Ford EcoSports are rolling off the production line in Chennai and being shipped to Ford dealers throughout India. From what we know dealerships have already started getting first batch of EcoSport crossovers and we also posted apparently “leaked price list” a couple of hours back.
“The EcoSport looks fantastic,” said Ford president and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, who is in Chennai to congratulate the employees. “The Chennai team, together with our supplier partners, have done an outstanding job in delivering our customers a great looking, fuel efficient, safe, compact utility vehicle with impressive functionality and connectivity, at a very affordable price.”
Ford India’s Chennai facility is the third of five plants globally where the Ford EcoSport will be produced. Currently it is being produced in Camacari, Brazil and Chongqing, China (Changan Ford JV) and with production starting subsequently at Rayong, Thailand; and Tatarstan, Russia (Ford Sollers JV).
“The EcoSport is a great example of Ford’s leadership in the global shift to fuel-efficient and functional utility vehicles,” said Dave Schoch, president of Ford Asia Pacific. “Utilities are helping drive our expansion throughout the region, particularly in emerging markets, where growth in the utility segments is exploding.”
According to IHS Automotive, global small utility vehicle sales grew 154 percent between 2005 and 2012. In the coming years, small utilities sales are expected to increase by 51 percent globally. Ford small utility sales are projected to outpace the overall industry, according to IHS Automotive.
As part of the One Ford plan , the Ford EcoSport is based on the company’s B-platform, which also underpins its award-winning Fiesta. The company will produce two million vehicles annually on its B-platform by 2015.