Ford Territory News

Gorman says life could be tough for the new Falcon, codenamed Orion and scheduled to be launched in 2008, but all the company can do is try to make the best Falcon it can."The architecture, technology and the hard points are set. What we can adjust is minor bits of jewellery here and there," Gorman says. "The segment is smaller than when we devised the program but we are committed to the vehicle and intend to go ahead with it to the best of our ability, even if it's a lot harder than what we envisaged two years ago."People might say it is the wrong vehicle at the wrong time, but we always say to our people not to add `poorly executed' to that list of challenges. When I arrived here three years ago the large car market was 23 per cent of the Australian market."Now it is 13 per cent. That's 100,000 fewer large cars that get sold here each year. If you take that we're about 35 per cent of that, that's 35,000 fewer Falcons annually. Our strategic response was to come up with Territory and that has offset some of that loss."If we try to give it the perception of a medium-sized car, drop a 2.0-litre engine in it, then the thing won't get out of its own way. What you create then is a car that breaks its promise to the people who want the car."The promise we make with Falcon is to give them great performance and safety in a car you can be proud to have in your driveway. So let's not cut two inches off the back. Let's make it look like we're proud of it."With large car sales shrinking in Australia, rivals Holden and Toyota have looked to exports to keep the factories running. Earlier this month Holden announced a deal that will see it ship potentially more than 30,000 VE Commodores — rebadged as the Pontiac G8 — to the US each year.Gorman would not reveal what stage Ford Australia's efforts to export more of its locally made cars is at, but says exports are important for the future of local production."How we integrate global rear-wheel-drive initiatives with Ford Motor Company and what we do with exports are critical to us, but those aren't things we can do tomorrow," he says. Gorman says the signs are Falcon has hit its low point and sales should rebound in February as business buyers return, although consistent sales of 3000 or more Falcons each month are unlikely this year.He ruled out slashing prices to boost the numbers, though. "You have to be very careful with that because we have a brand new Falcon coming and you have to have a good value story with the transition to the new vehicle," he says.Hints at how the new Falcon is likely to look may lie in the design direction Ford used for its latest concept car, known as the Interceptor, which was unveiled at last month's Detroit Motor Show.Ford is adding more aggression to all of its future models, as shown in the Interceptor."This car shows what you can do with a strong rear-wheel drive architecture," executive director of Ford design in North America, Peter Horbury, said at the show. "Like the Falcon, it's tough. It makes a statement."Although no one is suggesting the Interceptor will be copied by Ford Australia, the same aggressive influences could be at work.

The compact SUVs spruiked at the show all had the same message: it’s still big enough, but it drinks less at the bowser.For the first time in a while, the show itself opened not with a futuristic technological concept car, but with an old-school ex-army urban assault vehicle.As the covers dropped on Holden’s new import, the H3 Hummer, there was absolute silence from the media, the photographers, and Holden employees.It was a heavy decision indeed, to make the ‘smaller’ H3 Hummer the opening star attraction.But it set a precedent for the rest of the show.Big is not necessarily better anymore, and even the leviathan Hummer has been shrunk to a more user-friendly size. So goes it with the SUV market, entering a mid-sized makeover with several smaller, more user-friendly five and seven seat models.A different seven-seater on the Holden stand may prove slightly more popular to both media and the environmentally and socially aware buyer.The Captiva is Holden’s new foray into the SUV market, a big moneymaking niche from which it has been excluded since the demise of Jackeroo and Frontera in the early 2000s.The newly-released five-and seven-seat Captiva, which runs a 3.2-litre six and sips 11.5L/100km, is Holden’s hopeful in the battle against arch-enemy Ford and its long-running local favourite, the Territory. But the Holden will have company.Though the SUV market has taken a dive in recent times, the mid-sized market is in a revival.Three prominent new mid-sized car based SUVs were launched at the 2006 Motor Show: the Land Rover Freelander 2; Subaru Tribeca; and Mazda CX-7.The Freelander 2 stands apart from the bunch as a premium model with more focus on off-road ability.The tired first-gen model with its lacklustre engines and major handling and safety concerns is replaced with two new models running a 171kW 3.2-litre six petrol and beefy 400Nm 2.2-litre TD4 diesel.Both are connected to a six-speed auto and full-time 4X4 system, and both the exterior and interior of the new model has had a major design overhaul. It looks tough, instead of tired.Subaru has finally brought in a model for the five-plus family to