Ford launches EcoSport at Rs 5.59 lakh to take on Renault Duster

US-based automobile major Ford Motor Company on Wednesday launched a compact sports utility vehicle, EcoSport, in the Indian market at an aggressive entry price of Rs 5.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) to take on the Renault Duster, Mahindra & Mahindra's Quanto and Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga.

While the petrol variants of the EcoSport are priced between Rs 5.59 lakh and Rs 8.45 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the diesel options would come for between Rs 6.69 lakh and Rs 8.99 lakh. The price points of the EcoSport are significantly lower than those of Renault's best-selling car, the Duster, tagged between Rs 7.99 lakh and Rs 12.18 lakh.

The EcoSport is expected to throw a serious challenge not only to competitors in the entry-level utility vehicle segment such as Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Mahindra Quanto but also to makers of premium hatches (Hyundai i20) and compact sedans (Maruti Suzuki DZire, Honda Amaze), which have mid-range products in the Rs 6-10-lakh bracket.

The company has already built an inventory of 5,000 units, anticipating orders and the deliveries will begin on Wednesday.

Joginder Singh, managing director, Ford India, said, "We expect the EcoSport to be a game changer for Ford India. It will set a new benchmark in the Indian automotive space. Based on the One Ford global platform, the product is tuned to the needs of Indian consumers."

Ford India has invested $142 million at its Chennai facility to support the manufacturing of the EcoSport. To achieve economies of scale and manufacture the vehicle cost-effectively, the company has firmed up a blue-print to export the EcoSport to 40 countries in Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia and South Africa.

"EcoSport addresses the white space with its competition-differentiating attributes like kinetic design language, first-in-segment SYNC voice enabled interactive technology feature, the 1.0L 125 PS Ecoboost engine that is 20 per cent more fuel efficient than a traditional 1.6L engine, spacious interiors and urban road requirements such as ground clearance (200 mm) and turning radius that define its on-road capability. We have a great product in the EcoSport and therefore we will not limit its draw to any specific customer base," said Vinay Piparsania, executive director (marketing, sales and service).

EcoSport's target customer is a young male professional working in a multi-national, married, with a child and living with his parents. He aspires to own a vehicle that is modern, premium, sporty, and technology feature-rich.

Piparsania informed the vehicle has been designed and developed to differentiate him (the target customer) from others in his social circle who own passenger vehicles and at the same time, support his daily personal and professional needs.

The vehicle is suited for his kind of urban lifestyle, enabling him to get away from the city.

The EcoSport comes in four trims, eight colours and three engine options including the one-litre EcoBoost turbocharged engine. The engine delivers a power of 1.6-litre engine and fuel efficiency of a small car. As part of the One Ford plan, the FordEcoSport is based on the company's B-platform. Ford intends to produce two million vehicles annually on its B-platform by 2015.