Official: Ford touts new-look Territory

WE’VE seen the official sketches, spy pictures and speculation now Ford Australia has formally unveiled the midlife makeover for its vital homegrown SUV, the seven-year-old Territory.

As expected, Ford presented full details and images of the facelifted Falcon-based wagon’s exterior and interior in Sydney today, but will not announce the mechanical upgrades for its crucial new model – highlighted by diesel power for the first time in the form of a Jaguar Land Rover-sourced 2.7-litre turbo-diesel V6 – until closer to the vehicle’s market launch in May.

However, clearly visible in the interior images are ‘airbag’ symbols on the lower dashboard near the new four-spoke steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, indicating that a driver’s knee airbag will be added as standard across the range, in addition to the twin front and side curtain airbags already standard in all Territory models.

Ford has now confirmed the top-shelf Territory will wear Titanium rather than Ghia badges, matching the Mondeo and (next-generation) Focus and spelling the end of the long-running Ford Australia nameplate, which disappeared from the Falcon with the new FG in 2008.

While the safety feature count will increase, so too will the Territory’s interior appeal due chiefly to its new FG Falcon-style dashboard featuring a classy new, more rounded centre stack, or Interior Command Centre (ICC).

It features a central bank of alloy-look multi-media and climate controls above a new storage compartment with 12-volt outlet and a “smooth-action tambour door” roller-blind lid and below familiar twin air-vents, but the headline act at the top of the new ICC is an elegant new eight-inch colour touch screen with more stylish graphics.

Matching Holden’s new VEII Commodore and going one better than the Falcon in a first for an Australian-built Ford, the new touch-screen will be standard in TS and Titanium variants, while the Territory TX will offer a 5.8-inch monochrome screen.

Crisp and clear new white-on-black dial faces – which in the images released show a 220km/h speedo and a tacho that reads to 6000rpm but still has no redline - bookend a new LCD display screen within a classier new instrument panel.

A fresh centre console features twin cup-holders, deep console bin storage and USB/iPod connectivity, while high-gloss spears attempt to connect it with the centre rear seat in Titanium models and new round air-vents reside at either end of the dash, which like the FG Falcon’s wears a high-quality leather-look grain-finish surface called ‘Natural’.

Territory Titanium customers will have the no-cost option of either Shadow (black) leather trim or a light-coloured leather seat trim dubbed Cashmere to go with a range of extra high-gloss and satin-metallic interior highlights.

Meantime, TS buyers get the Shadow colour scheme for their cloth-suede combination seat trim and satin-metallic finishes, while the TX offers satin-finish accents and Shadow-themed cloth seat trim.

The Territory’s familiar theatre-style twin rear seat remains standard on TS and Titanium models, and an extra-cost option on the base TX.

As evidenced by a number of recent spy images, the exterior of the facelifted Falcon-based wagon takes a similar step upmarket by featuring all-new sheetmetal apart from the roof, doors and tailgate, bringing the Territory more in line with Ford’s ‘Kinetic’ global design theme without detracting from the handsome basic Australian-designed proportions that first appeared in June 2004.

That means that compared with the SY Series II version launched in May 2009, the facelifted Territory will be immediately obvious coming at you on the road thanks to an all-new “tri-plane” front-end including a fresh bonnet, a more elegant bumper with slimline upper grille and larger trapezoidal lower grille, narrower projector headlights, a U-shaped lower chin skid plate and slightly more aggressive front quarter guards.

Notably, the latter now feature Holden Commodore-style side vents that Ford dubs fender features or guard flutes, and which receive different finishes according to model grade.

While the first ever diesel Territory will not feature a bonnet air-intake like that seen on the discontinued Territory Turbo, Ford says four subtle new bonnet creases hint at the performance of the new TDCi V6.

At the sides, there is new lower door cladding and a new, more angled C-pillar and ‘faster’ rear-most side window are part of the fresh rear three-quarter panel. Complementing this at the rear is a redesigned bumper, (wrap-around) tail-lights, tailgate appliqué, lower skid plate and lower valence panel.

While the newly named Titanium flagship is differentiated by new twin chromed C-shaped accents, the upgraded Territory range-topper is most dramatically distinguished by LED lamps within the triangular-shape lower edge of the new-look headlights.

The Territory’s new Euro-style LED daytime running lights are absent on latter variants including the entry-level TX and mid-range TS, but the latter scores new round foglights instead of the chrome-surround rectangular units seen on the Titanium, which also scores extra exterior chrome touches and indicators in its wing mirrors.

Completing the new-look Territory exterior are a new range of model-specific alloy wheels – five-spoke 17-inch items for the TX, painted and machined-face 18s in a five-split-spoke design for the TS and a five twin-spoke 18-inch design featuring a machined and painted ‘wet’ look for the Titanium.

