Ford Endeavour To Make India-Return As Everest

Many including us are waiting for Ford’s India return. As is rumoured, the Endeavour will be one of the first vehicles to be launched upon re-entry. However, reports now suggest that the SUV may be renamed as the ‘Everest’ when launched. What we knew as the Endeavour is sold in many global markets including the US, under the name ‘Everest’.

Initially, Ford had plans to use the name ‘Everest’ in India. However, another company owned the trademark for the name back then. This landed Ford in confusion before they finally settled down for the name ‘Endeavour’. In 2024, with its re-entry imminent, Ford seems to have filed a trademark for the name ‘Everest’, indicating their plans to launch the SUV with the same.

This means that it will have to do major rebranding exercises and potentially convince the loyal fan crowd of the new name. This, however, seems to be a worthy investment of time and capital. Using the Everest name on the Indian model will allow the manufacturer to tightly bind its India and global branding strategies together, reinforcing its place as a global SUV player.

Furthermore, owners will get to enjoy the pride of owning a global product with a global name! I mean, we have seen many customizing their Ford Endeavours with custom grilles and badges that read ‘Everest’, to mimic the design of the global product.

How The Everest Name Could Benefit Ford’s Business

Ford’s initial plan to re-enter the Indian market focuses on selling a limited number of completely built-up (CBU) models. Using the “Everest” name across markets will also provide cost-saving benefits. By importing the model directly from other right-hand drive markets, Ford can avoid the need for investments in locally producing new badges and nameplates specifically for India.

As of now, Ford India has not revealed any immediate plans to restart local manufacturing. The company’s strategy is centered around CBUs until its EV plans grow and are ready for implementation. This approach suggests that they may not resume manufacturing in India until late 2025 or early 2026. In late 2023, the company had cancelled plans to sell its manufacturing facility near Chennai, which was originally intended to produce EVs for local and export markets.

Rumours also indicate that Ford is exploring a partnership with an Indian manufacturer, potentially Tata Motors, to share technology and jointly produce hybrid and electric vehicles. While no official deals have yet been confirmed, Tata Motors is considered a leading contender for this collaboration, as they enjoy around 68% market share in EVs.

Ford’s India Return- Story So Far

Signs of Ford’s return to India emerged in January 2024 when the company filed design patents for the Everest SUV. Ford also began recruiting engineers for its Chennai plant, further indicating future operations. More recently, the sighting of CBU Everest models near Ford’s plant has provided concrete evidence of its re-entry into the domestic market.

While Ford is yet to officially announce its return to India, industry experts anticipate the launch of the CBU Everest before the end of 2024. Local production is expected to begin by 2026, aligning with the company’s long-term plans. The Everest is likely to be positioned in the premium SUV segment, with an estimated price range of INR 60 lakh to INR 70 lakh (ex-showroom), owing to its CBU routes.

Local Assembly Of Everest Is Feasible

Retaining the Chennai production facility has made things easier for Ford to shift to local assembly of the Everest in future. It will be the latest generation that’s coming to India, more about which we have discussed in a previous article. Even when it packs the latest tech and stands mechanically superior to the previous generations, the new Everest shares many of its key parts with the Endeavour that was previously on sale here. The Chennai facility used to produce Endeavours back then. Thus, with reasonably small investments, the plant can be converted to facilitate local assembly of the new Everest. This means Ford could consider the CKD route sooner than we think.