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Ford Discontinues B-Max, Craiova Plant Gears Up For EcoSport Production

On September 1, 2017, Ford pulled the plug on the B-Max people carrier after years and years of unimpressive sales figures. The mini-MPV, which rides on the sixth-generation Fiesta’s platform, numbers 280,000 examples produced from June 2012. The B-Max won’t be missed, however, because Ford plans to replace the slow-selling family vehicle with the EcoSport.
Ford B-Max end of production at Craiova plant in Romania 32 photos
Photo: Ford
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“For all that, the small vehicle segment has evolved, and people carriers are gradually being replaced by SUVs and crossovers,”
underlines Ford of Romania. In truth, however, the B-Max never held a candle to direct competitors such as the Nissan Note and Citroen C3 Picasso. By the way, the Note is on its way out, and the C3 Picasso was succeeded by the C3 Aircross.

The Craiova plant in Romania, where Ford also manufactured EcoBoost engines, is the receiver of a €200 million investment in preparation for EcoSport production. The high-riding subcompact model, which is also based on the Fiesta’s platform, will be built there starting from this coming fall. Romania will be tasked with manufacturing Euro-spec models, whereas the U.S.-spec Ford EcoSport coming for the 2018 model year is produced in Chennai, India.

The 2018 Ford EcoSport for the European market will see the light of day at Craiova on September 20, and will be made available with 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder and 1.5-liter TDCi four-cylinder engines. In the United States, the EcoSport will be offered with a force-fed engine and a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter plant. In both markets, all-wheel-drive is an optional extra. Select powertrain options will be made available with the Ford PowerShift slushbox.

At some point in 2018, the Ford Motor Company will introduce the ST-Line visual package for the EcoSport. Other than the go-faster aesthetic treatment, customers can further expect recalibrated steering and a firmer suspension setup for better handling.

In regard to pricing, the 2017 model year EcoSport starts in Germany from €17,990 for the entry-level Trend. The Titanium comes in at €21,190, and the range-topping EcoSport S retails at €23,440.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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