[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

We are NOT even sure it will be launched in India. They probably are testing it for exports.

Actually it is sure. It was a VOCF testing (Voice of Customer Fleet). Testing for Indian customers implies availability in India.

But you can't say the petrol will not sell. I am ready to buy a petrol SUV and Renault lost a customer because they chose not to launch a decently specced Petrol variant.

[kopakabana]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Actually it is sure. It was a VOCF testing (Voice of Customer Fleet). Testing for Indian customers implies availability in India.

But you can't say the petrol will not sell. I am ready to buy a petrol SUV and Renault lost a customer because they chose not to launch a decently specced Petrol variant.

+1. The ecosport will very much be a city ride for many. These points, IMO, will help the petrol ecosport-

(i) The ecosport will surely be a city ride for many. These people dont have heavy monthly running. 19kmpl supposedly from ecoboost will be very attractive for them.

(ii) Diesel prices are going up every month. The gap between petrol and diesel is shrinking.

(iii) The Powershift option is only available in petrol.

Also, there are enough people around who still prefer petrol over diesel just for the fun of it and the ecoboost promises to provide a LOT of fun.

[civic-sense]

If the 5 lakh price turns out to be true, then it would be bad news for us, auto-enthusiasts. To achieve that price, Ford would have to cut corners to such a level that it would rival the Indicas in quality. What we would get would be a cheap excuse for a car, and worse, it will swarm the roads. And none of the enthusiasts would want to be seen even 100 meters near one.

[Gizmokid]

Originally Posted by sameerg001

If it's around 5 lakhs ex showroom, sales of cars like, swift/i20 will go for toss. I am pretty sure, figure for base petrol will be near 7L mark.

But if it comes true ( which is IMO impossible ), I will buy 2 of them

Seriously! I can imagine a desi advertisement : Buy 2 Ecosports for the price of 1 Duster.

[agambhandari]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

If the 5 lakh price turns out to be true, then it would be bad news for us, auto-enthusiasts. To achieve that price, Ford would have to cut corners to such a level that it would rival the Indicas in quality. What we would get would be a cheap excuse for a car, and worse, it will swarm the roads. And none of the enthusiasts would want to be seen even 100 meters near one.

Cutting costs doesnt make it necessarily a bad car. If it still has the Ford DNA which makes even the budget Figo a joy to drive, enthusiasts would be pretty happy.

[scopriobharath]

If the 5 lac pricing is true, EcoSport can become a Santro in terms of acceptibility with masses. It could retain the best selling Mini SUV title for a long long way to come

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Cutting costs doesnt make it necessarily a bad car. If it still has the Ford DNA which makes even the budget Figo a joy to drive, enthusiasts would be pretty happy.

Mindless cost-cutting IS a bad thing.

We have seen what happens when they did that on the Punto, even though the DNA (ride+handling) remained.
We have seen what that reduced the Etios to, even though the DNA (reliability) remained.

We have enough VFM (read, mediocre) cars from Maruti and Tata. No more mediocrity please. I, for one, wouldn't want to drive a car that a penny pincher drives.

[m_upreti]

Originally Posted by PPS

Hormazd Sorabjee has predicted Rs 5 lakh price tag for the base petrol variant EcoSport!

This seems highy improbable, if it is true it would knock off almost all competition in the Mini SUV market. Despite being a die hard diesal fan I would not think twice before switching over to prtrol.

[avisidhu]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

Mindless cost-cutting IS a bad thing.

We have seen what happens when they did that on the Punto, even though the DNA (ride+handling) remained.
We have seen what that reduced the Etios to, even though the DNA (reliability) remained.

We have enough VFM (read, mediocre) cars from Maruti and Tata. No more mediocrity please. I, for one, wouldn't want to drive a car that a penny pincher drives.

They have their fingers burnt with the new Fiesta. Even if some of us think otherwise, Ford is not dumb to realise that a budget hatch is the only decent vehicle in their potfolio(from sales perspective). Besides, cost cutting can only be done to a certain extent no?

OT: This 5L price speculation has set the pigeon among the cats

Originally Posted by m_upreti

This seems highy improbable, if it is true it would knock off almost all competition in the Mini SUV market. Despite being a die hard diesal fan I would not think twice before switching over to prtrol.

Agree with you. And one also needs to understand that the price difference between variants cannot be so substantial. A 5L odd base version of petrol means that diesel will have to start below the 7L mark. Given the price point at which Duster sells these days, this would be the bigger (albeit improbable) news.

[raj84]

Even though I have not seen the AutoCar video where Hormazd Sorabjee predicted the price, the IndianCarsBikes website notes that he mentioned about Rs 5Lakh bracket. The term bracket could indicate any price between 5Lakhs to 5.99Lakhs.

So it is safe to assume 5.75 -5.99 Lakhs(Ex Showroom) which is pretty reasonable. The Ford Classic(petrol) in comparison, starts at 5.63Lakhs for the base model, without any tax benefits as it is greater than 4m in length.

[damager21]

I dont expect pricing for Ecosport to be around 5 lacs. Going by the selling price of Ecosport in China and Brazil, even at 7 lacs it will be the cheapest to be offered anywhere in the world.

Duster sells 3.5k-4k units per month. Considering Gujarat plant is not ready yet, Ford will want to restrict demand for Ecosport at a similar number of 3.5k-4k per month and the best way of managing it is a higher price.

The only possibility I see is Ford launching Ecosport at 5.99 lacs for the first 500 / 1000 bookings as a teaser and then increase the price. If I am not wrong, Mahindra followed a similar strategy with XUV 500 where they launched it an introductory price of 10.8 lacs for limited bookings and later on opened bookings again at 11.7 lacs.

[rajshenoy]

Ecosport at 5 lakhs, should be part of the official jokes thread. Who gives a 1.5ltr petrol engine(no excise benefits) in a base segment ?
1.5ltrs is going to be a monster to drive isnt it ?

We are talking about 100PS+ power and 140Nm torq here. Why would ford give it for 5 lakhs ?

[Gizmokid]

Slightly off topic , but couldn't resist posting this picture

If this is the sort of competition expected, the marketing folks at Ford can sleep peacefully; Infact the worst competition for Ford seems within their own backyard - delay!

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Gizmokid

Slightly off topic , but couldn't resist posting this picture

If this is the sort of competition expected, the marketing folks at Ford can sleep peacefully; Infact the worst competition for Ford seems within their own backyard - delay!

This is indeed off topic. Not by you.. by TATA motors

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

This is indeed off topic. Not by you.. by TATA motors

@rajshenoy - you know what I literally fell off the chair laughing reading your post about Tata. that was a good one .

But on hindsight, the car does look butch at the rear!