Endeavour in India: American automotive giant Ford has caused speculation of a possible return of its off-roader Endeavour to the India automobile market. 

Ford has filed a patent for the production of Endeavour in India, after pulling out of a deal with JSW Goup for sale of its Chennai Plant.  Ford is gearing up for a return to India after its earlier shut shop in 2021, as per an AutoCar report. 

The patent filed by Ford is for design of the present generation Endeavour, on sale in markets like Thailand, as the Ford Everest SUV. 

Although the Endeavour was launched in international markets in 2022, this model did not make it to India, creating space of a new market for the automaker.

Arrival expectations

The company plans on assembling the Endeavour at the auto-major's Chennai factory. 

With the import of fully-built cars without homologation still allowed, up to 2,500 units per year, Ford might import the current Endeavour into India sooner than expected, while it readies itself for local assembly in 2025, it said. 

Moreover, with the price of its main rival, the Toyota Fortuner, having skyrocketed, with top-end models touching Rs 60 lakh on road, a fully imported Endeavour would still be competitive against the Fortuner.

Earlier, Ford had made it clear that it was open to selling direct imports to maintain a foothold in the local market.

Local assembly possibility

Currently, Ford had two plants in India, one at Sanand, sold to Tata Motors in 2022, and the other one in Chennai, which has been put on the block only to reverse its stance and hold on to it, post multiple offers from OEMs like Vinfast, MG and Tata Motors.

All regulatory clearances for the sale of the plant had been obtained and workers compensation settled, thus, the sale of the plant, or as it now appears, Ford restarting operations, would not face any significant hurdles. 

Moreover, since the plant was already producing the previous Endeavour, which shares some underpinnings with the new-gen SUV, producing the latest Endeavour would be easier, as per the report added. 

Ford's intention to restart sales was always on the cards. 

Even after the sales had halted, the company kept some service operations going and regularly advertised service and warranty packs. Unlike General Motors, which chose to exit the market to focus on key regions, 

Ford did not intend to exit, but had no alternative post its deal with Mahindra fell through