Ford Territory 2011 News

The 2.7-litre, twin-turbo V6 Ford/PSA engine - previously deployed in models as diverse as the Jaguar XF and Citroen's C5 - brings to this hitherto thirsty, petrol-only range the low-end torque and economy that makes diesel the power source of choice for buyers of bigger SUVs. Emissions will be cut by as much as 25 per cent compared with the Territory's venerable naturally aspirated in-line petrol six, while output should be in the vicinity of 150kW and 440Nm: just what the two-tonne Strayan SUV needs. New SUVs are thick on the ground in 2011, but the fairest of them all is the Range Rover Evoque, which brings designer desirability and - at little more than $50K - relative affordability to the segment.  Range Rover's first foray into the domain of the Q5s and X3s of this world will bring Land Rover's luxury badge within reach of people who don't necessarily use them to form convoys outside private schools. It's the smallest, lightest Rangie ever, and the leanest version emits about 130g of CO2 per kilometre.  Most of all, Gerry McGovern's sublime, compact design - especially in coupe format - will change the way you look at SUVs. Roll on September. On a softer note, compact SUVs - prestige ones, in particular - have been the growth segment of the past few years.  This year brings an especially intriguing contrast: two Volkswagen Group models, both with Tiguan underpinnings and most likely highly similar drivetrains, one built in Spain, the other in the Czech Republic. The former is Audi's Q3, the latter Skoda's Yeti. The Audi will carry a premium price tag; the Skoda won't. Compare and contrast.  In tougher terrain, the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee lobs later this month with its newly acquired monocoque chassis, reportedly tarted-up interior and a trio of V engines; a new 209kW 3.6-litre petrol V6; a 5.7-litre Hemi petrol V8; and a three-litre CRDi turbo-diesel six. The Cherokee's Patriot and Wrangler stablemates have also been updated. Just as ballsy (more so, even) is Nissan's Pathfinder Ti 550, the most powerful version to date, with its stump-pullin' three-litre turbo-diesel V6. If the sun is temporarily eclipsed in June, it's probably due to the vastness of the latest Volkswagen Touareg with its new range of six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and a platform shared with the exxier likes of Audi's Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne. There can be few left in this global village who haven't been exposed to pre-launch publicity for the Toyota FJ Cruiser.  This four-year-old, retro-designed device finally gets here in March, lugged along by the four-litre V6 petrol engine from the 150 Series Prado. Claimed outputs are 200kW and 380Nm.  If you must have one, that blue seems the least ostentatious colour.

A NEW level of luxury is on the way for the Ford Territory in 2011. Our spy shots, captured by an eagle-eyed Carsguide reader in Victoria this week, show what is obviously the next high-spec level of the eagerly-awaited new SUV. "Yes, a lot of bling has been thrown at the Territory in the high-series version,'' Ford spokesman Neil McDonald admits. "We're massaging it a bit so it's certainly been given more of an upmarket look.'' This test vehicle certainly looks well-massaged - and production ready, with no black stickers or padded bras. It's wearing stylish metallic accents around the grille and fascias, while the sporty wheels look to be 18-inchers. Those rear tail lights have become noticeably more angular, somewhat reminiscent of Subaru's Forester. The front has a much larger mouth and there is more prominent use of larger Ford badges. In all, it looks gratifyingly similar to the dramatic concept drawings Ford released before Christmas, with more striking, distinctive lines, bonnet and lights. "There's now strong SUV styling in the front of the car — and you'll probably see that across other models in the future,'' McDonald says. "It's a global DNA so we're slotting into the 'One Ford' design ethos.'' He says that while the upmarket look might get the attention of some fans of European brands, it's mainly aimed at fending off market attacks from Asia. "It could attract some people away from possibly the entry level Europeans, but it's quite clear the car is Australian competition for the imported Japanese and Korean SUVs,'' McDonald says. "The Territory is the only Australian designed and built SUV — so we consider that a pretty strong position for the car. "You have to remember there are close to 100,000 on the road since it was launched in 2004 so that's a hefty carpark.'' Of course, it's not only the high-spec version that's getting all the attention at Ford Australia. There are hints that extra goodies may have also been doled to the mid-range model, which is likely to come with more standard kit, including foglights and larger wheels. And there's already been confirmation of the long overdue oilburner engine — a 2.7 V6 twin turbodiesel Ford/PSA unit previously deployed in models as diverse as the Jaguar XF and Citroen's C5. The new engine brings to the hitherto thirsty, petrol-only range the low end torque and economy that increasingly makes diesel the power-source of choice for buyers of bigger SUVs. Emissions will be cut by as much as 25 percent compared to the venerable naturally-aspirated inline petrol six, output should be in the vicinity of 150kW and 440Nm. As sales of diesel SUVs go ever north, it just what the two-tonne Australian SUV needs. Diesel SUV sales increased by more than 50 power cent among private buyers and almost 40 per cent for fleets in 2010, action that Ford Australia needs to get a piece of. As the Falcon, which underpins the Tezza, falls further from grace, the SUV's sales of 10,699 units to the beginning of December comprise an ever more important part of the Ford's total of 88,000 year-to-date. The Blue Oval's second best seller was slightly down in November for the same month in 2009, something the diesel edition is seen as crucial to rectifying. Ford says the SUV's new look will include a major interior update and boast a number of technology highlights. Approximately 85 per cent of the entire Ford Australia new-model catalogue will be replaced or updated in the coming year. This includes the updated MC Mondeo and newly Thai-sourced WT Fiesta hatch and sedan — both recently launched — and in 2011 the Territory, Focus, Falcon (with four-cylinder engine and optional liquid-inject LPG) and Ranger ute.

