Ford Ecosport launch on 26 June, '13. Likely to be priced @ 6.2Lakhs

Ford will be launching its Fiesta-based compact SUV 'EcoSport' on 26 July. It will be the most anticipated launch after the Honda Amaze. The vehicle is expected to come with a starting price of around Rs 6.2 lakh (petrol) and Rs 7.2 lakh (diesel). The car will be launched this Wednesday with a 1.5-litre petrol variant as the base model, followed by a 1.5-litre diesel variant and another premium petrol variant sporting the 1-litre turbocharged Ecoboost engine.

With this aggressive pricing, the EcoSport's target would be customers of entry sedans such as the Maruti Suzuki Dzire and the Honda Amaze, and not the Renault Duster as was earlier believed. Ford would also aim to not repeat earlier pricing mistakes — while the Figo did well after its launch in 2010, the new Fiesta's high starting pricing of R8.23 lakh in 2011 meant volumes never really took off. Instead, the EcoSport will aim for a sweet spot between premium hatchbacks/entry sedans and compact SUVs.

The car which is due for launch next week is also expected to come in an automatic variant which would free women from the gear changing hassles. With the launch of the new variant, Ford India hopes to expand its EcoSport reach in the country.

Talking about company's plan to launch EcoSport Automatic variant Ford India president Joginder Singh said, "We have been working long on the EcoSport automatic variant that will be a special package for our Indian customers. While the sales of automatic vehicles are gradually increasing, we are expecting good initial response for this variant," adding that "We have added many new smart features like rear park assist and a complimentary emergency assistance service for all new owners, which will be a boon for women drivers."

"It's quite a bit smaller than the Duster and really feels like a bigger hatchback with better road presence and all-round view. So pricing has to reflect that. The only worry is that the market is not responding very well, so whether this will help Ford pick up overall volumes is the question," an industry executive said.