gorge on.Fears of losing the brand-loyal but expanding family have brought the Tribeca to the fore, part SUV, part MPV, Tribeca is the first all-new Subaru since the Forester in 1998.While second and third row seating in the seven-seat model looked tight, and its big hamster nose is as polarising as a pair of sunnies, the equipment levels for price of the $55K and up model line, combined with the safety of AWD, six airbags and five-stars in crash testing is a sure inducement.But the buzz surrounding the Mazda CX-7 was loudest in media circles.Looking like a Mazda3 on steroids, the CX-7 is the shapely new SUV entry that will join the recently-facelifted but still ageing Tribute, and the plain old MPV models.Just like the recently-launched MX-5 Coupe, we were the first market in the world to see the right-hand drive version of the CX-7, and also will be the first to get it on the street (in mid-November).CX-7 is definitely a challenge for Ford’s Territory Turbo; it is powered by the turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder DISI engine from the Mazda Performance Series (MPS) in the 6 and 3 lineup.Slightly down on power at 175kW (compared to the sedan and hatch MPS’s 184kW) and in auto only, CX-7 should be on or under $45K for the luxury model, with a bargain basement base sitting well below the leather and BOSE specced flagship.It is five-seat only, but a proposed seven-seat CX-9 (are the numbers confusing you yet?) could be here in another one or two motor shows.Ssangyong also had a tilt at the compact SUV market with their Motor Show release of the Actyon.Dubbed a “coupe SUV”, the Actyon further demonstrated a trend for car makers to trim down the softroader end of their “4WDs”.The Actyon is driven by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with 104kW and 310Nm, and also comes with a 2.3-litre four with 110kW.The Actyon will also have electronic stability control and double-wishbone front suspension with a five-link rear end.Be it sporty, off-road capable, or fitting into a small parking space while fitting the basketball team in its innards, the irony still remains. In a world crammed with oversized SUVs, the mid-sized and compact market is also eyeing off a big parking spot. It is harder to argue the negatives of these more socially friendly, eco-friendly and carpark-friendly SUVs.Thank goodness for the likes of the Hummer H3.

Monday's announcement that Ford would reduce output from its Broadmeadows plant was not an excuse for the company to cull its workforce, he said."It hasn't been determined that there need be any jobs cut," Mr Jones said. "Some voluntary redundancies are likely but we'll be working to see that anyone who needs a job can keep a job."Ford workers would meet next week to approve the company's enterprise bargaining agreement and discuss the threat to jobs, Mr Jones said.Co-ordinating rostered days off so that the plant could be shut down, taking accumulated leave and adopting a nine-day fortnight were all measures the union would be proposing to minimise actual job losses."We haven't even started talking with Ford about those yet," he said.On Monday, Ford announced a slowdown of its assembly line to reduce output to 360 vehicles a day from 450.It is the second time this year Ford has responded to falling demand for its Falcon large sedan and Territory SUV, after slowing output from 520 vehicles a day in February.Ford Australia president Tom Gorman said the company was looking at other cost-saving measures, but some jobs would have to go."We haven't announced numbers but I want to stress it is not a linear thing," Mr Gorman said. "If our production capacity is coming down 20 per cent the workforce reduction would not be similar. We're working through all our alternatives and not taking a slash and burn mentality."We are still evaluating all other cost reduction initiatives. It will take two or three weeks before we can finalise those and we aren't in a position to discuss them at the moment."Ford's plan to develop and export the next model Falcon, due in 2008, would not be affected, Mr Gorman said. The business case for the car, codenamed Orion, had already been based on a smaller market share for locally made large cars, he said."When we look at our next round of models we've already adjusted. We had a certain set of assumptions for volume and we have adjusted those already."I don't think large cars will ever again be a 20 per cent plus segment. If it's in the neighbourhood of 15 per cent you have a marketplace where you can make something of it. Add exports and you have a viable business," he said.The catalyst for the cuts came when large car sales did not recover as much as anticipated in August and September despite the arrival of the new VE Commodore and Toyota Camry.Mr Gorman said Ford had been looking forward to the VE regenerating interest in the large car segment."When people get interested in a segment they go out and do comparative shopping — and that suits us because we've got a very competitive product," he said.Large cars sales could still recover if petrol prices stabilised."I still think it's too early to say it's not going to bounce back. I don't know whether it's a residual effect of petrol prices. Clearly petrol prices have backed up quite a bit — which is good."

