As per industry sources, Ford wants to increase sales by bringing back the Endeavour SUV. The company is thinking about assembling the vehicles locally in its Chennai factory or importing full-built units without homologation. Importing ready-made SUVs would allow Ford to compete against rivals like the Toyota Fortuner while preparing for local production in 2025.
Ford’s Chennai Factory Dilemma
Even after earlier plans to sell its Chennai factory, Ford has kept the plant. This gives Ford an advantage to restart operations there. The needed regulatory approvals to potentially sell the plant have already been taken, making it easier for Ford to use the factory again. Reconfiguring the plant to make the new Endeavour would also be fairly straightforward since the old and new Endeavour share some common parts. As per sources, Ford has started hiring new employees at their Chennai plant, and have initiated process to stop its sale.
New Endeavour SUV’s Features
The new Ford Endeavour uses the same platform as the Ranger pickup truck, giving it a sturdy ladder-frame structure. On the outside, it has a boxier front, prominent grille, Matrix LED headlights and boxy shape. Inside, the three-row cabin gets a modern 12-inch touchscreen, SYNC software, and new safety technologies.
Safety features in the new Endeavour include 9 airbags, hands-free parking assist, adaptive cruise control and collision detection. The SUV can automatically apply brakes to avoid accidents. Engine options consist of two 2.0-litre diesel variants and one 3.0-litre V6 diesel, similar to the Ranger pickup. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual and 10-speed automatic. Some variants also offer 2WD capability.
