New Ford Territory every model unmasked

[DanielXR8]

Seen in Sydney by Drive. Click the link to see the pics. New standard equipment for Terri is encouraging sign for FGII too:

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...118-19udo.html

New Ford Territory: Every model unmasked
Toby Hagon
January 18, 2011 - 9:50AM
Comments 14
Click for more photos
Ford Territory Unmasked
The all-new Ford Territory has been sprung testing in Sydney, revealing more secrets about the crucial new soft-roader months before it goes on sale.








The yet-to-be-unveiled new Ford Territory has descended on Sydney, revealing more details about the top secret new SUV wagon.

New three-model Territory range revealed
Possibility of new model designations, including replacement for Ghia
LED daytime running lights on flagship new Territory
Extensive new bodywork
Heavily revised interior
Meet the entire all-new Ford Territory family, exposed exclusively here at Drive.



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The all-new Ford Territory has been sprung testing in Sydney, revealing more secrets about the crucial new soft-roader months before it goes on sale.

Drive's spies spotted four of the new Territory wagons testing through the city and suburbs before the Ford arrives in dealerships about April or May.

Four versions of the Territory - three virtually undisguised black wagons and one white one with tape and masking - were caught testing driving through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel before heading through Sydney's lower north shore and towards Manly on the northern beaches.

It's understood the new Territory development cars were undergoing final testing and validation; Ford has long used the tighter, twistier, more undulating roads of Sydney to tune its locally developed vehicles and ensure steering, throttle response and ride comfort are up to expectations.

The sharp spy pictures show all sides of the new Territory and appear to represent different models of what is hoped to revive sales of the car that once led the SUV sales race.

Ford is understood to be sticking with a three-model range for the Territory encompassing rear- and all-wheel-drive variants - and each model has been snapped undergoing final evaluation testing.

As our exclusive pictures show the three grades will be split by various design features, including alloy wheels - the more expensive models get a more intricate design - and details within the bumpers.

The white new Territory was covered in a light camouflage but it was still easy to make out the new tail lights and distinctive new front-end that differentiate the new model.



But it was the trio of black new Territorys that gave more of a clue to what to expect with the new range arrives.

On closer inspection it appears the three black Territorys represent the entire new Territory range - one of each grade, likely to again be available with two- or all-wheel-drive - from the entry-level model to the mid-level TS and flagship that is expected to replace the Ghia.

While various spy pictures showing badges have confirmed the TS model will remain, the flagship Territory - with its LED daytime running lights, mirrors housed and silver bumper add-ons - had its badges taped over, suggesting it could get a new designation.

The Ghia nameplate has long been associated with better equipped or more luxurious Fords, but it was phased out with the current FG Falcon with upper models instead referred to as the G-Series.

As our exclusive spy pictures show, the overall shape of the new Territory is less boxy and more sleek.

It's easy to see the tail lights wrapping right around the rear of the new Territory, with a redesigned rear quarter panel meaning cleaner lines flowing into the roof.

There's also a new bonnet, front fenders and sleek angular tail lights that sit above the multi-tiered lower grille that's highlighted with chrome.

The nose looks slimmer, while more elegant headlights and chrome touches liven the look.



With all three grades alongside each other it's also easier to spot the differences.

There are at least two front bumpers for the new Territory range, with the base TX and flagship Ghia replacement sharing the same basic design. Look closely, though, and you can see that where the flagship gets oval-shaped LED daytime running lights (where the foglights would normally be positioned) the base model has them blanked out.

The Territory flagship also has additional lower bumper add-ons to give it a chunkier look.

The mid-level TX - likely to be a volume seller - gets a unique look with circular foglights in lieu of the oval look.

New metalwork is extensive on the updated new Territory. A new bonnet, new front guards, new rear quarter panel and revised roof team with the other details to give the once-boxy SUV a fresh look.

The interiors were ready to be protected by black sheets laying crumpled on the dashboard, ready to be pulled down to cover prying eyes - or cameras. However, Ford insiders suggest the changes inside the Territory are more radical to those outside, freshening the look substantially.

At least three of the evaluation Territory models spied were the much anticipated new diesel model - there was a puff of black smoke emerging from take-off out of the almost hidden exhaust pipe that points downward.



Given the sooty emission it appears that the Territory will not have the latest particulate filters that are mandatory in Europe and help almost eliminate potentially harmful - and ugly - emissions. The biggest seller of diesel cars in Australia - Toyota - does not fit the more expensive exhaust cleaning systems on most of its diesel-powered cars.

The new Territory diesel is expected to be a 2.7-litre V6 single turbo. While that engine has been used in twin-turbo versions in some vehicles (Peugeot, Citroen, Jaguar, etc) it's likely to be a development of the single turbo version used in the Land Rover Discovery 3.

It's unknown whether Ford will continue to market the rear-wheel-drive benefits of the Territory against its predominantly front-wheel-drive competition (such as the Toyota Kluger) following recent comments that the Falcon (the donor car for the underpinnings of the Territory) would likely drop what has been a key part of its DNA for 50 years.

Ford refused to elaborate on what's already known about the Territory, which is that it will be redesigned and include a diesel engine by May.

"All will be revealed over the coming months - that's about all we can say," said a Ford spokesman. "These are engineering validation cars and they're doing last minute tweaks in real world conditions."

[block58]

Great article. It's almost like they took everything everyone already knew and put in in a report!

[Wretched]

I think I will await the final release. More keen to see the interior.

[JBomb3000]

Originally Posted by block58

Great article. It's almost like they took everything everyone already knew and put in in a report!

Yeah hardly gound breaking stuff, all they have done is tell us what we already knew and stuff up which one is a TX and which one is a TS

[Raptor]

Comment in this thread => http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...79#post3532579

Lets try not to have 2 running concurrently again.