Thank you to BHPian vinit.merchant for sharing this information with other enthusiasts!

The Ford EcoSport now comes with dual airbags as standard across all variants. The compact SUV earlier had them only on the Trend and above trim levels. After this feature addition, every car in Ford's Indian portfolio now comes with a driver airbag as standard.

Addition of airbags to the base Ambiente variant might also be a response to the Vitara Brezza, which comes with a standard driver airbag and an optional passenger airbag in the base LDi trim. There are no other changes made to the EcoSport's feature list. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) still come only with the Trend and above variants. Meanwhile, the range-topping Titanium AT and Titanium + variants continue to offer six airbags (front, side and curtain).

The EcoSport has managed to hold onto its over 3,000 units monthly sales mark, despite facing tough competition from the Maruti Vitara Brezza. With added safety, Ford appears to be aiming to pull a few more customers away from its Japanese competitor.

Ford India has launched a Signature Edition of the EcoSport compact SUV. This special edition variant is priced at Rs. 9.26 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Essentially, the EcoSport Signature Edition is similar to the Black Edition model that was launched earlier this year, though it gets some added accessories.

Changes on the outside include LED Daytime Running Lights placed below the fog lamp, front and rear bumper appliqués, and body graphics on the door panels. Based on the Black Edition, the Signature Edition too gets all-black exteriors which includes the front grille, alloy wheels, ORVM covers, roof rails, fog lamp bezel and headlight assemblies.

Feature additions on the inside include illuminated scuff plates and black vinyl seat covers with red stitching. All added elements of the EcoSport Signature edition will be fitted at dealer level on the existing EcoSport Black variants.

The EcoSport Black Signature Edition will be offered with two engine options: a 1.5-litre petrol, a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel. Transmission options on offer include a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed DCT.

Thank you to the Team-BHP fan (he prefers to remain anonymous) who sent this information in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts!

Ford India has started production of the EcoSport with a 2.0-litre petrol engine. A quick search on Zauba shows that the company is exporting the compact SUV to Mexico. This engine will be offered only in international markets and won't be launched in India.

This 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine churns out 138 BHP and 186 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and a DCT automatic gearbox is available as an option.

According to international reviews, the 2.0-litre petrol EcoSport feels sluggish to drive and hence, Indians aren't missing much with the absence of this engine option in the market. The EcoSport in India continues to be offered with a 1.5-litre diesel (which accounts for the majority of the sales), while petrol lovers have got the 1.0-litre EcoBoost at their disposal.

Ford will not launch the 2.0-litre petrol EcoSport here, since it will place the compact SUV in a higher excise duty bracket. This won't be beneficial in a price sensitive market like ours, especially at a time when the EcoSport's chief competitor, the Maruti Vitara Brezza, is pulling customers away from Ford showrooms.

Ford has launched the EcoSport Black Edition at prices starting from Rs. 8.58 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

The Black Edition is available in Trend+, Titanium & Titanium+ variants. It features some cosmetic changes such as a black grille, black-out moulded headlamps, 16-inch black alloy wheels, black mirror covers, black fog lamp bezels, black roof rails and roof cross bars.

The Ford EcoSport Black Edition will be available with the same engine and transmission options as the regular EcoSport. These include a 1.5-litre TiVCT petrol engine with manual and automatic transmissions, a 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine coupled to a manual gearbox, and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine with a manual gearbox.

Earlier this year, Ford slashed the price of the EcoSport. The step was taken in order to bring the prices at par with the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, which had been launched earlier in the same week.

Prices (ex-showroom, New Delhi):

Trend+

• 1.0-litre EcoBoost - Rs. 8,58,500
• 1.5-litre TDCi - Rs. 8,88,500

Titanium

• 1.5-litre TiVCT MT - Rs. 8,74,800
• 1.5-litre TiVCT AT - Rs. 9,79,800
• 1.5-litre TDCi - Rs. 9,34,800

Titanium+

• 1.0-litre EcoBoost - Rs. 9,63,300
• 1.5-litre TDCi - Rs. 9,93,300

A facelifted version of the Ford EcoSport has been spotted once again, this time in China.

The vehicle is seen wearing a heavy camouflage at the front and rear. This suggests that it is likely get changes to its headlights, front grille, tail lamps, bumpers and tail-gate. The car does not have its spare wheel mounted on the tail-gate.

The interior on this particular car sees a major revamp, unlike a previously spotted test mule that had comparatively minor alterations. The dashboard has been completely redesigned. It sports a black and beige theme with a reworked centre fascia that includes a new display and new controls for the infotainment system. The air-conditioner vents and controls have been redesigned and the steering wheel and instrument cluster are new as well.

The refreshed EcoSport is likely to be unveiled in 2017.

