Rumour: Ford C-segment SUV to be based on Mahindra platform

In September 2017, Mahindra and Ford had announced a strategic partnership for the development of new products. A recent media report suggests that Ford is planning a C-segment SUV that will be positioned between the EcoSport and Endeavour. This new SUV will likely be based on the next-generation Mahindra XUV500 (codenamed: W601) platform.

In return, Mahindra will gain access to Ford's B562 platform for a future electric sedan. Besides, there have been reports of Mahindra co-developing an electric vehicle (EV) based on the Ford Aspire. Ford's first EV is likely to be launched sometime in 2019.

Reports suggest that Mahindra has a 10-12% lower cost structure than Ford. The partnership between two brands is expected to reduce development costs and the time required to launch new products. However, neither Ford nor Mahindra have yet confirmed these reports.

Source: ET Auto