[amol4184]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Ford puts projects with Mahindra on hold as it reassesses India strategy

Does that mean the XUV500 based Ford SUV is now hanging by a thread. Leaked picture made the vehicle look like it was at finishing stages.

[volkman10]

More on the Ford dilemma for India Strategy:

- Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford entered India 25 years ago, but it has just 3% market share.

- Ford has pushed harder to remake itself globally as part of an $11 billion restructuring, including ending manufacturing in Brazil, and speeding up the rollout of electric vehicles. With so much on Farley’s plate and limited financial resources, India is a lower priority

-While Ford India reported pre-tax profits over the last three years, its biggest hurdle in India is low plant utilisation of around 53% over a five-year average

-Even as it thinks about bringing global products to India - its Territory SUV in China is an option - Ford will need to look at several factors including competition, new fuel efficiency rules and its ability to make money in a price-sensitive market to ensure success.

-India’s competitiveness as an export base for affordable cars will also play a role

-If Ford decides to invest more in India it needs to know by when it can recover that investment


Reuters

[CARDEEP]

Ford needs to have competent products in Rs.10-20 Lakhs & 20-30 Lakhs bracket. It needs to have more SUVs in above price brackets. Moreover, the Endeavour desperately needs the 200+ BHP variant, especially when they have Fortuner pricing in their favour.

There are so many flip flops - at one stage they shout out to lowest levels in vehicle service delivery chain that Edge & Kuga are coming, then someone stupid at the top makes a blunder, latest M&M fiasco included.

Unused capacity is always a concern for most auto makers & impacts the profit & costs adversely, but they have never sold the spare capacity to sister concerns. India is a bigger market than most APAC countries (even put together), yet they find it difficult to sell because they do not make in India. As far as I'm informed (my cousin was in senior position at big auto component maker in Noida & so is a friend at Gurugram facility of another one) quality is hardly a problem. Rather, it's the conservative nature of top management, & inability (followed by/ turned into disinterest) of Indian management in convincing the people out there.

I hope Ford India has some decent trick up the sleeve, & they start crawling if they can't walk.

[H0RSEPOWER]

Originally Posted by amol4184

Does that mean the XUV500 based Ford SUV is now hanging by a thread. Leaked picture made the vehicle look like it was at finishing stages.

Before the Chevrolet exit from India, the leaked images of next gen Beat was also doing rounds in Internet, rumours were there about the next gen Cruze also. But they pulled off the plug. I am sensing the similar scenario here as well for Ford.
And I think unlike Brazil, in case of India, they will first cease to sell cars in India & use it as an export only manufacturing base due to comparatively cheaper labour cost.

[volkman10]

Ford India to drop Mahindra engines from its future products, to rely on own engines and products as part of future Independent operation.

New powertrains from the Ford line-up to be selected.

All upcoming projects would face delay in launches.

The company has asked its vendors to hold work on the two upcoming projects BX744 and BX772 till August 2021, as it finalizes the new powertrains from within the Ford world.

The company has asked its vendors to hold work on the two upcoming projects BX744 and BX772 till August 2021, as it finalizes the new powertrains from within the Ford world.

The shift from Mahindra's engine to its own would mean Ford India's projects - BX772 - Hyundai Creta rival and BX 744 - the new sub-4 metre SUV slated for 2022-2023 may get delayed by six months

Link

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Ford India to drop Mahindra engines from its future products, to rely on own engines and products as part of future Independent operation.

New powertrains from the Ford line-up to be selected.

All upcoming projects would face delay in launches.

Fantastic news, I hope this news puts to rest about the ever-impending exit of Ford from India. I have always maintained that Ford is on its way to deliver some new products as has been told by a Ford insider.

This news bolsters that view and how. I hope they introduce the new cars in the next one and a half years. A little delay never hurts if it results in a car like a Kuga or a Territory

[MCR]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Ford India's projects - BX772 - Hyundai Creta rival and BX 744 - the new sub-4 metre SUV slated for 2022-2023 may get delayed by six months

What I hear from a reliable source is the same. The next Generation Ecosport will be launched by Diwali 2023 and would be closely followed by the Creta rival.
The Eco Boost engine is expected to make a comeback! There could also be a Hybrid Variant.

[srishiva]

I think instead of Maruti having 50% market share, if it had 30% and the 20% was with these other companies, we would have a better choice.

Now the problem lies with these other companies who did not give us the right cars and also the good service experience. They didnt have to match the exact price but could have given good value cars and people could have stepped up in price.

[S15]

Ouch.

With Ford pulling out of Brazil, and supposedly shelving future ecosport plans, and now this, I think this might as well be the last generation of Ecosport, until it stops selling, and they pack their bags and leave.

[NICHE]

Will it be wrong if I say Mahindra ditched Ford after getting their help for sorting the dynamics of new xuv. They did the something similar with ssangyong.

Seems that Ford guys started packing the bags in January and now on the way to airport

[Avinash_R]

The article also says:

Ford is pressing on with the development of its Creta fighter, a midsize SUV (BX772), and an all-new sub-four-metre SUV (BX 744), which is slated for not just the Indian markets but export markets as well. India is a key manufacturing hub for Ford’s small SUVs and the American carmaker is still betting big on its Indian operations to serve over 70 international markets.

They just opened a new dealership in Goa and got a new MD to take care of India operations.

[padmrajravi]

This is a good sign. Shows that Ford is trying to stay. We may actually get Ford vehicles and not Mahindra vehicles acting as Ford. I think that rumoured Ford car with Mahindra engine will not see the light of the day. There is no reason for it to exist now.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Ford India to drop Mahindra engines from its future products, to rely on own engines and products as part of future Independent operation.
All upcoming projects would face delay in launches.

The shift from Mahindra's engine to its own would mean Ford India's projects - BX772 - Hyundai Creta rival and BX 744 - the new sub-4 metre SUV slated for 2022-2023 may get delayed by six months

Great news!!!

1. Would be getting proper Fords instead of rebadged/re-engineered Mahindra's

2. Ford is here to stay and come with new products.

[lina]

All I want is those Mahindra engines to show up in some good, popular cars. They seem so good. It would be sad if it comes in only the XUV and Thar.

[abhi9044]

Remember what GM did in India? Promised to deliver new products within a year or two and then they left. I just hope Ford doesn't do the same.