1. What does the Territory Turbo, which you have just unveiled, bring to the Ford brand?"It meets a customer demand for a top-of-the-end performance derivative of the Territory."It also has a high level of luxury with a sports orientation, and delivers that in a refined way."2. Is the Territory doing the job for Ford?"We expected the Territory would be successful in the marketplace because we were delivering a product the customer really asked for. We spent a lot of time understanding what the customer wanted, in a cross between a car and a sports utility vehicle."We were confident that we understood what they wanted from us. The marketplace has decided that we have met the epxections and we're really happy with the sales."3. How has the success of the Territory helped Ford Australia, on the global scene?"It has continued to demonstrate to the larger global Ford organisation that we have full product development capabilities in Australia and can deliver great products."So it is a further demonstration of our capability in Australia."4. The successors to the current Falcon and Territory have just been approved. How important is that?"It is clearly really important to secure the future of Ford Australia and its employees. And that continues to secure the future for the short and medium term. "So it's also good for Ford and also for Australia."5. Is there still a future for traditional Aussie family cars, despite the sales slide we have seen with the rising cost of fuel?"Absolutely. It will continue to be a really important segment for the Ford Motor Company."The share that large cars achieve of the total industry has fallen over time, but because the industry has been growing the volume has been pretty constant. "It is still hard to say is we are seeing a major shift over the last six to eight months, or just an abberation."In any case, clearly we expect the large car segment to be a really important segment."6. What should we read into the approval for a left-hand drive program with future Falcon and Territory?"We don't have approval for left-hand drive, but we have reached agreement with the Federal Government for research into left-hand drive. We don't have corporation approval."Clearly it's something we're putting engineering resources into and it's something we hope to get approved in the future."

Call me nosy – as a journalist I prefer curious or inquisitive.With the advertising for the Territory focusing on how unlike a truck it was – I was initially dismayed, I wanted the truck – I wanted to be sitting higher and able to look down.First things first – I wanted the mums at school to check out my rig and give me envious looks.Monday morning and the household student had a first-class ride through the school gates right up to the office – no bus for her. Private schools are not the best place to employ this tactic – there are luxury cars and 4WDs everywhere so I didn't stand out too much.We did stand out at the airport, though. After collecting our visitor, piling her luggage into the 4WD was never an issue.Neither was fitting anything else in – the Territory has more than 30 storage spaces and mega-room with the optional third row of seats down – there are storage solutions to rival Ikea.The problem lies with the fact I am not known for my fantastic co-ordination – and the split tail-gate did nothing but highlight this. Push a button on one side and you can split the tail opening rather than opening it as a whole with the button on the opposite side.So, the top pops up – and Sam wears a crack in her head as she tries to work out what's going on. Nah ... really it didn't hurt ... much, because I am a tough almost-truckie now.I say almost because it really is like driving a car. The steering isn't heavy and it doesn't take two days to hit 60km/h with the six-speed auto.You almost don't think about how big it actually is while driving along until someone points it out – or it slaps you in the face. I never had to worry too much about tree branches in my low-to-the-ground regular car, so I didn't think too much about driving with the windows down while being so high up.Until I did get hit in the face with a few leaves and a twig large enough to sting a little.As passengers laughed, I used the steering-wheel controls to turn the music up to drown out my hoarsely whispered cursing.I didn't realise just how roomy the Territory was inside until sitting in the car parked outside a friend's place.As I sat in the passenger seat for a different perspective, I could almost have been in another room.Reverse parking was the only real issue I had with the Territory – and there was no pain involved.While manoeuvring into a parking space, there are a couple of blind spots, but you are kindly helped out with the reversing sensors that bleep when an object is near.Reluctantly handing the keys back – I knew I was going to be one of those who needs to keep her own car clean as the other nosy 4WD-ers look down on me at the traffic lights.I also managed to hit my head getting in and out of my own car – not having the extra room.LOVE IT LEAVE ITFord TerritoryPrice: $51,330LOVE ITBeing able to peer down on everyone.Not feeling speed bumps.Surprising fuel economyStorage – a place for everything.LEAVE ITThe reversing alarm sensitivity.Blind spots.Split rear tailgate.

