In their recently announced partnership, Mahindra and Ford agreed to develop future products and share technology to create new cars catering wider audience. The duo will jointly bring six new products to the Indian market – three each from Ford and Mahindra. On the same note, the first product to come under the partnership will be the Mahindra XUV500. Ford will also be launching its iteration of the XUV500 after the debut of the next-gen Mahindra XUV500.
While the upcoming Mahindra XUV500 has been spotted several times on the Indian roads, this is the first instance when Ford’s iteration of the car has been spotted. Reports suggest that the cars will share the same platform, developed by Mahindra. However, Ford’s design is expected to be in line with Pininfarina, which is now owned by Mahindra. On the other hand, Mahindra will be basing the new XUV500 on the recently unveiled Funster concept.
Also Read : New Mahindra XUV500 Imagined, Looks Modern & Mature - IAB Rendering
A picture of the SUV that made it to the internet suggests a few notable elements. At the front, the car gets a different front grille that comes with multiple horizontal chrome lines. There's also a split headlamp setup with the conventional headlights and the DRLs are expected to be positioned higher. The spy image reveals this much about the SUV only.
At the moment, Ford’s iteration of the XUV500 is codenamed as the CX757 and is aimed at bridging the gap between the EcoSport and the Endeavour. This will be the first time that the brand will be entering the segment competing against the likes of Tata Harrier and MG Hector. Also in the same price range would be the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.
While there has been no official word on the powertrain options of the car, speculations suggest that Ford’s iteration would be powered by a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine that will power the next-generation XUV500. Also, the petrol variants of the respective SUVs will be a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol mStallion engine that made its debut with the all-new Thar. Both the engine options will get a manual as well as an automatic transmission option.
Stay to tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for the latest Ford updates and other four-wheeler news.
