This new Ford MPV comes from the joint venture that Ford and Mahindra have entered into in India and it will use the platform and powertrain from the Marazzo.
Ford and Mahindra recently entered in a joint venture in India and under that development, both companies revealed public plans for three new SUVs for Ford along with their cooperation in electric vehicle development. Now, according to a report by Autocar India, Ford is also planning on a new MPV which will be based on the mahindra Marazzo as part of this joint venture.
Ford had plans of entering the MPV segment in India much earlier with a low cost version of the B-max sold internationally. However, the investment would have been too high, especially in a market where SUVs are rapidly taking over MPVs. The project was thus shelved eventually. However, now with this joint venture, Ford has access to the Marazzo platform, which they will use to develop their own version.
This will not be just a badge-engineering project but Ford will give the new MPV a completely individual look which is more in line with other Ford MPVs in the global market. The interiors will also be completely unique with a new dashboard design along with the Sync series infotainment system. Just like the Marazzo, the Ford MPV could be sold in seven or eight seater configurations.
However, there will be much in common between the two MPVs under the skin. The Ford MPV will thus use a ladder-frame chassis with a front-wheel drive setup just like the Marazzo. What will also be common between the tow MPVs is the powertrain. The Ford MPV will thus use a BS6 version of Mahindra’s 1.5-litre diesel engine. It will also have the option of both manual and automatic gearboxes. There’s also a 1.5 liter turbo petrol engine that Mahindra is still developing and that too could be offered.
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This joint venture has opened up a lot of new product options for Ford that was not earlier feasible for them to develop on their own. However, sharing the development and production costs with Mahindra now, a mid-size MPV is back in the pipeline. Also, the MPV segment is particularly integral to Ford’s global model range. “MPVs resonate with the perception that Ford is a family brand with family values,” said a source in Ford.
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The MPV segment in India has been consistently growing as well. MPVs like the second-gen Maruti Ertiuga and the Renault Triber have brought fresh life into the segment while the Innova Crstya has been leading the sales chart at the top-end for years now. Kia is also set to launch the Carnival MPV to take on the Innova Crsyta. “It’s the right time to enter the MPV market, especially since the entry barriers are now much lower with the Mahindra tie-up,” said a company insider from Ford. This new Ford MPV could is eexpected to go on sale in India sometime in 2021.
Source – Autocar India
