When are the results ????

The little birdie is back baring news for all you EcoSport enthusiast!

There is only one question on everyones mind , that when will Ford announce the results of the most coveted contest ,

well a reliable source spilled the beans n told me that the results will not be out before the 

24th APRIL 2013 , 

The short listed candidates can expect the calls from the 24 th april !!!

so keep those lines free guys !

Behind the screen scoops !

I know all you fellow explorers are wondering whats going on at the ecosport hub and how long is it going to take for the results to be announced.

Well I come barring news for all u anxious nerves . A little birdie told me that the selectors have just go in the data of all the auditions. The dilebration will take a good one week . So lets hold our horses till then and hope to make it
to the most coveted list of explorers !

Decoding – the video audition

Chill ! You will not be asked any trivia based questions !

Here is an one on one account of the video auditions, and tips on nailing it !

Our team was called for a 10 am slot for the auditions and were told, it will be don’t within one hour ,

But it wasn’t over before 1pm. So take a leave from work if u have to as its can get late.

Make sure you have three team names for your team , at the auditions you will be asked for it.

Documents:  

- Original and duplicates of a passport and driving license

- A Passport Photo of the team leader.

The structure of the audition :

The audition is broken into three segments:

The pre audition interview : Where the crew will ask you to introduce your team , give out your team names, and get the ball rolling.

The actual interview :  Here they try and get more out of you by asking you’re your background, what you love about the car , how do you know your team members, and random questions like who would you take for a drive in your eco sport. Basically they are trying to see how fun and spontaneous you are. It lasts for about 20 mins , so make sure you are natural and have fun while at it.

The post audition interview : Once you will be done with the main auditions , your team will be asked questions like , how was the audition , what message would you like to give other team members, and random things like dance or sing  for the car , stuff like that.

Once your done with that they might take you for some photo shoot , and that’s followed by a test drive

Mind you, don’t expect to be driving the EcoSport, at least in our case we were given a ford Figo. Who knows you might just get lucky.

Key pointers : keep it fun , spontaneous and peppy !

Disclaimer : This post is based on my experience of the audition. Your might be different. This post was only meant to be a guide for you. Get your facts right from the concerned people before your ‘d’ day, the author of this post should not be responsible for any miscommunication what so ever.

The Team Just Got Better !

Dman ! the audition dates clashed with my brother trip to Milan !

After a lot of discussion with the EcoSport team , it was concluded that I had no other option but to switch my team members or else stand disqualified .

So at the last minute I roped in my two darling friends ,

So here’s the final team :

Disha Kotak , a freelance copy writer, and a full time mom,

Jessica Shah , a senior art director at a swanky ad agency,

Abhishekh Kharker , a fashion photographer .

Now isn’t it a power packed cv for a team ready to take on the URBAN DISCOVERIES CROWN !

p.s. I kinda think the switch made my team better than before , don’t u reckon.

Sorry brother , don’t mind!

Participant guide - Decoding the interview call !

I got my call on the 5^th April. Three days before my Mumbai audition days.

Here are guidelines for nailing that audio interview so that you have a better shot  for a video audition call.

-          The call that you get from the EcoSport team is recorded.

•           It starts off by general questions about you and your team members like name, dob, email address , contact info  etc.
•           Then comes in more specific questions like your occupation, your hobbies and your passions.
•           What  they are trying to gauge from the call is that how confident and interesting you are.
•           How you perform in the call will determine if u get a call  back for the video audition.
•     If you got a call for your details , and didn’t get a call back for the video auditions then it probably means that u don’t make it.

That’s all form me about the call interview , if u you need any help , leave your questions in the comments, will be happy to help !

Also look for my next post :

Participant guide : video auditions !

THE EcoBoost ENGINE - Green & Affordable.

EcoBoost is a family of turbocharged, direct injected gasoline engines produced by the Ford Motor Company and co-developed by FEV engineering.

Engines equipped with EcoBoost technology are designed to deliver power and torque consistent with larger engine displacement, naturally aspirated engines while achieving approximately 20% better fuel efficiency and 15% reduced greenhouse emissions than these same engines. Relative to the power output and fuel efficiency of hybrid and diesel technologies, Ford sees EcoBoost as an affordable and versatile alternative and intends to use it extensively in future vehicle applications.

MY TAKE : Form all the jargon above what cough my attention is that it promises to deliver more mileage per liter and will go easy on the emission , now thats a double whammy don't u reckon . 

                                                                   The EcoBoost engine decoded:

ENTRY # 4

                                                                PLUCK , COOK , EAT !

