Ford EcoSport Thunder Edition launched in India

Ford India has just launched a new special edition of the EcoSport compact SUV. Called the Thunder Edition, it’s essentially a visual makeover of the sub-4 meter SUV and does not get any mechanical changes or feature additions. Among the visual changes are dual tone bonnet, black roof, black alloys, dual tone interior, blacked out wing mirrors and a contrast roof. The alloy wheels also get a blacked out finish.

Prices of the Ford EcoSport’s Thunder Edition start from Rs. 10.18 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, while those of the diesel start from Rs. 10.68 lakhs. The compact SUV is offered with petrol and diesel engine options, and the Thunder Edition is based on the EcoSport’s Titanium variant. It gets an electric sunroof option, along with the 9 inch floating infotainment display on the dashboard, and all other features that are standard on the Titanium trim.

Anurag Mehrotra, president & managing director, Ford India, said,

Whether it is the low-cost of ownership or the outstanding capabilities, safety or innovative features on offer, Ford is working relentlessly to deliver greater value to customers. The MY 2019 is a shining example of our efforts. Backed by a strong product development team and ongoing localization efforts, we are not just keeping up with the evolving consumer needs but also surprise them with enhanced value on offer across 2019 model lineup of Ford EcoSport.

The Ford EcoSport Thunder edition’s petrol engine is the 1.5 liter-3 cylinder naturally aspirated unit that makes 123 Bhp-150 Nm. The gearbox is a five speed manual. The diesel engine is the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder TDCI turbocharged unit with 98.6 Bhp-215 Nm. It gets a 5 speed manual gearbox as well. Higher variants of the Ford EcoSport get the petrol-automatic trim, where the petrol engine is paired to a six speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

In recent times, competition for the Ford EcoSport has increased by quite a bit with new SUVs such as the Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Hyundai Venue arriving into the market. Sales of the EcoSport have already shown a dip due to this and the latest Thunder Edition is to bring some of the buyer attention towards the EcoSport. Ford is also working on the BS6 version of the EcoSport, which is expected to continue with three engine options post April 2020: 1 liter-3 cylinder EcoBoost turbo petrol, 1.5 liter-3 cylinder naturally aspirated petrol and the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel. The gearbox options will also remain unchanged. The automaker is working on a new EcoSport, whose platform it’s likely to share with Mahindra. The new EcoSport is likely to make a 2021 debut.