Mahindra Marazzo Will Get a New Avatar in Ford-Mahindra JV Experiment

Joint ventures are the order of the day. Mahindra and Ford have joined hands to plan three new SUVs for Ford. A critical product of the JV is the new Ford MPV built on the Mahindra Marazzo design.

Ford had plans of entering the MPV market to compete with Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. However, cost constraints forced them to shelve their plans. The JV with Mahindra allows them the leeway to introduce a new Ford MPV built on the Mahindra Marazzo platform.

The new Ford MPV will be similar to the Mahindra Marazzo but with distinctive features that resemble Ford’s global MPVs such as the Ford B-Max. The seven or eight-seater configurations will be the same as that of the Marazzo. The design also retains the ladder frame chassis and the front-wheel-drive of the Marazzo. The powertrain will also be a standard feature.

The new Ford MPV will get a BSVI-compliant Mahindra 1.5L diesel engine with manual or AMT gearboxes. A 1.5L turbo petrol model is also in the works.

The JV has helped Ford to enter the mid-size MPV segment that is dominated by Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Renault Triber at present. Other serious competitors to the Mahindra Marazzo include the Toyota Innova Crysta at the top end of the segment.

The Kia Carnival is due for a launch very soon. The entry of such competitors has forced Ford to introduce a competitive MPV. The JV with Mahindra offers them the perfect opportunity to do so. 

One can expect the Indian launch of the Ford-Mahindra JV MPV soon in 2021.  

Image Source – IndianAutosBlog

Source: autoportal.com