Ford is being sketchy about its plans. The Territory has no launch date, though is expected before mid year as Ford enters one of its busiest years on record.The Territory takes on the face of the Falcon with a large under-bumper intake and bears the lines of Ford's kinetic body styling in its flanks.Ford Australia's new president and CEO, Bob Graziano, says the Territory was a benchmark when first launched and "it is set to achieve this again - and more"."It wears an exciting new look and will boast an extensive list of technical highlights.  "The Ford Australia team is taking the Territory to an all-new level of performance, refinement and quality, and customers will definitely experience these advancements when they drive it."Ford added that the SUV's new look will include "a major interior update and boast a number of technology highlights, including the introduction of turbo-diesel power, details of which will be communicated in 2011"."For Ford Australia, the next 18-month period is set to be one of the company's busiest in its 85-year history," it says.  "Approximately 85 percent of the entire Ford Australia new-model catalogue will either be replaced or updated during this time."This includes the updated MC Mondeo range and new WT Fiesta hatch and sedan - both recently launched - and next year, the Territory, Focus, Falcon (with 2-litre four-cylinder engine and optional liquid-inject LPG) and the new Ranger ute.

Production of the two local heroes will continue into the next decade at the earliest, according to the president of the Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally. But the long-term future of local carmaking under the blue oval is likely to be with the smaller European-designed Focus, which will run side-by-side with the local family fighters on the Broadmeadows production line from 2011. "I think there will always be a Falcon-sized vehicle. There is a market for Falcon, both here and overseas," Mulally said in Melbourne this week. But he would not confirm a local production future for the Falcon that will eventually follow today's FG, or even the chance of it being designed in Australia. And he refused to be drawn on the potential for an imported car wearing a Falcon badge after 2012. "There will be no new announcements today," Mulally said. The worldwide Ford chief hit Melbourne the morning after lobbying Federal ministers in Canberra, including Prime Minister Rudd, for what he described as a `pause' in the planned cut in import tariffs on motor vehicles from 10 to five per cent in 2005. "The key thing about the pause is the near term. It's an important time right now to take this pause. Right now I think it's a critical piece," Mulally said. "Clearly, we are at a real transitional time in the auto industry worldwide. Our commitment is to continue to invest. "Our real plan is to create a viable, complete business in Australia. Australia is a tremendous opportunity for us." Ford has already announced the end of local engine assembly and a switch to an imported V6 from 2010, then the start of Focus production in 2011, as the local operation is integrated into the One Ford global plan. Mulally said he had good news for local workers as he headed for a staff briefing at Broadmeadows, although he could not rule out any additions to the 350 job losses announced last week as the company adjusts Falcon and Territory production to falling sales. "We will size our production to the demand," he said. Mulally said Ford Australia is strong and viable despite its recent troubles, including the resignation last week of company president Bill Osborne. "You guys have got to be bullish on your industry. For where we are, in a terrible business environment, it's doing extremely well," he said. The switch to Australian production of the Focus, which is currently imported, is part of a regional export plan for the car. "In all honesty, Australia's connection is to Asia-Pacific. We need a strong export program. And we need to export into Asia," the executive vice-president for Ford in Asia-Pacific and Africa, John Parker, said at the Mulally briefing. "It is absolutely critical that our Australian operations make the transformation from only building large cars, which have only one way to go which is down, to making cars which are relevant to what the Australian customer wants and what the AP customer wants. "We can have scale. That was the big decision in driving Focus here."  

