[libranof1987]

Much to our own misfortune, I do feel the entire charade with Ford teasing/testing the sentiment of a re-entry won't work out well - neither for customers, nor for them.

Ford was doing all the right things, with the right products and the right after-sales (with a drastic drop in cost of ownership) in the last decade and after all that, threw in the towel. Sure, they still have a bunch of goodwill left due to their cars, but what will they sell. And how.

The EcoSport had an early mover advantage when it was launched, but I doubt Ford is foolish to believe they can experience similar success again. What's left is the new Endeavour. Would Ford want to go through all that trouble for a single model. Unlikely.

Unless they intend to export cars from India and sell cars in India as a side business, this won't end well. Again, this is much to our own detriment.

[Rohitthebest]

For me if Ford comes out with something like an EcoSport / Jimny combo, I will buy it with my eyes closed as I am in the market for a mid size SUV with proper rear wheel drive and 4X4 gear box.

Not so long ago a rumour was going over of Maruti Suzuki taking over Ford or tying up with Ford just like they did with Toyota, in that scenario EcoSport with Jimny's gear box and set up with be an amazing product. Not sure how feasible it will be for Maruti's own sales.

Else I will wait for All New Duster hopefully with an Autobox with AWD combo this time. Fingers Crossed.

[raptor_diwan]

Ford will definitely pick up now, Not as much as hype but it would. As people are getting bored with the same concept of looking at cars in the crossover SUV segment. Nowadays, all the cars seem to be of the same type—Nexon, Magnite, Kiger, and the majority of the players look alike, making it feel boring. EcoSport and Endeavour would stand out, and people, including myself, would still buy them. I am particularly interested in EcoSport.

[IamNikhil]

In a market which is already choc-a-bloc with multiple choices for a customer, it is definitely going to be an uphill task for Ford to "return" to the Indian market and earn the public trust. To begin with, Ford India, even in it's heyday, had never tasted runaway success as compared to competition. Yes, the Ecosport and the Figo were a ray of sunshine, but the brand could never really build on their success.

[bullitt1]

As much as I would like Ford to make a comeback, i dont think it will happen. They have consolidated their cars across developing markets and this should not be any different. Pity though such fantastic cars in their global portfolio and they fail to capitalize.

Ford was best under Alan Mullaly with "One Ford" policy though they goofed up on pricings here. It was downfall from new Figo twins.

[mm_shen]

Having driven an Ecosport for well over 40k km, I can vouch for the sheer joy it brought me. We had bought the Ecosport in late 2019. When they announced the exit in 2021, it left a bitter taste.

We could get the service, but we were not sure if the service centers could sustain. A rear light cover replacement was not available in Bangalore and we had to source it from a local garage who got it from a source in Delhi. My aged uncle who was using the car, was already finding it difficult to maneuver. This replacement problem was the final nail in the coffin and the car was sold off, even when I did not want to part ways with it.

My understanding is that Ford Sanand plant became a heavy liability to them and the fixed overhead like salaries were a big dent in their pockets. This was a way to get rid of this liability and hence decided to close down. Now may be they are thinking of coming back as Sanand is disposed off. But this is all hearsay. May be some Bhpian working as an employee or vendor for Ford India can shed more light.

However, with so many variants of "SUVs" in the market, they are going to find it hard. They have to pull up the socks and offer something which will pull the masses. It is not going to be easy. All the best to Ford India. If they are coming, I hope they come with something phenomenal.

[fiat_tarun]

Such strong speculation is definitely not without reason and hence I suspect they will definitely come back in some form or the other.

I do not think they will come back into the mass segement as of now as it will not work with an import / CKD strategy. Ford does not have a ready engine meeting BS6.2 for a mass market vehicle.

What they do have is the locally produced 2.0L Panther in single & bi-turbo configurations being made in Sanand as we speak and hence they will operate in the Endeavour / Ranger and above category where they can actually compete and keep the brand alive.

With Chinese OEMs taking over their home market, Ford needs to be present in other regions and cannot depend only on America and this is why I feel they will keep the India story alive and slowly expand basis the market development.

If all had gone well and Mahindra hadn't ditched Ford at the last minute, we would have had 2 Ford SUV's launching this year - Ecosport replacement and a Creta competitor !

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by saikishor

Media is to be blamed for overhyping Ford's reentry. This is being done just to increase followers IMO. Ford will not re enter the Indian market, given how they left in a rush. And as a BHPian has said above, it would require a lot of trust building by the brand for an average joe to trust the brand again. We need to let Ford rest, they left for their own good. Somehow Americans never found the formula to crack the Indian market.

Originally Posted by condor

Ford un-did all the goodwill and confidence that they had built over the years with their excellent cars. But coming back now will be a second coming - From Scratch ! They have sold their factories. And that is not going to be easy at all.

While I believe Ford's re-entry is hyped, I do not think it will take massive efforts to rebuild the brand, provided they bring in the right products. Here are some reasons why I think so

1. Ford is a known name even today. People are using their cars, it is in sight on the roads, mechanics know it

2. Indians have a penchant for buying good products, especially in the luxury & SUV segments.

3. Ford has a fan following in India. They have delivered some great cars here and is a long standing company.

[udzgodfather]

Most of the traditional US Businesses who have tried to set up shops in India have always wanted to take Indians for a hike, sub standard products for high prices thinking that they can take Indians holding there noses, and they have failed again and again, be it Ford or General Motors or any other company.

