The Ford Endeavour, also known as the Ford Everest internationally, has been seen near Chennai, India, along with the Ford Ranger truck. Even though Ford has not officially announced the resumption of vehicle sales in India, there are reports suggesting that the Endeavour might make a comeback by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
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Ford had stopped making vehicles for sale in India in September 2021 due to significant losses, amounting to over USD 2 billion in the past decade. They also faced a non-operating write-down of assets worth USD 0.8 billion in 2019.
Ford started its operations in India in 1995, with manufacturing facilities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and Sanand, Gujarat. The Chennai plant could produce 200,000 vehicles annually, while the Sanand plant had capacities of 240,000 vehicles and 270,000 engines. The Chennai plant produced SUVs like the EcoSport and the Endeavour, while the Sanand plant made sedans like the Aspire and hatchbacks like the Figo and Freestyle. In January 2023, Ford sold the vehicle manufacturing unit of the Sanand plant to Tata Motors for Rs 725.70 crore (excluding taxes).
Despite stopping vehicle manufacturing, Ford continues to produce engines at the Sanand plant and provides service operations in India.
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If the Ford Endeavour returns to the Indian market, it could perform well, given the thriving SUV segment and customers’ willingness to invest in the right product. The Endeavour has been popular for reasons like its road presence, ride quality, and overall value for money. It used to compete with the Toyota Fortuner, which was priced between Rs 29.98 lakh and Rs 37.58 lakh (ex-showroom) when the Ford Endeavour was priced between Rs 29.99 lakh and Rs 35.45 lakh (ex-showroom). Currently, the Toyota Fortuner is priced between Rs 33.43 lakh and Rs 51.44 lakh (ex-showroom) with new variants added to the lineup.
