We all know that Ford and Mahindra have entered in a strategic alliance to develop new cars for India, and also to sell them globally. This alliance will see the light of day when the next-generation Mahindra XUV500 will make a debut in 2020. This new XUV500 is currently codenamed as the W601. However, the big news is that based on the new Mahindra XUV500, Ford will also have an SUV to offer for the Indian market which as been codenamed as W605.
The W605 for Ford will allow a product in a new segment. Ford currently retails the compact-SUV EcoSport and then the Endeavour. There is plenty of space in between, where Ford will position this new W605 SUV. When launched, it will rival the likes of Jeep Compass and the upcoming MG Hector. This will be an all-new product based on a new chassis, new 2.0L diesel engine and a completely new design. Both, the Mahindra W601 and the Ford W605 will be very different to look at, and will not look like badge engineered cousins.
The Ford W605 SUV is expected to make a debut in 2021, a year after the new Mahindra XUV500 W601. This new SUV could also be built at the Mahindra Chakan facility.
7-seating layout, sunroof, climate control, leather upholstery, AWD tech, automatic gearbox, touchscreen infotainment, and much more will be part of the kit on both the W601 & W605. Of course, the list of safety features will be extensive.