All Territory models will continue to come with roof rails and a tailgate with separate-opening rear glass.

Only one solid exterior paint colour will be available (Winter White), while eight fresh metallic paints will be offered: Lightning Strike (silver), Chill (silver-gold), Smoke (dark silver), Havana (warm mocha), Seduce (red), Vanish (blue-black), Edge (gun-metal grey) and Silhouette (black).

Ford Asia Pacific and Africa design director Chris Svensson said a number of Kinetic design elements were applied to add sophistication to Australia’s only locally built SUV.

“We worked hard to ensure the new Territory was an evolution of the original model and, through the use of Ford’s distinct design DNA, also gave a hint of the future,” he said. “To achieve this we applied Ford's unique style philosophy: kinetic design.

“Kinetic design comprises several specific elements, all of which are present in the new Territory. They are confident stance, dynamic lines, expressive form language, taut surfacing, bold graphics and great detailing.

"When you combine them they convey movement and athleticism. In other words, the vehicle looks like it is moving when standing still.

“The overall visual effect of kinetic design is simple: in the case of the new Territory it communicates its dynamic capabilities and fun-to-drive spirit.

“New Territory's unique frontal design was recognised by Ford's Global Design Management as a key feature that not only identified Territory as a distinctly Australian product, but also embodies cues that are core to the Ford design DNA.

“That's the strength of our global One Ford philosophy. The design of Territory was developed as part of our global philosophy but specifically crafted to appeal to the Australian consumer.”What's new for Territory:

Projector headlights
Upper grille
Lower grille
Front bumper
Lower chin skid plate
LED lamps (Titanium)
Round fog-lights (TS)
Bonnet
Front guard flutes
Lower door cladding
C-pillar design
Rear-most side glass
Rear three-quarter panel
Tail-lights
Rear lift-gate appliqué
Rear bumper
Rear lower skid plate
Rear lower valence panel
Chrome rear valence accents (Titanium)
Instrument panel
Gauge cluster with LED screen
Eight-inch colour touch-screen (Titanium, TS)
5.8-inch monochromatic screen (TX)
Audio functions
Interior Command Centre (ICC)
Round outboard air-vents
Four-spoke steering wheel
Remote audio and cruise controls
Integrated storage bin with tambour door
Centre console with redesigned cup-holders
Interior ‘spears’
Fabrics and materials
Chrome and satin finishes
What the Territory TX gets:

Front upper grille: Moulded black
Front upper grille Finisher: Painted black
Front lower grille: Moulded black
Front lower grille Finisher: Satin Chrome
Front lamp inner bezel: Satin Chrome
Front skid plate: Moulded black
Wheels: 17-inch alloys painted Alpine Silver
Fender feature: Moulded black surround
Beltline moulding: High chrome
Rear skid plate: Moulded black
Lower bumper garnish inserts: Painted black
Interior Command Centre in medium shadow metallic
Momentum fabric seat inserts woven Jacob fabric in seat bolsters
Instrument panel and console spears in Platinum metallicInterior environment in Shadow (black)
Satin Chrome door-handle releases
Shadow (black) steering wheel controls
What the Territory TS gets:

Front upper grille: Moulded black
Front upper grille finisher: Painted Satin Alloy
Front lower grille: Moulded black
Front lower grille Finisher: Satin Chrome
Front fog-light inner bezels: High chrome
Front skid plate: Painted Satin Alloy
Wheels: 18-inch alloys with painted and machined face
Fender feature: Moulded black surround
Beltline moulding: High chrome
Rear skid plate: Painted Satin Alloy
Lower bumper garnish inserts: Painted black
ICC in Medium Platinum Metallic
Essence’ fabric seat inserts Miller suede fabric in seat bolsters
Instrument panel and console spears in Platinum Metallic
Shadow (black) interior colour scheme
Satin Chrome door-handle releases
Satin Alloy steering wheel controls
What the Territory Titanium gets:

Front upper grille: Moulded black
Front upper grille Finisher: High Chrome
Front lower grille: Moulded black
Front lower grille finisher: High Chrome
Front position lamp: High Chrome with LEDs
Front skid plate: Painted Satin Alloy
Wheels: Unique machined-face 18-inch alloys with accent colour
Fender feature: Painted body-colour surround, moulded black inner bezel, High Chrome spear
Beltline Moulding: High Chrome
Exterior rear-view mirrors: Integrated LED directional indicator
Rear skid plate: Painted Satin Alloy
Lower bumper garnish inserts: High Chrome
ICC in Medium Platinum Metallic
Leather seat trim
Instrument panel and console spears in Platinum Gloss
Interior environment in Shadow (black) or Cashmere (light beige)
Bright Chrome door-handle releases
Satin Alloy and Bright Chrome ICC switchgear
Centre console armrest stitching (matches stitching on all seats)
Satin Alloy steering wheel controls