The amount of news and information floating around about the Ford EcoSport is impressive, considering there is no confirmed date of its launch in India yet. While some sources point to a March launch, dealers are pointing towards a May arrival of this highly awaited compact SUV. Ford has now started “training the trainers”, so they can impart knowledge about the vehicle to sales consultants. The two-day training event was done by Ford Academy India at the company’s plant in Chennai and trainers were given hands on experience on the EcoSport.
Ford dealers have been as impatient as prospective customers, due to the repeated delays of the EcoSport’s launch. Dealerships have been flooded with questions about the launch, pricing and delivery of the EcoSport. The trainers were given a chance to get behind the wheel of the EcoSport, with four pre-production vehicles on the track. One of the vehicles was powered by the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine which thoroughly impressed everyone who took to the wheel.
“It is very important to familiarize our trainers with the product as we get closer to the launch. This program gave them a unique opportunity to drive the product, look at its features from close quarters and clarify their doubts so that they can pass on the right message and knowledge to sales personnel,” Santosh Kulkarni, Director, Ford Academy India, said.
The trainers who got a chance to witness the Ford EcoSport were impressed with the built quality of the vehicle. Some also commented on the excellent NVH levels and suspension system. The highly acclaimed EcoBoost engine also got several applauds with trainers finding the performance lag free and extremely thrilling. Some features mentioned by the trainers include tilt and telescopic steering wheel, under seat storage, keyless door and boot unlock, 60:40 tumble back seats, Econometer (mileage metre) and SYNC technology.
With training underway, we hope the launch of the Ford EcoSport is not too far away. First unveiled in January 2012, it has been 13 months and there are still no signs of the EcoSport hitting showrooms. The reason for the delay can be attributed to localisation and the base variant of the EcoSport could be priced under Rs. 6 lakhs, making the wait well worth it.
Source – At.Ford
