Ford is planning to discontinue the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine from its petrol engine line-up as upgrading the engine will prove to be an expensive affair. The EcoBoost engined EcoSport accounts for only 5% of the sales and upgrading it to BSVI standards does not look like a good strategy. Alternatively, the company plans to use Mahindra’s new Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection engine as a cost-effective alternative for the Ford EcoSport. However, Ford is expected to upgrade the Ti-VCT series 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engines to BSVI norms.
The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is world renowned and for the India-spec Ford EcoSport, virtually the complete engine is imported and then making it comply with the new stringent BSVI emission norms will add a price factor which may repel buyers. Ford and Mahindra are planning to share powertrains and co-develop new products and Ford, using this partnership, plans to use the Mahindra’s new T-GDI 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbo engine.
The new Turbo GDI fuel system has increased power as well as fuel efficiency as compared to the MPFI model currently in use on the XUV300 which produces 110 HP of power and 190 Nm of torque. The fuel system on the new T-GDI engine features a high-pressure 250 bar direct injection system which is likely to develop 130 HP of power and 230 Nm of torque and the engine is expected to power the XUV300 and replace the EcoBoost engine on the Ford EcoSport. The XUV300 is also expected to get a dual-clutch transmission with the new T-GDI engine in the near future.
It is also being speculated that the engine will be further used on the upcoming project codenamed ‘BX744’ which is a compact-SUV reported to be launched in 2021. The Compact SUV will rival the Hyundai Venue and Maruti Vitara Brezza.
Mahindra is expected to launch the BSVI diesel line-up by early next year as soon as the essential BSVI compatible fuel is available and the petrol BSVI engines will start to roll out around September 2019 as there is no special fuel requisite for this engine.