Only 550 of the Brooklands model Bentleys are available worldwide."They are tailor-made to the exact specifications of each customer,” said Sue Young, the spokeswoman for Queensland Bentley.Ms Young said the Brisbane buyer wanted to remain anonymous, as did two other Queenslanders who have expressed an interest in getting one of the luxury coupes.She said all three currently own a Bentley Arnage T, worth about $545,000.Maserati's latest GranTurismo will be seen in Australia for the first time at the show, which opens at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre at noon on 1, February 2008.The sports car's appeal seems to have outweighed its $293,000 price tag, because 150 Australian orders have already been taken for the new model, including 20 from Queensland, according the company's Australian general manager, Edward Butler.No other Maserati has sold as quickly and the waiting list for the 2008 GranTurismo is greater than the firm's Australian and New Zealand sales last year, Mr Butler said.Luxury-car sellers say their models have become increasingly popular with younger professionals."The 20 to 35-year age group is taking a much bigger slice of the market share,” said Audi Centre Brisbane dealer principal Greg Willims. “There is no doubt the prosperity in Queensland is growing.”Adam O'Brien, of Brisbane Prestige Cars in Fortitude Valley, said manufacturers were working harder to attract young customers in a bid to keep them for life.Danny Singh, 31, of Brendale in Brisbane's northwest, recently bought a luxury H3 Hummer from Brisbane Prestige Cars for $70,000 then spent a further $15,000 on modifications.Also making their Australian debuts at the show will be new-look versions of cult street machines the Subaru WRX STi, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution — known as the Evo X to fans because it is the 10th in the series.Both are expected to be in the $60,000 bracket.Australia will be represented in the go-fast stakes by a Ford Performance Vehicles version of the Territory SUV, the yet-to-be-released F6 X all-wheel-drive wagon.Brisbane International Motor Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Bank, runs from Friday to February 10; Monday to Saturday, 10am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Adults $17.50, children $10.

The hi-tech 5.0-litre V8 will be introduced in 2010 - a year that is shaping as a boomer for Ford Australia with the first facelift of the Orion Falcon, the switch to V6 engines in Ford's family fighter, and the likely introduction of the next-generation Territory.There is a good chance 2010 will also bring the first diesel engine to the Falcon and Territory, a 2.7-litre powerplant already in use in Europe. The good news on the V8 front comes as Ford Australia confirms plans to axe its existing 5.4-litre V8, which was standard in the G8, Fairlane and LTD and optional in a range of other Fords, including the Falcon ute.The Jaguar V8 is a new all-alloy design that was developed for the upcoming XF hero car, which is a make-or-break model for the legendary British luxury brand.The new Jaguar V8 will be available both in naturally-aspirated form and with a supercharger and the basic bottom line is 375kW. It will be the hero engine for the XR8 Falcon and will also be used in the fliers from Ford Performance Vehicles.The move to the Jaguar V8 is part of a shift prompted by the end of production of the existing 5.4-litre engine.Ford Australia imports the engine from the Essex plant in Ontario, Canada, which has been steadily phasing out the engine.Locally, the engine was known as the Barra 220 or Barra 230, depending on the application, with the number reflecting its kilowatt output.Still, Ford will continue with the part-locally assembled, four-valve twin-overhead camshaft version of the same engine in its Falcon XR8 and FPV models. The three-valve V8 was optional on the base-model BA Falcon from 2002, replacing the ancient 5.0-litre Windsor pushrod V8.But Ford's Broadmeadows factory has had little use for the engine, according to Ford Australia's president Tom Gorman.“Quite honestly, we were down to about 10a month and it's not a major impact on our business,” Gorman says.“They've actually ceased production in the US and, as you know, we're ceasing production on our long-wheelbase cars.”Gorman says Ford has enough remainingV8s stockpiled to meet demand in the long-wheelbase cars until production of the Fairlane family in a few months. 

