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Ford IndiaThe already existing mini SUV Ford Fusion has not created much of a positive wave amidst the Indians. It is said that Ford’s inaccurate and wrong predictions over advertising its product in India was the reason for the failure. The vehicle though being good at performance never really picked up good sales numbers. Ford advertised the product like advertising the Americans about their product and didn’t hold Indian priorities in mind. That not being the issue, Fusion’s higher price was said to be one more major cause of the failure. After all these, the Fusion is going to be phased out in the near future. Ford seems to have learned from these experiences and now they are going to launch another Mini-SUV. They have code named it as B515 for the moment which will cater to the B segment. A similar build as that of the Fiesta will be seen with the curvature and the boxy nuances of a Mini-SUV. The whole world will be seeing the arrival of the vehicle and the ride quality will be of international standards. The Engines will be 1.2 Liter Petrol and 1.4 Liter Diesel and the price of the B515 might cost around the Rs. 5 lakh mark. The compact SUV can be expected by the third or fourth quarter of 2011. |
Ford should relaunch its Fusion with Diesel engine and must-to-have ABS and Air bags at reasonably reduced B segment price. Then, certainly it will be a success. Customers’ feedback should be taken into account immediately rather than delaying the action and letting the vehicle become extinct, unnecessarily. Ford was really lethargic as far as Fusion was concerned to act on customers’ feedback. Even now, it is not too late. Will Ford wake-up?
That “technical diagram of an unknown SUV” is a manipulated Lincoln Navigator…
Anyway, hope we see more mini-SUVs that come with rear wheel drive and in a more affordable price bracket.. Mahindra can do it, they have the platform and who on earth wouldn’t want to see the return of the classics… CL550 or Major anyone??
mini suv should not be as mini as the definition of small car called nano,no matter if price goes upto 7lakhs, & I could not understand how a suv would be of only 4lakhs, standards of suv should be maintained
Yes A mini SUV / MPV is a urgent need. No car ( except Fusion, which is branded as failure ) is there now. Convenience of Hatch back, comfort of MPV, SUV kind of maneuver in Indian roads – we need a MINI SUV ? MPV.
To cater the middle class ( lot is available for luxury ), Less than 4m, 5 seater, 500 lts boot, 175 mm ground clearance, bucket seat comfort, 75 hp, 100 NM torque, 17 kpl minimum milage Masculine modern look, ABS / Airbag safty features from a quality company like M & M, TOyota, Maruthi, TATA, Hyundai will be nice.
My shortlists are Toyota Urban Cruiser / Avanza, Modified Gypsy / Gimmy, Mini Xylo, mini Safari etc.
Hope before end of 2010, we will have some, like a lot has come for hatch back in 2009.