Seen as a crucial gap-filler for GM Holden's line-up and a head-to-head competitor with Ford's market-dominating Territory, the Captiva is a mid-sized machine, which will launch with a 3.2-litre Holden V6 engine.It is expected to be on sale in Australia in the second half of this year with diesel and four-cylinder engines on the horizon.Details of the local Captiva are still a little sketchy, but GM Holden confirms it will be available as a five- and seven-seater with an "active" (part-time) four-wheel-drive system, which feeds on-demand drive to rear wheels.GM Holden chairman Denny Mooney says there was extensive Australian input into the Captiva project that "covers the outside, inside and underneath to ensure it looks, feels and drives as a Holden should"."This has been a missing link in our product line-up," Mooney says.The Geneva show was the launching pad for new models ranging from production-ready family cars to exotic concepts.Saab stole a good deal of the limelight with its Aero X concept, which not only shows a new life in the Swedish manufacturer's design department but also highlights a new direction for green technology.Fitted with a BioPower turbo V6 engine that produces 298kW, it is being trumpeted as a hero car for the bio-fuel movement.The Aero X is also a looker and Saab has tapped its aircraft roots to add a fighter-style cockpit canopy which does away with doors, opening windows and even windscreen pillars. "It represents our vision of what a high-performance car from Saab could look like," says Anthony Lo, the director of advanced design for General Motors Europe. The Concept A on the VW stand is a good example of an idea getting very close to a production future.Rumours abound about a Golf-based small SUV under development at Volkswagen and the Concept A fits that scenario to a T. The concept combines a sleek coupe-style silhouette with the raised stance of an SUV.The drive train is VW's tried-and-tested 4MOTION system while the engine is at the cutting edge of the company's combined use of turbo and supercharger technology. A production schedule for the Concept A could become reality in months.Kia's sleek SUV concept, the Cee'd, is based on the company's C-segment passenger model which start production in Slovakia in December. European Design Centre chief designer Gregory Guillaume says the concept was "the starting point for the new design DNA for Kia". Cee'd incorporates a mixture of designs from the Sorento SUV to the small Picanto.On the more extreme end of the SUV scale sits niche Dutch manufacturer Spyker's D12 Super SUV. Powered by a W12 engine the Spyker retains the marque's trademark sportscar lines but sits on seriously puffed suspension. Staying in a luxury vein, Rolls Royce has again produced an "experimental" car in the 101EX. The car has been hand-built to "explore a potential design direction for a future coupe model".The 101EX uses the same lightweight aluminium construction that was developed for the Phantom, although the body is shorter by 240mm.Ferrari has unveiled its replacement for the 575M Maranello in the shape of the 599GTB. The Modena maestros have not spared the horses in the sleek-bodied 599 using the 485kW 6.0-litre V12 derived from the Enzo supercar powerplant and already in use in the 612. With its lightweight aluminium chassis and body, the 599 GTB promises to be an absolute rocket. It will be on sale in Europe about the middle of the year.GM has shown it hasn't given up on the idea of a successful soft-top model with the unveiling of the Opel GT. There is no indication of how far through the GM family the GT will spread but indications are that it will remain left-hand drive only.Mazda has revealed its Mazda3 MPS, following the success of its Mazda6 MPS and continuing on its promise to have a performance car in every model.Unlike its larger sibling, the 3MPS will not get an all-wheel drive platform, and will stay front-wheel drive. That should make the promised 186kW output an interesting test for Mazda's suspension engineers.It hasn't taken long for Alfa Romeo to follow up its Brera sedan with an even more delicious spider version of the car.The Brera Spider will be in production before the middle of the year.

