Just-Auto.com reports that the India-made Ford EcoSport will be shipped to the UK. The EcoSport's chief rival, the Renault Duster, manufactured at the Renault-Nissan alliance plant just a few kilometers away from the Ford factory as a Dacia, is exported to UK and Ireland since late 2012 where it has met with high demand.
Ford will manufacture LHD and RHD versions of the EcoSport at its Maraimalai Nagar plant to address demand in the European Union. The first units ship from Chennai in late 2013. Ford has announced three engine options for its European customers - 1-liter turbocharged petrol with 120PS, 1.5-liter naturally aspirated petrol with 110PS and a 1.5-liter diesel with 90PS. These engines shall be paired to 5-speed manual or 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearboxes.
Ford has subtly revised the interior of the European model by varying the dashboard color contrasts and the color of the stitching on the seats. One of the first few units produced at the Chennai plant from trial production was flown to the Geneva Motor Show to conduct its European premiere last week, according to a Ford official who spoke to us at the booth.
Ford conducts the Indian premiere of the production-ready EcoSport today at a shopping mall in New Delhi. Ford is conducting mall activations across major Indian metros this month prior to its market launch. Stay tuned for live coverage from the event later today.
[Source - Just-Auto.com]
