Ford fans can rejoice in the fact that the American auto giant has posted new job listings on LinkedIn for its Chennai plant. The reports of Ford making a comeback to India have been floating around for a while now. After the patented images of the trademark of the Everest (Endeavour in India) and a Creta-rivalling mid-size SUV were leaked a few weeks ago and the new Endeavour and Ranger were spotted on a flatbed near Chennai, the speculations of the re-entry are cooking. Now, there are fresh job listings by Ford further fuelling the rumour mill. Let us take a look at the details of these latest job postings.
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Ford Posts New Job Listings
The vacancies are available for multiple positions. These include:
- Diagnostic Author Engineer
- Process Coach
- Virtual Engineering Manager – Stamping, Gigacasting and Body Programs
- Studio Engineering
- Purchase Analyst
- Technical Anchor
- PPM Prototype Engineer
- Distributed Hosting – System Engineer
- Sr Engineering Manager – Cloud Engineering
Looking at these listings, one can argue that Ford is hiring for a complete establishment of its operations. These posts inform that the American auto giant is recruiting engineers from the technical side like Diagnostics, Manufacturing, Cloud engineering, etc. On the other hand, it is hiring staff for the sales department as well. Hence, these are positive signs for Ford enthusiasts in India. The previous postings were for Manufacturing & Digital Transformation Integration, ADAS and Senior Engineering for Body Exterior. Hence, a full-fledged hiring spree might be about to ensue pretty soon.
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Likely Ford Cars to Arrive
Endeavour
The most wildly anticipated Ford SUV has to be the new Endeavour (Everest in international markets). The recent images of the Endy on a flatbed, perhaps going to ARAI for homologation, give us a clear indication of what to expect. These visuals clearly show the rear section of the Everest, featuring LED taillamps connected by a sleek black lightbar adorned with Everest lettering. Additionally, the rugged bumper with reflector lights is evident. This design language mirrors the latest iteration of the Everest seen in international markets, strongly suggesting that the previous Endeavour may soon be replaced by the Everest as Ford prepares to re-enter the Indian market.
In the international market, it comes with two powertrain options – a 2.0-litre turbo diesel making a decent 170 PS and 405 Nm and a 2.0-litre Bi-turbo diesel mill churning out a massive 210 PS and 500 Nm of peak power and torque. The single-turbo mill is available with a 6-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift. The Bi-turbo engine works in tandem with a 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift. Additionally, the SUV offers upto 6 drive modes and option of 4×2 and 4×4 layouts. It’s a bit early to comment on the specs of the India-bound version
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Mid-size SUV
In addition to the Everest, Ford has officially filed a patent for a mid-size SUV aimed at competing with the Hyundai Creta. Automotive enthusiasts might remember Ford’s past partnership with Mahindra, during which they planned an SUV in this segment based on the Mahindra XUV500. However, these plans never came to fruition following Ford’s departure from India. Recent reports hint at the possibility of a joint venture with Tata Motors, signalling a potential resurgence of these plans.
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Mustang Mach-E
Finally, there are also reports of the premium electric vehicle making it to our shores via the CBU route. As the electric revolution intensifies in India, more carmakers are launching their EVs. Recently, we saw the launch of the BYD Seal premium electric sedan. Therefore, Mach-E is not out of the question either. Additionally, the Mach-E presents diverse configurations, featuring options such as a single-motor RWD or a dual-motor AWD variant. Two battery packs are available, offering capacities of 72 kWh and 91 kWh. Power and torque outputs vary from 269 hp to 487 hp and 430 Nm to 850 Nm, respectively. Depending on the chosen battery pack, drivers can anticipate a range of 470-600 km on a single charge.
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Author’s Note
If these new Ford job listings and the spotting of Ranger and Endeavour in Chennai are anything to go by, we might actually witness the American car marque making a comeback to our market after 2 and a half years since it quit manufacturing cars here. It already has the Chennai plant which has a capacity of producing 150,000-200,000 cars and 350,000 engines annually. The significance of Ford’s re-entry into the Indian market cannot be overstated from a strategic standpoint. Naturally, the automaker will strive to circumvent the challenges that previously resulted in substantial losses of $2 billion. This time around, profitability will take precedence. While the possibility of introducing premium models such as the new-generation Endeavour and the Mach-E is under consideration, priority will be given to mainstream models like the mid-size SUV to bolster its position in the country
