Indian Autos blog

Ford Motor Co. has started to use its new tagline “Go Further” globally.

This one replaces the earlier marketing campaign started in 2008 that used “Drive One”, it conveyed the message of the global approach that Ford utilizes for its products. India can recognize an earlier slogan “Feel the Difference” used widely during the introduction of the Figo two years ago.

Planning to buy a Ford? Hold your horses! Ford India is going to have another one of its epic midnight sale this Sunday, the 13^th of May 2012.

Brownie points if you can guess the Ford car this headlight assembly belongs to!

The last time Ford had its midnight sale its dealers sold over 15-day stock in just two days. Ford is hoping that it is going to be even bigger this time!

Car Magazine South Africa has played out a story on the Ford EcoSport mini SUV showcased at last month’s Beijing Auto Show. Ford South Africa will begin selling the EcoSport in the first half of 2013 with the 1-liter EcoBoost engine, shortly after it is launched in India.

Much like the Fiesta, Ford will offer plenty of goodies in this car such as the SYNC driver connect system, keyless entry, push button start and safety features that include ABS and ESP. Ford India exports the Figo to South Africa and is likely to extend the same strategy to the EcoSport.

Ford recently announced its plan for the future in the automobile industry. It claims to have found a way to reduce the weight of its most popular and affordable models by 20%. Ford indirectly is referring to cars like the Fiesta and Focus that are affordable.

Some of the popular Ford vehicles are pickups and SUVs such the F150 and the Explorer, which enjoy a huge market share in America.

Do you know how Ford plans to do it?

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Ford India President and Managing Director Mr Michael Boneham has spilled the beans on the market plans for the Ford EcoSport, unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show last week.

Ford showcased the EcoSport in Brazil a day before it was unveiled in Beijing. Built using Fiesta components, the EcoSport will be manufactured in India, Brazil and Thailand

See images of the Ford EcoSport from the Beijing Auto Show unveiling

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Not really! This video plays out some footage of the Ford EcoSport from its development program. You can see how engineers are verifying its water wading abilities and the how well the suspension system copes with forces and vibrations transmitted from broken roads. They have camouflaged the vehicle to ensure no prying eyes get to see the body work or the finer details. One test mule is camouflaged to its alloy wheels!

[can't see the video above? Head over to the Youtube page for direct viewing]

The Ford EcoSport is production ready, may come out in India in the last quarter of 2012 with 1-liter petrol engine pumping out 120PS and a 1.5L diesel hijacked from under the Fiesta’s bonnet.

Do you think India is ready for a C-Segment hatchback like the Focus? In a recent article on Hindustan Times, Ford APA’s Joe Hinrichs has told reporters at the Beijing Auto Show that customers in India want a powerful and feature rich hatchback for driving in Indian cities.

These are our arguments, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below

• Ford’s reluctance in bringing the Fiesta hatch to India tells us that cost targets cannot be met and launching a hatchback in a segment above the Fiesta hatch may not be a wise idea after all.

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Ford Brasilia yesterday uploaded a new video on their Youtube channel that shows the EcoSport in all its glory. The production-spec Ford EcoSport greeted the Brazilian media at the Barra Lighthouse in Salvador two days ago.

The EcoSport is Ford’s global SUV with a 1-liter..blah blah blah! Enjoy the video