[Rajesh Rawal]

Originally Posted by anachronix

I hope the Ford launches the EcoSport before the midlife facelift of the Duster. The wait is getting painfully long and might make potential buyers lose interest on an otherwise (assuming) good product!

Quite frankly i dont think (if priced right) the ecosport will lose any customer.(even if the launch is in july or beyond)

There is no competition/alternate (Ecosport is either ways not positioned as a 4x4)

Duster 110 ps today onroad is around 13 which is like w6 for xuv

In all likely hood ecosport top end will be 11-12 lakhs(maybe less)

The folks who need to worry or try and get a facelift/upgrade are the sedan guys like rapid/vento/city.

Infact i foresee ecosport as a direct kill to the existing ford fiesta sedan (that may phase out and make way for the fiesta hatchback)

So effectively they will have figo-fiesta hatch-ecosport-endevour and so on as their future india line up

On a sidenote , not all on this thread will end up buying the ecosport(you/i//ford knows that as well,else it would have an exclusive launch for t-bhp members/buyers only)

[fiat_tarun]

The thing with a delayed launch is that they have lost sales for all the months that it has been delayed by. Ford has the first mover advantage in the compact SUV space and they should make the most of it till the competition catches up.

Come 2014 and we have so many other OEM's launching similar mini SUV's - Suzuki XA Alpha, Hyundai, Honda, Fiat, VW, GM... everyone is working on a compact SUV !!

How well will the Ecosport hold its ground then ?! So in the short term yes, the Ecosport will definitely be a success even if the launch gets pushed to December this year. Whether sales will sustain once competition catches up is anybody's guess.

[pyrodrive]

This thread length itself shows the lenght of time ford has taken to bring this beast out.I first heard of the ecosport when i never had heard of the renault duster and while the duster is selling so well since its launch and is propelling the brand renault forward in india,this delay is pushing ford back.
If a date was announced,prospective buyers may wait.Its this uncertainity that is damaging.Lets suppose it was launched around diwali time,monthly sales I would imagine would definitely be 5k plus.so at least 25k cars sold,now out of those 25k buyers,how many are still waiting?how many have moved on to duster or a sedan?
Point is, Ford,why cant you give us a date rather continue this cat and mouse game?

[sharninder]

Originally Posted by pyrodrive

This thread length itself shows the lenght of time ford has taken to bring this beast out.I first heard of the ecosport when i never had heard of the renault duster and while the duster is selling so well since its launch and is propelling the brand renault forward in india,this delay is pushing ford back.
If a date was announced,prospective buyers may wait.Its this uncertainity that is damaging.Lets suppose it was launched around diwali time,monthly sales I would imagine would definitely be 5k plus.so at least 25k cars sold,now out of those 25k buyers,how many are still waiting?how many have moved on to duster or a sedan?
Point is, Ford,why cant you give us a date rather continue this cat and mouse game?

Yes, but there would be 25k more buyers who would be in the market now or 6 months later? It's not as if there is a fixed set of buyers at any time.

The only reasoning I see is that if Ford had launched last year Ecosport would have been the only compact car around for, say, 2 years. Now they'll have that status for the next one year only till competition catches up. I doubt if Honda will come out with anything in this segment in the next 2 years. I only see Maruti as competition but then I also think it's the premium hatchbacks and entry level sedans that should be worrying right now. There is space in the market for 2-3 compact SUVs at the same time, whenever they launch.

[car_crazy1400]

Just Saw this on the net :

Ford Ecosport on display at Select City Walk Mall, Saket, New Delhi.

From March 15'th - 17'th 2013.

Planning to go there tomorrow evening.

[pro711]

Originally Posted by car_crazy1400

Just Saw this on the net :

Ford Ecosport on display at Select City Walk Mall, Saket, New Delhi.

From March 15'th - 17'th 2013.

Planning to go there tomorrow evening.

Me too, maybe we get to meet each other . Folks who are residing in Gurgaon and are unable to make the trip to Saket this week can see Ecosport at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon from March 22nd till 24th.