LOCATION  : ganesh puri , 80 kms off Mumbai .

Organic farming is a fad spreading quickly in cosmopolitan neighborhoods. Very few understand that this is not just a fad but a way of life. Amidst our busy weekly schedules, if you are  always on the lookout for new and creative ways to unwind over the weekend.

Then I have just the place for you !

@ Saha Astitva  you can expect your day to start with a heart breakfast like  served a super healthy vegetarian breakfast of brown rice poha, upma made out of oats and herbal tea made from jaggery, tulsi, mint leaves and lemon grass. When you are at the farm, you can either head to the lake for a dip or go in straight to ‘Pluck, Cook and Eat’.

go all out pluck what every you fancy , get toather and cook with your fiends and have a fab lunch!its an experience like none other.getting there :When you arrive in Ganeshpuri turn right out of the bus station and go straight for ~ 150m.

Saha Astitva is an organic farm set up by Daniel and Kalyani and their volunteers who work around the year with them. Set up in Ganeshpuri, which is 80kms from Bombay, the farm hosts a monthly event called ‘Pluck, Cook and Eat.’ A group of anywhere between 10 to 20 people go out into the farm, pluck whatever produce they plan on cooking and cook it along with 
their Ayurveda chef. The meal is Satvic vegetarian.

Ask people for Nityananda Mandir (or Nityananda temple).  When you arrive at the gate to the temple, immediately on your left is a small ‘pan’ kiosk and a small gate with steps leading up.  Go up the steps and straight through the bamboo gate. 

i know its a bit of a work out to get here , but the all now FORD ECO SPORT , will make its a piece of cake , the local roads can get a bit doggy at times so a 200 mm ground clearance will come in handy , not the mention the spacious interiors and expandable space comes in handy during long trips like these. the tricky roads will be easy to navigate through the smart navigator and the sync will make sure your attention stays on road inreturn will controle your call's , music, and messages for you! 
a perfect get away for your urban SUV!

ENTRY # 3

Lactoseintolerant Shiva !

The Markendeshwer temple @ worli a.k.a GATHIYA MAHADEV has a bizarre ritual attached to it. Legend has it that u can make a wish here and if it is fulfilled u have to thank the lord Shiva by giving him a generous offering of , GAHIYA and not the good old milk (thank god for that ) Yup you heard me right , the famous Guajarati snack the GATHIYA!

This tradition dates back to 150 years when the mandir was first discovered by the fisher men community of Koliwada. They were people with little means and all they could afford was gathiyas as an offering to the lord, and that’s how it caught on. after so many years the tradition is still alive!

So if there is a un fulfilled desire in your heart , then head to the GATHIYA MAHADEV and try and lure the lord Shiva with some gathiyas. Who knows ur wish might just come true!

But if your an atheist, then you can still come here for the killer workout the odd hundred steps that lead to the mandir will give you .Or come here for the spectacular views of the Arabian sea and the city sky line.

Getting there : this place is easy to miss so have your navigation turned on. Not to mention the 40 degree of summer heat makes it inhumane to venture out , so make sure you drive down in your FORD ECO SPORT that will not only make the Mumbai summers a little more pleasurable but gliding through the mad Mumbai traffic will be a breeze!

Location: Mumbai, India - Opp Atriya Mall Worli

ENTRY # 2

Location, Location!

 A scenic drive down the newly developed road ,with a few patches of green that stay unharmed form the concrete jungle. This road leads you to the Gaimukh Temple a.k.a the Jagnath Mahadev Mandir located on the Ghodbunder Road near Gaimukh Village.

The temple placed on a hill and the view of the thane creek and the nearby mountain ranges from top is breathtaking . There are very few temples that have an understated charm about them and this one certainly tops my list of places that compel you to go spiritual.
Avoid coming here on a weekends, as it gets turned into a picnic spot . Put this place on your to do list for the rains , the magic in the air here during the rains is amazing.
Getting there :
The road that leads to the mandir is really steep. I have seen so many cars die on their climb to the top. But this should not be a problme for the FORD ECO SPORT , steep climbs like these become easy with its “Hill Launch Assist feature” , where stopping and accelerating on an incline become effortless.

And if your panning your visit during the rains which I insist you must , then I should warn you that the road on the highway take a turn for the worse .But with your FORD ECO SPORT and the 200 mm ground clearance it provides these ditches should not deter the explorer in you !

Location: Mumbai, India - Gaimukh , Ghodhbunder road , Thane.

