17:12 | ,   | Shrawan Raja

Team-BHP member Harshal has posted images of the Savannah Orange Ford EcoSport snapped next to service bays at a Ford dealer workshop in Mumbai.

Ford EcoSport spotted in Mumbai rear three quartersFord EcoSport spotted in Mumbai workshopFord EcoSport spotted in Mumbai

Ford India maybe on a pan-India sales/service training program. With the launch date nearing (we don't know when exactly), these formalities have to be complete as well, equipping personnel charged with handling the EcoSport customer with the necessary tools to attend to any situation.

What we have heard about the EcoSport through various sources

  • The ARAI formalities of the EcoSport are complete. Petrol and diesel variants have been homologated.
  • A team of overseas experts were in India last year to rework the localization program to achieve a lower price tag at the time of launch.
  • Ford is going to take up a big consignment of export markets - most of where the Figo is shipped to will also be Ford's responsibility starting this year.
  • If a small reduction in excise duty for cars under four meters long is announced in this year's financial Budget (Industry proposes a further 2%, bringing it down to 10% overall), the EcoSport's prices will fall from what Ford India's ex-president Micheal Boneham described to Indian Autos Blog as "aggressive."
  • An AT variant is planned - however the Powershift transmission won't feature on the diesel model.
  • A 7 seat version of the EcoSport (Ford Grand EcoSport) has reportedly got the green signal for the Brazilian market.
  • The EcoSport will launch in India with 1L petrol, 1.5L petrol and 1.5L diesel engines. The 1L Ecoboost engine will not be manufactured in India.

As prospective premium hatchback customers wait in agony, the only company that's smiling at these articles is Renault. Having launched the Duster in August last year, Renault has been handed the SUV market in a platter by rival companies. By the time the EcoSport is launched, Renault could tweak and relaunch the Duster based on the feedback the first 50,000 customers present them.

[Source - Team-BHP.com]

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