Ford Territory 2013 News

What have been the most significant Australian cars since January 1, 2000 so far? With the first 25 years of the 21st century now out of the way, we rate the 10 most important models that left their mark, or came into their own afterwards.

The Federal Government's recall website has urged drivers of certain Ford Falcons and Territorys to not adjust their steering wheel in case it causes the engine to shut down.

Australia is still a nation of gas-guzzlers even though new data shows tailpipe emissions have fallen to their lowest since records were first calculated 10 years ago. Small-car specialist Suzuki topped the latest car emissions study while Jeep ranked last among the Top 15 brands.Figures released by the National Transport Commission show the average emissions for all new cars sold last year fell to 192 grams per kilometre compared to 252g/km in 2002.But our cars are still pumping out 45 per cent more carbon-dioxide compared to those in Europe (132g/km) and we’re not far behind the gas-guzzling capital of the world: North America (231g/km).Although small cars and SUVs have overtaken the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon as our family favourites, Australians have been relatively slow to adopt more efficient vehicles because we are the fourth cheapest developed country in the world for petrol and the sixth cheapest for diesel.“There’s no doubt that one of the biggest factors that drives the European result is their substantially higher fuel taxation,” said the executive director of the Australian Automobile Association, Andrew McKellar.For example, the petrol price average in the UK last year was 217.3 cents per litre compared to 146.6 cents per litre in Australia. Fuel excise in Australia is also among the cheapest in the world: 38.1 cents per litre versus the UK’s 59.3 cents per litre.“Australian car buyers still tend to favour size, power and performance over fuel economy,” said Mr McKellar. However, the study should not be a “black mark” for motorists because Australians are more reliant on the motor vehicle.“In Europe, when you want to travel between cities it’s not uncommon to catch a high-speed train,” said Mr McKellar. “Australia obviously doesn’t have that network so we depend more on cars, and ones that can be driven comfortably over long distances.”The NTC figures also reveal private buyers are doing more to save the planet than are government and businesses. The average emissions of vehicles bought by private buyers last year was 186g/km compared to 198g/km for businesses and 210g/km for government fleets.This is partly because government purchasing policies have favoured Australian-made vehicles, which aren’t as efficient as equivalently-sized imported cars.Toyota has the most efficient locally-made cars, with the Camry and Aurion sedans producing an average of 179g/km, ahead of the Ford Falcon sedan and Territory SUV (213g/km).Despite manufacturing the Cruze small car alongside the Commodore, Holden’s emissions were the highest of the local makers (237g/km), according to the report.Indeed, none of Australia’s three manufacturers figured in the Top 10 list of the most efficient car brands.Top honours went to small car specialist Suzuki, whose average fleet emissions was 158g/km, ahead of BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.Toyota, Ford and Holden ranked in the bottom of the Top 15 brands, with Jeep ranked highest among the group (226g/km).Toyota may have the largest hybrid model range but it was penalised by its high proportion of commercial vehicles and SUVs.Meanwhile the locally-made Ford and Holden six-cylinder cars outweighed the improvements in with their imported four-cylinder cars.The study covered only the Top 15 brands as they represented 92 per cent of vehicles sold in Australia in 2013.Meanwhile, Australia’s regulations for carbon dioxide vehicle emissions lag European standards by more than six years.The latest “Euro 5” rules, as they are known, aren’t due to be enforced in Australia until November 2016; they were introduced in Europe in September 2010.Europe is targeting even stricter standards by 2015 (to an average emissions rating of 130 g/km) before limboing to just 95 g/km in 2020.The European target for light commercial vehicles such as utes and vans are 175 g/km in 2017 and 147 g/km in 2020.The Top 15 most efficient car brands in AustraliaSuzuki 158 g/kmBMW 158 g/kmVolkswagen 162 g/kmMercedes 165 g/kmHyundai 175 g/kmHonda 176 g/kmSubaru 181 g/kmMazda 184 g/kmKia 184 g/kmMitsubishi 191 g/kmNational average 192 g/kmToyota 203 g/kmFord 205 g/kmNissan 209 g/kmHolden 212 g/kmJeep 226 g/kmAverage CO2 emissions by brand in 2013.Source: National Transport CommissionThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Aussie car fans and nostalgia buffs will tell you that local motoring reached its peak in the 1970s.

As Ford Australia prepares to cease Australian manufacturing in 2016, the recently revealed Edge SUV concept at the Los Angeles motor show has been whispered to replace the Territory once doors close.The Edge would sit between the small Kuga and the larger Everest and is likely to have a platform based on the Mondeo. Ford hints the Edge may receive an efficient EcoBoost unit with stop-start technology, a self-parking system, adaptive steering and LED headlights and a 10-inch touchscreen interface.Watch the desktop version of the Ford Edge SUV concept video here. _______________________________________ 

Stand-by for a short-term price war as car dealers panic sell to clear orders cancelled due to the Rudd Government’s controversial changes to Fringe Benefits Tax rules.“Thousands of cars here or on their way here have had their orders cancelled or postponed because of the sudden changes to FBT," said Richard Dudley, the CEO of the Australian Automobile Dealers Association.“There will be an initial glut of new cars but what happens depends on the outcome of the election. The government is not prepared to move on its FBT decision whereas the opposition says they will abolish the changes."As Ford Australia confirmed it is considering cutting production of the Falcon sedan and Territory SUV, its arch rival Holden issued an urgent bulletin to dealers offering new discounts across most of its model range.“Due to the uncertainty created by the recent announcement on FBT … Holden is offering an additional bonus over and above the current retail incentives”, the confidential bulletin obtained by News Corp said.All new Holdens except the Commodore have an extra $1000 slashed from their prices while the Colorado 4WD has an extra $2000 discount. It means the cheapest car in the Holden range, the Barina Spark, can be bought for $12,990 drive-away.Toyota is understood to be preparing to clear up to 1000 Camrys over the next two months because it is unable to cut production at short notice. The last time Toyota had to quit Camrys, prices dipped to $27,990 drive-away, about $5000 off RRP.Ford, which will end production in Australia in 2016, has foreshadowed further cutbacks. “We can confirm we are looking at what mean for our August production,” said Ford spokeswoman Sinead Phipps.Ford Australia has also put an immediate halt on its employee company-car program. “We’re not calling cars back, but we’re not issuing any new ones at this stage.”Manufacturers have stopped most company-car deliveries to their own staff because the new rules will increase their FBT bills by more than $50 million -- an estimated $20 million each for Toyota and Holden and about $15 million for Ford which has a smaller fleet.The car industry is yet to accurately measure the impact of the FBT changes on new-car sales because the data is compiled on the last day of the month.“It is too early to determine the impact of the FBT on sales after just 10 days, but we will likely see a slowdown in the next two months,” said Tony Weber, the chief executive of the Federal Chamber Automotive Industries. “Long term, if the FBT changes are not reversed, we expect to see a reduction in new-car sales of at least 10 per cent.”Industry estimates say a 10 per cent drop in new-car sales would wipe $1.3 billion in GST revenue a year. When the Rudd Government announced the changes to company car tax rules it forecast a contribution of $1.8 billion towards the axing of the carbon tax.State governments would also miss out on an estimated $100 million in stamp duty revenue from new-car sales and about $50 million in registration fees each year.Luxury car buyers will also be able to grab a bargain. BMW took out advertisements in daily press during the week advising customers against novated leasing because under the new circumstances “a novated lease may no longer be the most suitable way” to buy a new car.Mercedes-Benz is understood to have a surplus of about 400 of its most affordable sedan, the C-Class, which is Australia’s second-biggest selling medium-sized car after the Toyota Camry.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The doubts have come after its regional boss refused to commit to manufacturing beyond 2016 and discounted the role of its Melbourne design operation in the brand's centrepiece at the Shanghai motor show.Work on the show car, a four-door larger than the Focus sedan that revives the famous Escort badge, was led by the 1100-strong design and development team in Melbourne, Ford's new Asia-Pacific design director, Joel Piaskowski, said last week.However, senior Ford executives including former Australian chief Marin Burela, now based in China, shrugged off the role of its Victorian studios at the show and said the Escort concept was a “global car”.Asia-Pacific president Dave Schoch said the car was shaped by Chinese customer input and declined to credit Australia. “Our product development process is global,'' he said.“We've got bits and pieces of it done in Europe, in Australia, in Nanjing.” However, Ford lacks a Chinese design centre and Ford Australia sent a delegation to Shanghai that claimed the design as their own.Mr Schoch also played down the significance of reviving the Escort badge and Ford executives spoken to by The Australian were unclear whether the car would have a life outside China if it enters production. “Think of it as a concept vehicle,” Mr Schoch said.“The Escort is well respected and we thought it would resonate with Chinese customers.'' Ford has been slow to exploit the opportunities in China compared with General Motors or Volkswagen. However, in terms of a single car, the Ford Focus was last year's bestseller in China, helping it reach No 1 on the global sales chart.The concept car based on the Focus targets China's fondness for rear-seat amenities and preference for sedans over hatchbacks. Ford expects the Chinese vehicle market to reach 32 million by the end of the decade and plans huge expansion in the region with five new plants opening in the next few years.But Mr Schoch refused to say whether Ford's Broadmeadows plant could continue beyond the life cycle of its Australian-made Falcon and Territory, which is due to end in three years. “We've made commitments and we're sticking to them,'' Mr Schoch said. “We have nothing to announce beyond 2016 and are still evaluating.” 

