Camoed SZ Territory in USA mistaken for compact Lincoln CUV

[FalconXV]

Be cool if it was a test platform for the 2.3 ecoboost thats coming out soon. But really why is it there so late after market release?

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

Be cool if it was a test platform for the 2.3 ecoboost thats coming out soon. But really why is it there so late after market release?

Testing the waters for ditching the I6 altogether?

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Testing the waters for ditching the I6 altogether?

Mmmm... my thoughts too. They have some FG's there as well. So they could be testing V6's. Which would make sense, because if it were just EcoBoost I4, they could do the testing here. Don't see why they'd have to crash test it or condition test it in the states. Although... can't argue with procedure I suppose.

I'm gonna be naively hopeful, and say that they are testing it for Lincoln duty.

[FPV GTHO]

Why do they need to test V6's stateside? Surely it's easier to send an engine to us, for us to install, for us to do any product development, if its ultimately going to be sold to us, then to send the car to America and have the work all done over there, but still to be sold here

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Why do they need to test V6's stateside? Surely it's easier to send an engine to us, for us to install, for us to do any product development, if its ultimately going to be sold to us, then to send the car to America and have the work all done over there, but still to be sold here

Crash testing gets done in the USA, the vehicle could just be getting driven around by someone until it's "decomissioned"

[XRtowcar]

Why the camo?
Maybe they don't want the Americans to realise there are better looking Fords made elsewhere than the US.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

Why the camo?.

the camo makes it stick out more than if they just left it off, or maybe sprayed some mud over it.

[Mick K.]

Maybe they are benchmarking the Territory's driving dynamics in the lead up to an American designed, probably Thai built replacement in a few years?

[dave351cid]

my guess is that they are using it as a test bed for the new V10 supercharged GTHO Territory coming out intime for christmas.

[RHR]

I reckon your on the money. You forgot to mention the twin turbos

[dave351cid]

they will save the twin turbos for a mid year upgrade.

[Vormund]

Well it would be nice if it was for export.

Lincoln are trying to differentiate their product more from US Ford models, and this would be a good way to do it.

[jpd80]

I wonder how a Land Rover V8 diesel would go in Territory as a "performance" diesel option...

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I wonder how a Land Rover V8 diesel would go in Territory as a "performance" diesel option...

Don't tease.

[Hawkeye84]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I wonder how a Land Rover V8 diesel would go in Territory as a "performance" diesel option...

That would be awesome

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I wonder how a Land Rover V8 diesel would go in Territory as a "performance" diesel option...

A lot better then in the LR, I have to (sadly) say that having had our SZ diesel for a month, the G6ET is not being missed, even in performance and the Terry is actually quieter in cruise. A "higher" performance diesel Terry would be a real goer I think because it's in a market which is growing, Terry doesn't carry any negatives over the Falcon market-wise, and looking at the number of premium SUVs flooding my daughter's school pickup zones, on Friday I saw 14 suv's in a side school street where only say 25 cars can park, yes I counted because 4 were Cayenne's in a single row and I watched them all turn up. A Titanium ST and Territory XR in diesel would be no brainers and offer good profits, provided the Titanium offered even more features.

[XR Martin]

Doubt the LR V8 TD would fit.
To replace the turbos on them (which has been a common fault), you have to pull the body off the chassis...

[Bossxr8]

Its nothing new for Ford US to have Territory's and Falcons in their fleet.

As for still being camoed, its likely it was one of FoA's prototypes they had finished with and sent over there. No one bothers removing the camo because it will be crushed later anyway. I still see Territory's and Rangers getting around PD with camo, they are long term durability testing vehicles.

[rushing on acid]

maybe they have it there because our great engineers cant fix the electrical gremlins that have plagued the bloody thing.

[XR Martin]

I thought it was the 3L TD that was in the previous Ranger they evaluated for the Territory but decided against?

[BLUEYBA]

Maybe they could be looking to up spec the Terry to sell as a Lincoln. The way it is here it couldn't compete with the high end market such as Lexus but maybe they are looking at a major make over to really add to the prestige. As said previously they could also look to ditch the I6 of an ecoboost for the US. As Lincoln has fallen behind the other they do really need something to catch the eye and that is different to all their US Fords

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by BLUEYBA

Maybe they could be looking to up spec the Terry to sell as a Lincoln. The way it is here it couldn't compete with the high end market such as Lexus but maybe they are looking at a major make over to really add to the prestige. As said previously they could also look to ditch the I6 of an ecoboost for the US. As Lincoln has fallen behind the other they do really need something to catch the eye and that is different to all their US Fords

Our offerings with some badge engineering, and some more luxurious interiors would be fitting for the Lincoln brand. No diesels though.

[Dr Smith]

Maybe Ford US has offered to "do something" in return for forcing Ford Oz to spend all that money putting the Ecoboost 4 in the Falcon.

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Maybe Ford US has offered to "do something" in return for forcing Ford Oz to spend all that money putting the Ecoboost 4 in the Falcon.

Don't think they forced anybody to do anything...

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Maybe Ford US has offered to "do something" in return for forcing Ford Oz to spend all that money putting the Ecoboost 4 in the Falcon.

Forced?
Marin Burela saw the benefit and had two T6 Ranger mules fitted up with Ecoboost engines as attribute prototypes
that approximated falcons weight, they performed so well that he convinced his Boss Derrick Kuzak to back it.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Forced?
Marin Burela saw the benefit and had two T6 Ranger mules fitted up with Ecoboost engines as attribute prototypes
that approximated falcons weight, they performed so well that he convinced his Boss Derrick Kuzak to back it.

So you don't feel Kuzak actually asked for as many products around the world to use the ecoboost 4?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

So you don't feel Kuzak actually asked for as many products around the world to use the ecoboost 4?

Well, I've just moved your stance from forcing to asking , so I'll take that victory and run by adding
that if it was a forced decision, FoA would be consigned to a lot more than four Ecoboost Falcons a day..

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Well, I've just moved your stance from forcing to asking , so I'll take that victory and run by adding
that if it was a forced decision, FoA would be consigned to a lot more than four Ecoboost Falcons a day..

Lol, fair enough although when a "Boss asks" it could be more then "could you please add it to your model range". In fact iirc he made it a requirement of all international divisions. Sadly, 4 a day is linked to demand or is there more to it?

[aquahead2001]

The only problem with a Territory going stateside in its current life is just that. It's a vehicle that was developed 10 years ago, has had the absolute minimum spent on it over the past 10 years and has about 4 years of life left.

Don't get me wrong though, the Territory is one of the best handling (if not the best) SUV's on the planet. When it was developed Ford benchmarked the then current BMW X5 and as result, developed the "Virtual Pivot" front end. BMW was so impressed in the Territory, they benchmarked it for the next generation of X5 and ended up using a version of the Virtual Pivot front end as well.

Seeing the Territory is in a completely different price bracket and was developed on a shoe string, that's some achievement.

Maybe Ford are using it as benchmaking exercise themselves?

[jpd80]

There's something that the Territory does extremely well, space utilization - the same length as Edge
but with the internal space of an Explorer while the weight is somewhere in between the two.
That's why Territory is the perfect fit for Australia, it almost covers two Ford US vehicles.