The capitalist at the top table needs to understand India at the grass-root level to be able to have a successful stint in India, don't take Indians for a fool, period.

[condor]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

They still have Chennai factory and until recently were manufacturing Ecosport. They do have dealers but only for service.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

While I believe Ford's re-entry is hyped, I do not think it will take massive efforts to rebuild the brand, provided they bring in the right products. .

The Chennai factory is being used for exports, IIRC. While they have got some money selling the other units, those funds would have been used to compensate in company balance sheets overall.

Setting up a new factory is no joke, and then they will have recover all that through sales - a totally different game than if they had continued with existing factories where the costs had been recovered to a large extent even if not full.

Service dealers have also reduced. Starting 2nd innings means investment for the sales dealerships and also for service - even these people will have to invest and then recover.

Its two very different things to continue on existing setup vs having to start all over again. Public opinion will only be a helpful factor for them - even I would rather go for a Ford than a Nissan/Datsun/Renault/Citroen. But that is not everything, especially in today's competitive market where we have even talked about Honda pulling the plug on India ops with their low market share. Or VW/Skoda too.

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by condor

Setting up a new factory is no joke, and then they will have recover all that through sales - a totally different game than if they had continued with existing factories where the costs had been recovered to a large extent even if not full.

Service dealers have also reduced. Starting 2nd innings means investment for the sales dealerships and also for service - even these people will have to invest and then recover.

Its two very different things to continue on existing setup vs having to start all over again. Public opinion will only be a helpful factor for them - even I would rather go for a Ford than a Nissan/Datsun/Renault/Citroen. But that is not everything, especially in today's competitive market where we have even talked about Honda pulling the plug on India ops with their low market share. Or VW/Skoda too.

Very valid points, and I don't disagree. Capital investment, as you say will be heavy. But this still is a known brand in India, isn't it? There are lots of Ford cars on the road. Ford also is a rich company, so I'd think that if they want to start again, they will have the capital to do it. However it shouldn't be too difficult for them to lure customers to their showrooms.

Get the right products where demand and profits are high, slot them in the correct price range and I believe Ford will have customers.

[raghu67]

Originally Posted by MotorDev

[center]

Is Ford's comeback to India just hype?

will they succeed this time around, or is it just hype?[/b] Will people actually buy their cars, or will it be a repeat of the past?

As someone who has 3 ford cars in family for the past 11years, i know what kind of questions people ask, what FNG mechanics say.

I believe whats happening now regarding ford's comeback is just hype and there will be no change in future and people keep buying tissue papers with wheels and mechanics keep recommending and praising these tissue papers.

[Tuisha110HP]

I don't know my comment is relevant or not, but I really think that companies like Ford should exist in the market. They set a benchmark of how a car should be.

My brother bought a Ford Freestyle after Ford's exit because of cheaper resale value. Except the interiors, boy, the car drives like a dream. I could drive the car like a proper go-kart. Found it handle way better than polo and my Skoda Rapid. The car can really turn itself into any corner without hesitation and loosing grip.

[sSTIFFLERr]

Any product from ford is a long term product, Ford cars were build to last. As fellow bhpian righty said "PRODUCT WAS NEVER THE ISSUE, MANAGEMENT WAS".

They spent very less on advertisement, never highlighted product's USP to aam janta. I am a ford fan boy and it really shook me to the core when I heard the news in 2021. I have always had at least one ford car in my garage always. And to give some context I have had the pleasure to own a lot of cars in past 15 years. Car ownership started from premier padmini, maruti omni, maruti 800, ford ikon 1.3 P, skoda octavia D, chevy Beat LT P, maruti A-STAR AT, Ford figo D, M&M quanto, toyota fortuner.

Currently I want to replace my 2014 figo diesel but there is nothing that can match. Quality is so superb that after 90k km on the odo, all the simple things like switches and buttons are still like they were on day 1. Colors and markings are not even faded, absolutely zero rattles even after a high speed crash from which all 3 occupants walked out of car like nothing has happened. The safety is top notch and I prefer my parents should only use Ford for their travel I trust this car that much.

Fault was management and not updating products regularly. I was waiting for ages to see an actual update in ecosport which was my only choice for next car. They had a winner in their hand don't know were they massed up.

Even right now I don't feel their product decision is right for re-entering the Indian market. Present hottest segment is crossover suv/ mini suv, the segment they themselves created. I have said it before and I say it again update the ecosport properly this time thats it.

Give ecosport a well deserved AWD system, give some space like tata nexon, throw in diesel AT as well while you are at it and done no one will be able to compete.

[raghu67]

Originally Posted by Tuisha110HP

I don't know my comment is relevant or not, but I really think that companies like Ford should exist in the market. They set a benchmark of how a car should be.

My brother bought a Ford Freestyle after Ford's exit because of cheaper resale value. Except the interiors, boy, the car drives like a dream. I could drive the car like a proper go-kart. Found it handle way better than polo and my Skoda Rapid. The car can really turn itself into any corner without hesitation and loosing grip.

Yes, Ford cars have very good handling. I can confidently do highway speeds with 5 people onboard on my Fiesta without worrying about our floating highways and car getting unsettled at such speed and load.

Tried it once on a friend's Verna and it didn't give me confidence to do it again.