The 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder engine makes 271bhp and 455Nm while mated to a 10-speed SelectShift automatic

The Ford Everest (Endeavour’s global counterpart) has been updated in China with an all-new petrol powertrain before filtering down to other foreign markets in the months to come. As per rumours, the Indian market might receive the powertrain as part of the next-gen Endeavour that is presently in the works. At present, we have the facelifted fourth-gen Ford Endeavour/Everest in BS6 specification.

Ford India launched the 2020MY Endeavour BS6 earlier this year at a starting price of Rs 29.55 lakh ex-showroom. In the process of meeting higher emission standards, the company has ditched the previous 158bhp/385Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder and 197bhp/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel mills for an all-new BS6-compliant 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel unit — an ideal balance between the former two.

Good for 168bhp and 420Nm of torque, the Ford Endeavour BS6 comes coupled to a 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The output is sent to the rear wheels as standard while AWD is available in its top variant. This engine is also packed in a twin-turbo setup in certain global markets, bumping the output to 207bhp and 500Nm.

Coming to the revised Chinese-spec Ford Everest petrol variant, prices start at CNY 285,800 or roughly INR 30.45 lakh ex-showroom. It is equipped with a 2.3-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol motor rated at 271bhp @ 5,500rpm and 455Nm @ 2,500rpm while mated to the familiar 10-speed automatic transmission (possibly in a different tuning). The motor replaces a 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbo petrol mill that made 244bhp @ 5,500rpm and 360Nm @ 4,000rpm (27bhp and 95Nm less). It came coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard.

We have already shared a few spy images of the updated petrol-powered Ford Everest from a vehicle lot in China in April. Interestingly, it was in April that the Indian automotive market saw the worst in recent history — zero domestic sales across major categories. On the other hand, China, the epicentre of COVID-19 outbreak, had started recovering from it around the same time. The Indian automotive market is still having struggles minimising losses and could learn a lot from the Chinese automotive model.

The mid-size 7-seater Ford SUV is quite popular on the Indian market and primarily rivals the Toyota Fortuner and Mahindra Alturas G4. Out of the three, Ford India has the most loaded offering. However, the facelifted Toyota Fortuner has already made its debut in Thailand in regular and ‘Legender’ formats — know more details.