05.01.2012

Ford unveils new EcoSport concept

Like China the Indian car market is on the up and the country's top motor show in Delhi is also gaining importance in the global automotive industry.

This year the Show is seeing its first global unveil, the new Ford EcoSport small SUV. In concept form only at the moment and based on the Fiesta platform, it will go into production at the company's factory in Chennai and will be sold around the world.

The car is very European in looks although India and South America are likely to be its first markets. No date has been set for production start-up although the middle of next year is likely and the EcoSport could one day come to the UK.

The growing importance of the Indian market was highlighted by the fact that a number of carmakers shipped in top executives for the show.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that India will be at the forefront of the company's worldwide growth in the future. He added: "The majority of our growth in terms of production facilities and volumes will be focused on serving the Asia Pacific region starting with India."

The EcoSport, he said, has been developed after a lot of research involving Indian customers. It is the second of eight new global models that Ford plans to roll out in the country over the next three to five years.

The company estimates that sales in Asian and African markets will increase its global sales to 8m a year by 2015.

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