Endeavour facelift launch in 2-3 months; Next-generation Everest Concept displayed at Bangkok should make it to India next year
The Ford Endeavour has proved to be quite a dud in the Indian market. The SUV is outdated, based on a pick-up truck chassis and isn’t as comfortable as the other SUVs in this class. And it shows at the sales charts with just five Endeavours selling in February and two in January according to SIAM figures. We spoke to Ford and the company states that these are wholesale figures of the 2013 model. Once these 2013 models are sold, in the next 2-3 months, the 2014 Endeavour which receives a minor update will go on sale adds Ford India. The Everest will only come sometime in 2015.
The 2014 Endeavour gets a revised front end that includes a flatter bonnet, smaller upper grille with horizontal chrome slats, a hexagonal lower grille that’s part of the front bumper and new fog lamp housings. This update will be the final one on the current generation car.
Ford needs a replacement soon though and right on cue, SUV and Pick-up crazy Thailand gets to see the next generation Everest Concept that’s quite close to production. The Everest will be built at Ford’s Rayong plant in Thailand from where CKDs of the current Endeavour are shipped to India. Logically then, the new Everest (named Endeavour for India) will follow the same route.
Developed in Australia, the Everest Concept is as butch an SUV in design as they come. The large trapezoidal chrome grille takes centre stage with the smallish horizontal headlights extending out of it. The slab like bonnet gives the Everest a masculine touch as do the massive silver skid plates that extend to the fog lamps. It’s similar fare at the rear with the silver skid plate, large chrome strip with the Everest engraving and the slat like tail lamps. In fact, all the horizontal lines on the Everest seem to give it the street presence most SUV owners crave for. The bulbous wheel arches only add to this presence. The SUV will share some mechanical bits with the Ranger pick-up it is based on but we expect better comfort and space in the new SUV.
Powering the Everest will most likely be the 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre 4-cylinder engines developing 145 PS and 155 PS respectively. The engines should be more refined than on the outgoing Endeavour. 4x2 and 4x4 versions will be available 5-speed manual for the 2.5-litre and the 5-speed automatic for the 3.0 are likely to be carried forward as well.
0 comments: