Ford Territory: The start and end of an era?
FROM the glory of being the first-ever properly developed Australian SUV, the Ford Territory will see its extraordinary 12-year lifespan out in 2016 with the irony of also being the last.
And what you see here is how that very final model will look like.
Unveiled a few months ago now, the SZ Series II is now available in local showrooms now.
Subtle does not fully describe the depressing triviality of the changes Ford Australia has made to the one-time best-selling SUV in the country.
Look very closely and you may notice the new grille and headlight design, which brings the old stager in line with the American company’s other global product – namely the latest Ford Edge (that is rumoured to replace the Territory in two years time), mid-size Kuga and EcoSport compact SUV.
Up front, there is also a visual connection with the Australian engineered and developed (but Thai-made) Everest seven-seater 4WD wagon that is based on the Ranger one-tonne pick-up truck.
According to Ford Australia’s exterior design manager Nima Nourian, the Territory update is designed to give it a fresh look to see it through to late 2016.
“We wanted to deliver a new level of visual appeal with the Territory,” he said.
“(It) gains a more robust, yet refined design and you won’t mistake it for anything else but a Territory. Visually the surfacing is more architectural and achieves a very cohesive and sophisticated look.”
Don’t bother looking for any more visual changes on the vehicle, as Ford Australia had very limited funds to play with developing the SZ II.
Just as the original SX model of 2004 had, the prime engine in the last Territory is the ubiquitous 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder unit also found in the very closely related Ford Falcon.
Of course it will be joined by the Euro-sourced 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel, mated to a ZF-designed and made six-speed automatic transmission. The latter unit is currently responsible for over half of all Territory volume.
Based on the E8 longitudinal engine mounted platform that has underpinned (in various states of development) all Falcons in one time or the other since the EA series debuted in March 1988, the SUV is available in either rear-wheel drive or permanent all-wheel drive guise.
The Territory was the result of Ford Australia’s revival program after the disastrous AU Falcon of 1998, and shared many components with the 2002 BA Falcon as well as the FG that replaced the facelifted BF Series II model in early 2008.
It was the pet project of the late Geoff Polites, visionary ex-Ford Australia president who championed the bespoke crossover’s cause during 2000 and 2001 when it became clear that Aussies were going to abandon the traditional three-box rear-wheel drive large car that had been the staple of motoring in this country since the first Holden 48/215 of 1948.
Launched in June 2004, the SX became the first (and only) SUV to be wholly designed, engineered and built in this country (at Ford’s Broadmeadows plant alongside the Falcon).
Not only did it win Wheels magazine’s Car of the Year award (the only SUV to do so), it became the most popular vehicle in its class until the much more modern Toyota Kluger started to erode the Ford’s lead later on in the 2000s.
In a way, the Territory became a victim of its own success, with a complacent post-Polites Ford management cancelling the diesel engine option that was going to be installed in the hitherto petrol-only range in around 2007.
This dire lack of foresight meant that the V6 diesel did not arrive until the model’s first major facelift arrived in the middle of 2011.
Though the makeover included a completely new front-end design as well as a significantly updated dashboard and multimedia interface, the changes boosted the Territory but could not restore the old workhorse to the top of the large SUV throne that had – by then – been occupied by both the Kluger and the Toyota Prado.
The Ford also faced challenges from the Holden Captiva 7, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
Come early next year, the new FG-X Falcon and facelifted Territory will kick off what the Blue Oval is calling a “massive product onslaught” that includes the long-awaited replacement for the Mondeo mid-sizer, mid-life update for the Focus small car, America’s iconic Mustang pony car, the Everest, revamped Ranger and the Edge SUV.
Suddenly, besides these imports, the Australian-made product will start to look very dated indeed. Do you think the final Territory has been changed enough to keep it going strong until October 2016?
Byron Mathioudakis goauto.com.au
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