News For Ford Territory Cars

Ford Territory diesel slashes fuel economy

words - Joshua Dowling

Driver's knee airbag, 1154km-plus diesel driving range and 2700kg towing capacity just some of the highlights of the new Territory SUV

 » Get the best price on a new Ford Ford has cut the fuel consumption of its Territory by one-third – addressing one of the biggest criticisms of Australia's sole locally-made softroader.
Indeed, the new diesel Territory uses the same or less fuel than a Toyota Camry four-cylinder petrol car – and can drive from Sydney to Noosa without stopping for fuel thanks to its 1154km-plus driving range.
The consumption average is 8.2L/100km for the rear-drive diesel Territory and 8.8L/100km for the all-wheel-drive diesel Territory. The rear-drive petrol Territory now uses 10.6L/100km – a 9 per cent reduction compared with the current model and in line with the consumption of the Falcon sedan not so long ago.
The all-wheel-drive petrol-powered Territory has been dropped due to its diminishing take-up rate. Just one in five Territorys sold last year were all-wheel-drive. This reinforces the notion that Australians like the appearance of a vehicle with offroad ability rather than the genuine functionality.
The news came as Ford revealed more details about the 2011 facelifted Territory during a series of technical briefings at Melbourne airport -- ahead of the vehicle's arrival in dealerships next month – and previewed a number of firsts for the carmaker and the local industry.

The Ford Territory will be the first Australian-made vehicle to be equipped with a driver's knee airbag. The Territory was already awarded five stars for crash safety without the extra airbag, but Ford made the improvement anyway.
The knee airbag brings the Territory's airbag tally to seven -- but the curtain airbags still do not extend all the way to the third row seats (as they do in the Toyota Kluger and Mazda CX-9).
In other welcome news, the diesel Territory now has increased towing capacity. The oiler is now rated at 2700kg. The petrol Territory's towing capacity remains at 2300kg.
The Territory will also be the first Australian-made Ford fitted with an electric power steering system. The weight savings from the new system, as well as the reduced operating load on the engine, deliver a 2.5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, the company estimates.
Other fuel saving measures include a six-speed automatic transmission in the petrol Territory (instead of the four-speed) and a new taller diff ratio (3.23:1). The diesel models retain the 3.46:1 diff ratio.
Arguably the cheapest of all the upgrades, Ford also put more air in the tyres to save on fuel. The base model Territory 17-inch tyre now leaves the factory with 34 psi, while the rest of the range retains 30psi.
The diesel Territory is powered by the same 140kW/440Nm 2.7-litre single turbo V6 that is used in the Land Rover Discovery. It weighs just 1kg more than the inline 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine (whose power is up 190kW to 195kW and whose torque has climbed from 383Nm to 391Nm).

The diesel engine is made in the UK while its six-speed automatic is made in North America (also used in the Mustang and Ford F-Series pick-ups).
The petrol engine is made in Geelong, while its six-speed ZF automatic is made in Germany.
Territory suspension has been given a complete overhaul for better handling and comfort, and Ford says it has made significant changes to the vehicle's quietness and refinement. But the media will have to wait another month for drive impressions.
The technical briefings were still going as this article was published. Check the Carsales Network soon for more detailed reports.