[damager21]

Originally Posted by car_crazy1400

Just Saw this on the net :

Ford Ecosport on display at Select City Walk Mall, Saket, New Delhi.

From March 15'th - 17'th 2013.

Planning to go there tomorrow evening.

A post on Ford Facebook page says "15th – 17th March, the stage is set for the most spectacular tour of the Ford EcoSport! Are you coming?" and there is following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIijnbYQNEw

[scopriobharath]

I got an invitation from AVK Ford to preview the EcoSPort at Malad West Infinity 2 Mall Mumbai. Due to office, I cannot make it

passing on the invite if someone can go and write their first impressions

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

I got an invitation from AVK Ford to preview the EcoSPort at Malad West Infinity 2 Mall Mumbai. Due to office, I cannot make it

passing on the invite if someone can go and write their first impressions

Got the same invitation but I am in Bangalore. Hope it will be displayed in Bangalore soon.

Date: 15th - 17th March, 2013
Venue: Infinity Mall, Near Goregaon Sports Complex, Link Road, Malad West, Mumbai

[avisidhu]

An interesting articles in the New York Times on the eco boost engine. Check out how the engine fits nicely inside a normal suitcase:


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/au...ted=1&_r=0&hpw

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Got the same invitation but I am in Bangalore. Hope it will be displayed in Bangalore soon.

I got a call from Cauvery Ford yesterday. They said the only place in Bangalore where Ecosport will be on display is Mantri Mall. The display is from 29th to 31st March.

I asked them if they have any plans to display the car in any mall in southern Bangalore. They said no, because there is not much gap between this display and the launch in April.

[methecupid]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

They said no, because there is not much gap between this display and the launch in April.

Launch in April? Looks like Ford management couldn't get enough of Jeffrey Archer's book "Best Kept Secret" before they planned the launch of EcoSport.

Contrary to many who believe Ford is losing customers by the day, just because some of our colleagues here in the forum decided to go the other way; I truly believe that it's the prudent thing to do (considering Ford invested this time in localisation and getting the cost down) They have burned their fingers, hands and everything else once too often. Just because we 'want' the car now, doesn't mean they 'have' to launch the car now. How many of us 'potential buyers' promise to buy the car if say the price is more than what we expect, or there are some quirky niggles we find thereafter, or the delivery lines get blocked. Think about it.

[Chillout]

I currently have a 1.6 Fiesta and have been thinking about getting a new diesel car. Test drove the Liva and Swift. Was not impressed with both. Ford has spoilt me with driving dynamics and I find it difficult to drive any other car. I am not a hard core Ford fan, but just cannot give up the pleasure of driving one. Folks like me may end up buying the ecosport even if we have to wait for more than 4 months

[MotoNanu]

Originally Posted by methecupid

Launch in April? Looks like Ford management couldn't get enough of Jeffrey Archer's book "Best Kept Secret" before they planned the launch of EcoSport.

Contrary to many who believe Ford is losing customers by the day, just because some of our colleagues here in the forum decided to go the other way; I truly believe that it's the prudent thing to do (considering Ford invested this time in localisation and getting the cost down) They have burned their fingers, hands and everything else once too often. Just because we 'want' the car now, doesn't mean they 'have' to launch the car now. How many of us 'potential buyers' promise to buy the car if say the price is more than what we expect, or there are some quirky niggles we find thereafter, or the delivery lines get blocked. Think about it.

Adding to that, we as enthusiasts are keeping track of every detail which makes us feel the clock is ticking slowly

There are enough people in the market who do not know much about the car and when it launches, for them it is still a wonderful car when launched and they will embrace it with open arms. The more you aspire, the more frustrated you feel by this delay. But that does not apply to everyone out there.
But definitely for us, Ford is giving a very hard time

[GTO]

Parrys is currently at the EcoSport event. We had access to the interiors as well. Detailed pictures will be up in the second half of the day.