Ford Everest off to the EcoBoost hills

The prospect of a Raptor model not happening anytime soon, petrol power will soon become available in the Ford Everest for the first time according to a new report from India.

Until now offered solely with diesel power in the shape of the 2.2-litre and 3.2-litre Duratorq engines, plus the single and bi-turbocharged versions of the 2.0-litre powerunit, indianautosblog.com has alleged that petrol propulsion will come from the familiar 2.3 EcoBoost engine used in the Mustang, US-spec Ranger and various other North American models from both the Blue Oval and its upscale Lincoln division.

The Indian online publication’s claim stems from the spotting of an Everest in China last week, where a blue-and-green EcoBoost badge was noted below the Mandarin ‘Everest’ insignia on the bootlid. Producing a reported 202kW/455Nm, the engine is two kilowatts and 35 Nm up on the North American Ranger, but retains the ten-speed automatic gearbox co-developed with General Motors.

Despite its key rival, the Toyota Fortuner offering a petrol engine in the form of the normally aspirated 2.7 as its base powerunit, the EcoBoost Everest is unlikely to be offered in South Africa given the market’s preference for diesel power.

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