Mahindra, Ford to share powertrain
Mahindra Group and Ford have signed 2 definitive agreements on powertrain sharing and connected car solutions. The strategic alliance between the 2 companies was first announced in September 2017 and followed up with 5 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in March 2018.
Mahindra Group will develop and supply a low-displacement petrol engine to Ford India for use in its present and future vehicles, starting in 2020. The BS-VI compliant powertrain will help Ford extend and strengthen its existing offering of petrol engines, that currently includes the all-new 3-cylinder TiVCT family.
Building on their intent to co-develop a suite of connected car solutions, Mahindra and Ford also announced joint development of a telematics control unit. Once developed, the connected vehicle solution will be deployed across Mahindra and Ford vehicles. Dr Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra and Mahindra said, “The agreements further builds on commitments made so far, leading to a fruition of exciting new opportunities. We are confident to meet customer expectations by working together on a number of joint development areas. Going forward we will continue to identify the synergies that exist between the two companies.”
“We are pleased with the progress our teams have made since we announced our strategic alliance with Mahindra Group a year ago. Today we go further in delivering even greater value. With our collaboration in powertrain and connected car solutions, we will deliver an affordable portfolio and enable our Indian consumers to get behind the wheel, feeling more confident and connected,” Jim Farley, Ford Executive Vice President and President of Global Markets, said.
Both the companies continue to make progress on the remaining elements of the MoU signed earlier this year. These include applying their respective strengths on product development for India and emerging markets, and co-development of compact SUVs and electric vehicles. The strategic alliance between the 2 companies focuses on leveraging the benefits of Ford’s global reach and expertise and Mahindra’s scale in India and its successful operating model, a joint statement said.