ENTRY # 1 – the hidden hot spots of Mumbai , and then around some!

As a part of the urban discoveries challenge , the contestants were to show their city a new light, places that they find in travel logs or magazines .

Below were my urban discoveries, enjoy!!!!!

ENTRY # 1

 The Rasta Pasta !

Pasta cooked to perfection,
Tossed over an charcoal fueled open fire,
Exotic sauces that tantalize your taste buds,
Generously topped with the best cheddar in the country,
Served with a side of roasted rice flat bread with the topping of your choice.

Sounds like a perfect description for an Über-chic French bistro, doesn’t it! Well darling, your mistaken,

I have just described the Mr. Manaoj Kumar Gupta , corn and fast food center,opposite gate #3 WTC.
This guy has redefined the Mumbai fast-food scene, n how! He has been in the business for over 25 years , started off with chat & slowly graduated to tossing pasta. Come here to sample his most coveted creations like Mongolian pasta , corn, mushroom n cheese Maggie & the pizza kihchia papad.
Here you have the privilege of being served in your car,so I recommend that u drive down in your EcoSport where the Sync function will control your music,collect calls,read your texts,without you having to put your spoon down. Now that’s real multitasking.
(P.s. MESSY SPILLS ! This feature is such a blessing for someone as clumsy as me . I know you’ve been there too.)

Location: Mumbai, India - world trade center , Colaba

My team for The EcoSport Urban Discoveries Campaign

I am an avid SUV lover so it was only natural that i take part in the FORD ECOSPORT urban discoveries challenge for a chance to win one for my self !

first things first , deciding  the right team......

After much deliberation i narrowed down my decision to my brother and my brother in law.

the only reason being that we get along like a house on fire and taking this journey with them would mean one hell of a non stop crazy party !

Heres hoping we make it to the end

                                                                 THE TEAM :

DISHA KOTAK

                                                            n my partners in crime !

AMISH SOMESHWER

HARDIK KOTAK

Unveiling the Ford EcoSport – Indians biggest domino drop !

     The unvaling of the all new FORD ECOSPORT record breaking event .The Cologne Domino Team unfolded the journey of Ford EcoSport in the most spectacular toppling of Dominoes@ Select Citywalk in New Delhi.

     250 man hours went into the set up by the talented  team and man was it a sight .This event was a part of the Ford's EcoSport Urban Discoveries campaign.Where in one lucky car enthusiast will win the coveted Ford EcoSport.

want to learn more on the campaign,

check this out ! 

WHATS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE ALL NEW FORD ECO SPORT !

The city offers plenty of challenges for an urban SUV. Potholes, burst water pipes, high gutters. In a car you might slow down or go in another direction. In the new EcoSport you just keep going.

Go where you want to go

Like any SUV, an urban SUV is about getting you where you need to go. The EcoSport puts 200mm of ground clearance between you and the road, potholes, ditches or whatever else is in your way. Add good approach and departure angles and 550mm water wading capability and you’re pretty much ready for anything.

MY TAKE  : fab feature for the city roads that give away during the monsoon , i mean you don't have to cross your figure's ever time you hit a ditch and pray for you car to  triumph out of it . With the 200 mm ground clearance that's the thing of the past !

And did i mention those killer speed breakers , its like they were built to hurt you car, but they wont get any where near the  FORD ECO SPORT.

High safety standards

Built to meet some of the world’s toughest safety standards, the EcoSport protects you in a number of ways. The body is reinforced with high strength boron steel and front passenger and side curtain airbags give you extra peace of mind.

MY TAKE : Safety  is one of the most important fetures that I look for in a car , notihng comes before the safety of my family, its pays to go that extra mile and that have covered for you in the new FORD ECO SPORT  .

Enjoy the view

Even roads you travel every day will look different in the EcoSport. It seats you higher so you can see more of what’s going around you. Who knows what you might discover on the way?

MY TAKE : I hate the dungeon feeling I get when i travel in low seated cars, they all most make me feel claustrophobic ! But with the high seating position in the FORD ECO SPORT you feel like you can breath again, and see the road from a different perspective. 

Quiet space

Close the door of the EcoSport and you enter one of the quietest interiors around. Quality fabrics and finishes include cool little touches like Ice Blue lighting on the instrument panel.

 

MY TAKE : The impatient honkers on the road make the drive back home more stressful , and the last thing you need,  is for you car is to add to the clatter. But when you enter the FORD ECO SPORT , you feel like your in a different zone , plus the plush interiors and great quality plastics make it more desirable , doesn't it !