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Ford's Escape may debut at Auto Expo

Sudha Menon

PUNE, Nov. 29

FORD India Ltd (FIL) is considering the debut of its sports utility vehicle (SUV), Escape , in India at the forthcoming Auto Expo. The company has applied for the necessary Government approvals to import the vehicle, top sources told Business Line.

Sources said the company plans to import the SUV to fit into the niche slot currently occupied only by Tata Engineerings Safari model. Tentative plans now being firmed up is for the SUV to be launched in the domestic market in 2 litre diesel turbo-charge d version to be followed by a 2-litre petrol version.

When we applied for FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval for import of CBUs , our application included permission for all vehicles made by Ford, a company spokesperson said, when contacted adding that the company has in the past used the au to expo to display and market research many of its models.

Our sales team is still finalising what we plan to display at the show, but with the industry being as intensely competitive as it is, all we can say at this moment is that we are currently only importing CBUs of the Mondeo, the spokesperson said.

We are , however, putting up some exciting models on show at the auto expo, he added

The company is , meanwhile, planning to officially launch its D segment offering, the Mondeo in the market in mid-December , the spokesperson said . Sources said the company has tentatively planned to drive in the car into dealer showrooms on December 17 . A first consignment of 100 CBUs of the car has already arrived at Nhava Sheva, sources said, adding that the Mondeo will be available in 2 litre petrol and diesel versions. The car will sport a price tag of approximately Rs 15 lakh, sources added. The Mondeo will end the 3-year long drought of models at Ford India, which survived in a highly competitive car market in the throes of a sustained recession , with the lone Ikon model which replaced its debut model in India, the Ford Escort.

Sources said that the company is hoping to get ahead in the race by creating a new luxury SUV segment with the launch of the Escape . With Tata Engineerings Safari model not having exactly fired the consumers imagination and only other competition, Mitsu bishis Pajero , priced well into the super-luxury category, the company hopes to rake in the moolah with the Escape, which is likely to fall into the Rs 10-lakh price segment. Independent sources told Business Line the company is considering the CKD (com pletely-knocked down) route to bring in the Escape and assemble it at its Maraimalainagar plant, in a bid to keep down the costs.

The 5-seater Escape , incidentally, is the first model jointly developed by Ford Motors and Mazda and is internationally placed in the same segment as Hondas CR-V and Toyotas RAV-4. Sources said the company is likely to bring in the CBU into India from M azdas Hofu plant in Japan. The company expects to sell 1000 units a month of the car, sources said.