While the turbo plan for the hot-selling Territory was no great secret after being caught poorly disguised in spy shots in Melbourne last year, it is a coup for the local market who have warmed to the wagon.The blown six was the natural step for Ford to take and it opens the door for Ford Performance Vehicles do an even hotter version.Ford has announced that the turbo will go on sale in July however price and performance figures will be with-held until closer to launch date."The Territory turbo offers Euro inspired styling with a sports edge - it's designed with elegance in mind, coupled with performance attributes," Ford Australia president Tom Gorman said.Ford's engineering department has reprogrammed the acclaimed ZF 6-speed transmission to cater for the turbo all-wheel-drive wagon.The blue oval maker will exclusively show a concept truck that gives a strong hint to what the next Courier will look like.The 4-Trac will feature in an Australian premiere in Brisbane after its world unveiling at the Thailand Motor Expo in Bangkok late last year. Why show it first in Thailand?Firstly it is the largest market for pick-up trucks outside the United States and Thailand is the regional production hub for Ford's one-tonne trucks with exports assigned to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, Middle East and Europe.The 4-Trac features clean body surfaces, bulging wheel arches, integrated side indicator lights, 17-inch six spoke alloy wheels with A/T tyres.At the rear the 4-Trac uses a distinctive double folding, power assisted rear tray with three-step access.It is a tailgate within a tailgate where inner and outer sections operate together or seperately.The outer section folds to the ground effectively transforming into a ramp while the inner part folds 90 degrees for trouble-free loading.There are six portable containers in the rear cargo area that were prompted by offshore rescue craft for carrying a variety of equipment including rescue gear. Ford will also unveil its revamped Escape SUV.The Escape gains a new grille and bonnet while a new front bumper incorporates an updated skid plate on the XLT Sport and Limited versions.This houses new recessed fog lamps to match the four chamber chrome-ringed headlamps.Launched later this year, the Escape will also have an all-new interior layout and safety upgrades.The two powerplants, 2.3-litre four cylinder and 3-litre V6, remain unchanged.

Motoring fans can compare the two SUVs at the Brisbane International Motor Show from this weekend.On the Holden stand will be the S3X concept vehicle. It is almost identical to the Korean-made production Captiva which made its global debut under its new name at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday.The Captiva will be powered by the new 3.2-litre Global V6 all-alloy engine made in Port Melbourne, and come with five or seven seats, electronic stability program (ESP) and an active all-wheel-drive system.GM Holden chairman and managing director Denny Mooney said Captiva would be in Holden showrooms in the second half of the year with price and specification details released closer to launch."The production car remains very close to the S3X concept which has impressed motorshow crowds in Australia in the past few months," Mooney said."The extensive Australian input in Captiva covers the outside, inside and underneath to ensure it looks, feels and drives as a Holden should."Former GM Holden-based designer Mike Simcoe, who was responsible for the resurrected Monaro, and Max Wolff were involved in the Captiva design team."This vehicle has been a missing link in our product lineup and we believe there is strong appetite for its arrival," Mooney said.Captiva is 4.635m long, 1.850m wide and 1.720m high, offering seating for five or an optional third row to fit seven people as does the Territory.Captiva's active all-wheel-drive system instantly employs the rear axle, as driving conditions dictate, via an electronically controlled electro-magnetic coupling to provide maximum traction.This system also works with electronic stability program and ABS.Ford will display its new 245kW and 480Nm turbocharged Territory with ominous bonnet scoop at the motor show.It features FPV style grille, twin exhausts, new alloy wheels, saddle-stitched leather seats and a sport steering wheel.When it is released in July it will come in two trims — Turbo and Turbo Ghia — both with the new ZF six-speed transmission. The Ghia will include power seats and a reverse camera.Gorman said no prices were available yet, but they wanted to be "competitive".He said the Territory would bring in "additional customers".He also admitted Ford was "still looking at diesel" for the Territory.

