New Ford Everest rendered as mini-Explorer

Having seemingly been pictured undergoing testing in China two months ago, a new report from India has claimed that the next generation Ford Everest will take styling hints from the all-new Explorer (pictured) when it debuts next year.

Based on the spy shots taken by Auto Home in March, which sees the heavily camouflaged prototype bearing more than a passing resemblance to its North American cousin, indianautosblog.com has now released a render based on the image of what the Everest could look like.

Known internally as U704, the render paints a near carbon copy of the Explorer, but contradicts the Chinese report in stating that the Everest will keep its body-on-fame design instead of moving to a more comfort orientated unibody frame like the Explorer.

While no mention of engines were made, the Indian publication claims that the current 2.0-litre single-and-bi-turbodiesel will continue, along with the recently added 2.3 EcoBoost in markets were petrol powerunits are favoured. The familiar General Motors (GM) co-developed ten-speed automatic gearbox is likely to be fitted as standard across the Everest line-up.

Expect more details and possibly even pre-production depictions to emerge over the coming weeks and months.

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