Michael Boneham, Ford India President and Managing Director, announced that the automotive company is to invest $142 million in its Chennai plant in India. The investment will go towards manufacturing Ford’s new compact SUV, called ‘EcoSport’. The company is setting up an additional, $1 billion investment into a new plant in Sanand, Gujarat.
Ford India’s new vehicle will be launched in the market later this year, making its debut in India and then expanding to 100 markets across the globe. According to the company, the EcoSport will be driven by a one-liter EcoBoost engine. The power and performance of the SUV, however, will easily rival 1.6 gasoline engines.
“We have promised to bring more than 50 vehicles and powertrains in Asia and Africa by mid-decade and the all new EcoSport continues to deliver that pledge,” said Asia-Pacific President for Ford Joe Hinrichs.
“This is the first compact SUV and we are launching it right at the heart of the compact vehicles market,” said Ford CEO Alan Mulally, adding that the global market is still strong, with an expectation of al leat 5% growth over the next two years consecutively. “The Asia-Pacific market has slowed down a little bit, but there is tremendous growth potential,” he said.