Source: auto.sina.com.cn

Ford will shift the production of the EcoSport compact SUV from its Chennai plant to Craiova, Romania by end of 2017, to cater to European markets. The Indian operations will focus on the domestic market as well as the rest of the world including North America.

The EcoSport witnessed a 30% growth in Europe and this decision to move the production to Romania will require a further investment of 200 million Euros (Rs. 1,486.7 crore).

According to a report by Economic Times, this move will result in freeing up plant capacity to export cars to rest of the world, especially North America, where the company plans to ship 80,000 - 90,000 units annually.

God bless competition!

Earlier this week, Maruti Suzuki launched the Vitara Brezza - its rival for the Ford EcoSport. The car has been priced between Rs. 6.99 - 9.68 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Now, Ford has announced a reduction in prices of all variants of the EcoSport. The vehicle is now priced between Rs. 6.88 - 9.75 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

The price reduction, which ranges from Rs. 53,000 to Rs. 1,12,300 (depending upon the variant), has made the EcoSport an excellent value for money proposition. The range topping diesel Titanium+ is equipped with features such as 6 airbags, automatic headlamps, daytime running lights, Sync with AppLink, rain-sensing wipers and emergency assistance among others.

Here is a quick look at the old and new prices of the EcoSport.

Petrol

1.5L Ti-VCT Manual
Ambient - Old Rs. 7,22,500; New Rs. 6,88,000
Trend - Old Rs. 8,18,300; New Rs. 7,40,900
Titanium - Old Rs. 9,33,900; New Rs. 8,56,500

1.5L Ti-VCT Automatic
Titanium - Old Rs. 10,36,300; New Rs. 9,61,500

1.0L EcoBoost
Trend+ - Old Rs. 8,96,300; New Rs. 8,18,900
Titanium+ - Old Rs. 10,32,400; New Rs. 9,45,000

Diesel

1.5L TDCi
Ambient - Old Rs. 8,41,100; New Rs. 7,28,800
Trend - Old Rs. 9,13,200; New Rs. 8,00,900
Trend+ - Old Rs. 9,61,200; New Rs. 8,48,900
Titanium - Old Rs. 10,28,800; New Rs. 9,16,500
Titanium+ - Old Rs. 10,87,300; New 9,75,000

Ford India recently gave the EcoSport a host of updates including a bump-up in power for the diesel engine. A short while after the updated EcoSport was launched in India, a test mule of the facelifted EcoSport was spotted in complete camouflage in the US. Now, a fresh set of spy images have given us a sneak peek at the new car's dashboard.

Features that grab the eye are the new instrument cluster and infotainment display. The test mule doesn't sport the twin-pod layout of the current car. Instead, it gets a new multi-information display (MID) in the middle, with the speedometer and fuel gauge housed on the right, along with the tachometer and engine temperature gauge to the display's left.

Ford's SYNC system seems to have been updated and the infotainment display sports a full colour interface. The dashboard's design remains the same, but the silver bits around the centre console and AC vents have been replaced by piano black surrounds, while the car seems to get new switch-gear for the climate control system as well.

A few close-up images of the camouflaged exterior also show that the headlamps have been changed and look similar to the units seen on the new Endeavour / Everest. The tail lamps will also receive minor tweaks as will the fog lamps.

The new EcoSport will be unveiled later in 2016, but is unlikely to hit the Indian market before 2017.

Images courtesy: autossegredos

A test mule of the Ford EcoSport facelift has been spied in the United States. The car is instantly recognizable and is clad in a heavy camouflage that covers the entire front and rear portions. The EcoSport has been Ford India's one model wonder, but the little crossover isn't currently offered in Ford's home market, where sales are primarily driven by plus-sized trucks like the F-150.

Changes could include a new set of headlights and tail lights and a new front grille. Unlike the recently updated European EcoSport, the test mule still wears its spare wheel on the tailgate. A closer inspection shows the variant on test with a 4WD badge on its side and rear disc brakes.

The test mule, which has Michigan plates, has reignited speculation about the EcoSport's launch in the USA with reports suggesting a launch in 2017. Ford has yet to confirm these plans so it remains to be seen when the new EcoSport will be launched, what it will bring to the table and what markets it will be introduced in.

Images via: WorldCarFans

Ford has recalled 16,444 units of the EcoSport in India to inspect and rectify a problem related to the rear twist beam bolt. The recall covers vehicles manufactured between November 2013 and April 2014 at the company's Chennai plant.

According to Ford, in some of the affected vehicles, there is a possibility that the rear twist beam (RTB) bolt may not be tightened to specification, which may cause the pivot bolt to break. This condition can potentially compromise vehicle handling and thereby increase the risk of an accident.

No accidents related to the concern have been reported.

Ford is writing to the owners of the affected vehicles, asking them to get their vehicles inspected at a local Ford dealer. If needed, the dealership will carry out necessary rework free of cost.