Ford’s new crossover might arrive at 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

-    Ford is preparing a new crossover which will rival the Suzuki S-Cross. 

-    Will be based on high-selling Euro-spec Fiesta and will have a choice of both petrol and diesel engine. 

-    Might arrive in India as well. 

A few days ago, our spy sleuths exclusively spotted a Fiesta-based crossover test mule in Germany. And according to fresh reports, this Suzuki S-Cross rival is expected to debut this year at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. This sighting seems to be in sync with Ford’s own reported plans for the next decade. The Detroit-based carmaker is preparing an onslaught of SUVs to be launched over the next few years. This will include new models of crossovers/SUVs and cross vehicles across various body styles. 

Nothing unusual about that, on some level. It is, after all, the age of SUVs and therefore, it is not surprising that automakers would churn out a whole line-up of these high-riding vehicles to profit off the latest customer interests. But Ford has decided to cash in all its chips into this new honeypot. In May 2018, Ford announced that it will be giving up on small cars for good. And it will also stop selling sedans in the North American market by 2020. Going forward, the brand’s rejigged portfolio will be dominated by new crossovers and SUVs. Now, the Blue Oval expects 90 per cent of its revenue to come from trucks, UVs and commercial vehicles and is planning more high-riding vehicles for both American and European markets. So this Fiesta-based crossover you see here in the pictures could be one of the many high riding vehicles likely to be introduced by the Detroit-based carmaker over the next few years. 

Some reports even speculate that this Fiesta-crossover might be a replacement for the EcoSport. However, the EcoSport is a well-established and a high-selling product across the globe and discontinuing it after just two generations isn’t a viable decision. Instead, we assume the new B-segment crossover will sit alongside the EcoSport. According to reports, Ford might use Puma moniker for the new crossover. For the uninitiated, the Ford Puma was a compact coupe that was produced between 1997 and 2002 by Ford Europe.

But the possibility of it being a new generation EcoSport isn’t ruled out either. The current EcoSport was introduced in 2013 and it received a mid-life update in 2017. If the rumours are to be believed, the new-gen EcoSport would make use of the upgraded version of the seventh-gen Fiesta hatch. It will reportedly become more refined and technologically advanced compared to the one we have on sale in Indian and Brazilian markets. The new-gen EcoSport is also rumoured to be bigger and even more comfortable in order to meet the requirements of American and European customers.

Alongside the new mystery crossover, Ford also plans to reveal the second-generation Kuga at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Both the Kuga and the Fiesta-based crossover have a huge potential in the Indian market as it is a fast-growing segment with big volumes.