Ford has issued a recall on the Ford Territory for a defective impact sensor. The recall on the Ford SZ Territory is to fix a problem with the vehicle's left-hand C-pillar side impact sensor.The recall notice says there is a possibility that a sensor that forms part of the vehicle's supplemental restraint system may not have been secured.This could mean that in the event of a side collision, the side curtain airbag may not operate correctly, possibly resulting in serious injury to the occupant.Ford says only a small number of the vehicles are affected. The problem occurred in 134 Territorys built between 29 March  - 26 April 2012.

A new cylinder head and intake manifold help the petrol mill to a claimed fuel figure of 10.6 litres/100km for both the five and seven-seaters.  The petrol engine is good for 195kW (up from 190kW) and 391Nm (up from 383Nm) while the diesel puts out 140kW/440Nm. The rear-drive diesel has a claimed fuel use of 8.2 litres/100km; the all-wheel drive model uses 8.8 litres/100km.  All models now come with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard. NVH Making the car quieter for front-to-rear seat conversations was a key priority for the noise, vibration and handling team.  New seals around the rear tailgate, more attention to aerodynamics - hence the new side mirrors - and better insulation in the bulkhead and beneath the floor all contribute to trimming decibels from the SZ range. The team even looked at a double bulkhead to cut interior noise but instead opted for a plastic layer sandwiched in the regular sound-deadening material that achieves 95 per cent of the insulation for none of the weight or manufacturing cost. NVH head Michael Stellamanns says interior quietness is a key trigger for customer satisfaction. That's why the diesel was tested in the most demanding conditions - a drive-through restaurant with the window down, car idling and sound bouncing off the bitumen and wall - to ensure the diesel "cackle" wasn't intrusive. DYNAMICS Anyone who drives an SZ Territory will pick the difference in steering, says Ford's vehicle dynamics manager Alex de Vluyt.  Put that down to a new electronic power-assisted steering system and revised front suspension geometry intended to make the new Territory less responsive to wheel inputs at high speeds. Conversely, better responsiveness in parking situations was another target and one de Vlugt says will make the SZ model stand out.  Keeping the big SUV flat while cornering, accelerating or braking was another focus and to achieve the "roll agility of a Mondeo" the front anti-roll bar has been stiffened by 30 per cent, the front springs are 35 per cent stiffer and the rear springs have been beefed up by 10 per cent.