There has never been more diversity, or better value, in the business.And there are several very significant newcomers at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, from exotics with pricetags of up to $1 million to the all-new Toyota challenger to the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore.New vehicle sales are predicted to run steady at 980,000 through 2006 after reaching a new high of 988,269 last year. It was the fourth straight year of growth, which has seen sales rise by more than 27 per cent since 2000.The four local carmakers - Mitsubishi, Ford, Holden and Toyota - face big challenges in an industry that is more open than ever before but all believe they are set for success.Mitsubishi introduced its all-new 380 in 2005 and increased its sales performance.Ford has the excellent Territory, the baby Fiesta and Focus are the best small cars in the company's history and it is working on an all-new successor to the BF Falcon for 2007.Holden, now in the run-up to its all-new VE Commodore later this year, will also have a full-size four-wheel drive for the first time. It is also pushing ahead strongly with value-priced small cars imported from Korea.Toyota will unveil its new local hero at the motor show and has a new Camry ready for action in the second half of the year as well as such new models for 2006 as the RAV4, Yaris sedan and a new Lexus LS flagship.GM Holden chairman Denny Mooney says: "We are all looking forward to what appears to be another great year to be in the car business."The market will continue to be very active with many new competitive entries launching, as well. In addition, the all-new Commodore will represent the most significant ground-up engineered vehicle we have ever done."Holden has been runner-up to Toyota in the sales race for the past three years but its Commodore has been Australia's favourite car for a straight decade despite the massive rise in fuel prices through 2005.Still, importers led by Mazda, Honda, Hyundai and Nissan have been huge winners in recent years with a wide range of new vehicles at competitive prices. It is a fragmentation which has made it tough to measure the business with traditional yardsticks.Mooney says each company will have a different view on this development.He adds: "In 2006 we're entering the year of the family car, which means new large cars, new SUVs (four-wheel-drives) and a few other surprises as well."The industry is responding in many different ways, which makes it exciting. Everyone is looking for that segment-buster or a twist on an old theme to gain ground."Holden and Ford were both worried by the decline in large-car sales through 2005 but both believe that new products will bring people back to traditional Aussie sixes."There are many factors driving the recent decline in large car sales," says Ford Australia chairman Tom Gorman."Nevertheless, we believe the large-car market in Australia still represents a significant market opportunity for the future."Territory is the perfect example of Ford being flexible enough to respond to changing market conditions. Our ability to read the market and create an all-new vehicle to react to changing trends has proven very successful for our brand."Toyota has done a great job with a hugely varied model line-up, but even it was forced to withdraw the Daihatsu brand from Australia in 2005 because its cars could not compete with Korean price leaders.Now it is aiming for large-car success and another year at No. 1.David Buttner, executive director of sales and marketing for Toyota Australia, says: "We see a market for 2006 between 980,000 and 990,000."He puts this down to 14 years of economic growth, record-low unemployment and a lack of pressure on interest rates."The outlook for 2006 is one of sustained demand in those areas which have remained strong . . . there is an expectation of recovery in markets which did diminish in response to new and different vehicle offerings."Mitsubishi says it had one of the biggest challenges of any firm in 2005 - launching the all-new Mitsubishi 380 at probably the toughest time in the last 20 years.Mitsubishi Motors Australia managing director Rob McEniry says: "This will be another extremely busy and challenging year with many new product offerings."He predicts all categories of car will stabilise in 2006 and that "the large-car segment will bounce back".Returning the market to "normality" will be the year's biggest challenge, he believes."Fuel prices, interest rates and global political instability will all be significant contributing factors to consumer confidence," McEniry says.

The new model will be offered in two all-wheel-drive specification levels - Territory Turbo, and the more luxuriously appointed Territory Ghia Turbo. Both will be powered by Ford's 245kW turbo engine. "Territory Turbo and Territory Ghia Turbo build on the many fine attributes inherent in the original Territory and then adds additional performance," said Ford Australia President Tom Gorman. Enhancements introduced on the recently released SY Territory range will also feature on the Territory Turbo, including a slick shifting six speed automatic transmission as standard. "Our design engineers had a brief to create a Territory Turbo with enhanced performance but not to compromise functionality and versatility," said Mr. Gorman.