Last year, reports of Ford returning to India flooded the Indian internet and media and while the American carmaker hasn’t officially confirmed its return, the chances of this happening are very positive. The model which is most likely to mark Ford’s comeback to the Indian market is the Endeavour but in a brand new avatar.
The Endeavour in India is likely to be renamed to ‘Everest’ which is what the SUV is called in other international markets. In its fourth-generation now, the latest iteration of Everest made its global debut in 2023. A patent for the same was also filed by Ford in India, early last year.
Ford Everest with 3.0-L V6 diesel
While no date has been set for the return of Ford in India, new developments have come to light regarding the burly D-segment SUV. According to a recent report by Autocar India, the India-spec Ford Everest is likely to come equipped with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine. The report mentions that the addition of the V6 oil burner will help widen the Everest lineup in India.
Ford is expected to assemble the Everest in India and source the 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel which is assembled at its facility in Sanand, Gujarat for export purposes. The previous-gen Endeavour, in the pre-BS6 era, offered a 3.0-litre five-cylinder diesel unit which has been discontinued since. The 3.0-litre V6 is a popular choice in markets like Australia and the USA and also powers Everest’s pickup truck cousin– the Ranger.
The USP of this 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine is said to be its super impressive output of 247 bhp and a mind-boggling 600 Nm of peak torque, perfect for load hauling pickup trucks. For Everest, this could translate to very powerful performance numbers. The engine is produced at Struandale Engine Plant in South Africa which concurrently produces both the inline and the ‘V’ configurations.
Powered by a single, large variable nozzle turbocharger, this oil burner features dual overhead camshafts and a high 16:1 compression ratio. For enhanced strength and durability, the engine incorporates a forged-steel, fully counterweighted crankshaft. In regions experiencing sub-zero temperatures, an engine block heater may be included to optimize performance.
With this level of performance, we expect the 3.0-litre V6 to be limited to selected units of the Everest. This version of the Everest is most likely to be a CBU or at least the engine would be completely imported, making it a very pricey affair. In any case, expect the rebranded to be priced north of Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom).
Source: Autocar India