When launched at the Sydney Motor Show in 2004 Ford’s Territory broke new grounds in interior design, function and chassis dynamics for its class. Indeed, it could show many an upmarket manufacturer how to make an SUV practical. If there was one criticism it was that the body shape was on the conservative side.
No one ever disliked the shape of the Ford Territory, but neither did anyone fall in love with the squared off and very sensible body lines.
All that has changed and the upcoming new Ford Territory has leapt to the front of the styling stakes. So wide ranging are the changes to the body that Ford Australia put on a major automotive media event to show off the styling of the only SUV designed and built in this country.
A presentation that began with a great piece if theatre as the kid from the Ford Territory TV commercial - who tries to stick cardboard cutouts to his boring family car to turn it into a Ford Territory - pulled the same cardboard cutouts off the upgraded new Territory. Clever!
Apart from the roof every exterior visible panel is different, though the changes to the lower sections of the doors are minimal and hard to spot.
There’s nothing minimal about the Territory’s all-new front end. It has leapt ahead of the opposition with an audacious design. The upper section of Territory’s front grille is slim and neat, but the huge lower grille, complete with OTT bling that varies from model to model is stunning in its boldness.
On the downside the Territory doesn’t have the slightest trace of a front bumper and even a tiny bump to that complex grille in a carpark or in mild off-road driving is going to cost someone a lot of money.
The front guards have a sporting look created by gills, these vary in design from model to model. Rather than cluttering up the guards with blinker repeater lights they have been moved to the door mirrors, a clever styling touch that was started by Mercedes-Benz some time back and that works nicely on the Ford SUV.
At the back the rear three-quarter panels have been reshaped to give a more modern look. The taillights are now horizontal rather than vertical in their theme and show a family resemblance to those on the current Falcons.
The tailgate retains its same shape and opening, which is large and practical to allow for easy loading, but has been modernised by changes to the minor components. It retains its separately opening glass, always a popular feature.
Inside, the new Territory uses a similar layout to before, but the central screen is larger and even easier to see. The instrument panel is simple and logical in its layout. All in all the new Territory’s cabin has a more elegant finish that’s partly achieved by borrowing some of the controls from the Falcon.
Ford Australia is stretching out the publicity for the new Territory as much as it can. Sketches of the body changes were released a few weeks ago, now we have had a detailed look at the car. In March there will be a full technical session to explain details of Territory’s powertrain, including, of course the long awaited turbo-diesel engine.
Journalists will finally get to drive the Ford Territory in April and the wagon is expected to go on sale in May.
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