Keen to enhance market share, and offer products in each segment, Ford India is reportedly developing a new hatchback to rival the likes of Maruti Suzuki Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20. Together, these two cars account for more than 25,000 unit sales every month
The new platform, codenamed B536 as on date, is a modified version of B562 platform on which Ford Figo and Ford Aspire are positioned. This new B563 platform will be more affordable, allowing the company to price the upcoming hatchback more efficiently so as to take on competition.
The current Figo hatch competes more with the Maruti Swift and Hyundai Grand i10.Last year, it was reported that Ford India is working towards launching a replacement of Ford Fiesta sedan, which is no longer on sale in India. This Ford sedan would have taken on the likes of Maruti Ciaz, Honda City and Hyundai Verna if launched. This new Ford sedan was to be based on B500 platform and was expected to be launched by 2022.
But, because the buyer trend is shifting towards SUVs globally, Ford decided to shut the B500 project altogether.
New EcoSportAlong with this new platform, Ford India is also in the process of developing new engines. These engines will comply with new emission norms to come into effect by 2023 once Real Driving Emission (RDE) test cycles are implemented in the country. The first such engine from the Dragon family will be a 1.5 litre, three cylinder petrol engine, which will make its way onto the Ford EcoSport facelift later this year.