Ford Australia boss Tom Gorman has declined to guarantee a long-term future for the company's flagship Falcon and Territory models. In announcing the decision to build the small Ford Focus in Australia from 2011, Gorman also pointed to “opportunities to walk away” from less profitable business.“Over time, what you really want to do is pursue the most profitable business so if it gives us some opportunities to really revenue-manage and go after profitable segments and maybe walk away from some less profitable business ... you have that opportunity when you are at full capacity,” Gorman says of the plans to build 40,000 Focus cars at the company's Broadmeadows site.But Gorman wouldn't directly identify what those less profitable models might be.“It is probably inappropriate that I do that today (identify the less profitable business),” he says.“You can imagine that in certain segments we have better margins than in others ... that is a hypothetical question until we are at full capacity.”Gorman's comments come after CARSguide revealed last Saturday that the Territory might be under threat in future production plans. With only three models to be built in Australia; Focus, Falcon and Territory — the obvious targets for rationalising are the two large cars which compete in shrinking segments.While Falcon will still be relatively new in 2010 once the switch has been made from the inline six to a new V6 engine and with a high fleet demand, Territory will not have those defences.Gorman says initial Focus production projections of 40,000 could expand with additional export opportunities and continued local market growth. “Of the 40,000, we are anticipating 25,000 domestic and 15,000 will be export,” he says.“Now if we do 2000 Focus we are walking around like it's a real success but that has to become a bare minimum for us. Some of the other players like Corolla and Mazda3 routinely do 3000 a month. If we can lift our numbers to 2500 a month religiously that is 30,000 right there.”Gorman says Australian Focus production will initially be in right-hand drive only, with exports to South Africa and New Zealand but additional export markets are being identified.“This is a watershed event for us in Australia, really going after what is the largest segment of the market and having the opportunity to control that product locally should be a huge advantage for us,” Gorman says.“If you go back 10 years, small cars used to be less than 100,000 units in the marketplace and this year there is likely to be 220,000-225,000 in Australia. We are not happy as a distant number three player and localisation should help us.”The good news flow-on for Ford, less than a week after announcing the 2010 closure of the Geelong engine plant and subsequent loss of 600 jobs, is that Focus production will have benefits for Ford and its suppliers.Plus there are 300 extra jobs at Broadmeadows and unspecified further job opportunities at Geelong. 

Ford delivered some good news this week with confirmation that the Focus will be manufactured at its Campbellfield assembly plant in Melbourne from 2011.It is a ray of hope for the workforce of around 5000 left at Ford Australia following the decision last week to cease production of its six-cylinder engine plant in Geelong at the cost of 600 jobs.The Focus development will add 300 jobs and help secure Ford's future in Australia.The Focus small car which is currently sold in Australia is sourced from South Africa with that operation told the news on Monday that it will no longer make the Focus post 2010.Australia will make hatch and sedan variants for right-hand-drive markets only with South Africa and New Zealand the initial recipients of an export program that will grow with more countries announced closer to the start of assembly in Melbourne.“It's a big opportunity for our local supply base as well as a big opportunity for us,” Ford Australia president Tom Gorman said.“As you can imagine this is a watershed announcement for us.”The Victorian and Federal governments will contribute $20 million each to the project where petrol and diesel Focuses will be made in Australia with imported powertrains. It is expected volume will reach 40,000 a year with 25,000 for Australia and the rest exported.There remains a chance Focus production could overtake Falcon numbers.“You have to keep a close eye on that,” Gorman said. “If we can pick up our volume in terms of overall market share with the Focus it's conceivable.“But at the moment what I like is that we have four very strong products . . . still a very important Falcon, Ute and a very important Territory and from 2011 it will be a very important Focus.”The small car market in Australia has more than doubled on the numbers when Ford pulled the plug on its Laser in 1998 which the Focus ended up replacing when it first arrived here in September 2002.“Ten years ago the small car market was less than 100,000 units and it will probably be 220,000-225,000 at the end of this year.”Ford says engineering and design for future Focus models will continue to be driven out of Europe.But there could be a chance for Ford Australia to have a greater say in product development providing Focus can grow with the “localisation” of the product.“We are a major player in Focus not only in the region but globally,” Gorman said.“I think as we raise our volume and we do better in terms of market penetration we can expect to have more of an input.”Gorman has ruled out niche variations of the Focus for Australian production but admits there is an opening for the Ford Performance Vehicles arm to develop a fresh warmed-over variant along the lines of the current XR5.“With FPV we've always talked to them about extending their reach,” Gorman added.“There is nothing to say we wouldn't have some desire to do stuff with FPV outside of the Falcon and Falcon Ute.“Once you localise, it gives you a whole range of opportunities that don't exist today.”Gorman defended the timing of the Focus deal, saying that it was not signed off until last Friday, two days after the grim news about the Geelong engine plant.“We weren't in a position to finalise the project until Friday.“It's a little early to judge morale (within Ford).“We're trying to be sensitive to the fact we made a very difficult announcement last Wednesday and there are 600 people whose lives have been dealt a little bit of a shock . . . more than a little, a big shock.“We're going to be working with them carefully on redeployment and retraining where necessary.“It's not a feeling of there's a big celebration here at the moment.“I'd say it's relatively muted at the moment given that we made a tough announcement last week.”