Auto giant Ford Motors Co. introduced the world to its new mini sports utility vehicle, dubbed Ford EcoSport, at the recently held Go Further event in Amsterdam.
Built on the B3 platform of Ford, the European version of the Ford EcoSport will come equipped with the 1.0 litre EcoBoost which has been named as the ‘Best New Engine of the Year’ by the Engine Technology International magazine 2012. Ford’s 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine claims to enhance performance while delivering greater fuel efficiency. The turbo petrol engine is capable of delivering 125bhp of power.
During the event, Ford Motors Co. also announced that it would also launch the next generation Mustang in Europe. The next generation Mustang will be one of the upcoming as many as 15 new or restyled vehicles which Ford will launch in the European market over the next five years.
The American car manufacturer accelerated its global model strategy in order to confront the economic crisis in North America. Ford is expanding its lineup of vehicle in the European market at a time when most major car manufacturers are holding back on new car launches.
The American car maker is trying to expand its line up of vehicle in European market to provide customers with more options as it has been suffering decline in sales in the region. Ford’s European sales slipped 10 per cent to 517,094 units during the first half of the year.
Stephen Odell, chief executive of Ford’s European business, said they were making more investments in the region to demonstrate that the company believes that there is a great opportunity in Europe.
The sub 4-meter Ford compact SUV has been caught several times on spy cameras while undergoing test runs in India. The upcoming vehicle will be the strongest bet for Ford in the Indian market. The EcoBoost engine’s design and fuel efficiency is expected to help Detroit-based Ford to get a stronger foothold in the Indian SUV market.
The Ford EcoSport will hit European roads within the next 18 months.
