TurboDOHC

Did not expect this. Say good bye to the humble wagon!

<b>Rear-wheel-drive comes with the Territory
By Chris. Gable
Tuesday August 19 2003</b>

Ford will launch a rear-wheel-drive version of its Australian-designed-and-built Territory when the much-heralded "soft-roader" goes onsale in the second quarter of next year.
Significantly, the announcement comes less than three months before arch-rival Holden launches its all-wheel-drive Adventra, which also has been designed and will be built here. Yesterday's announcement pointedly says that the Territory will be "... the only vehicle of its type to launch with both all-wheel-drive (AWD) and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variants when it goes on sale next year".

Ford made its announcement yesterday as part of its "drip-feed" Page Ranking campaign during the lead-up to the Territory's official unveiling at next year's Melbourne Motor Show. The car-maker used a similar "drip-feed" PR campaign during the build-up to last year's launch of the BA Falcon.

Our photograph of the Territory undergoing tests on Fraser Island is the one Ford recently "leaked" as part of its Page Ranking campaign.

Yesterday's announcement also detailed the Territory's locally-designed new four-link front suspension, "tailored" version of the BA's Control Blade rear suspension, bare bones suspension specifications, new tyre specs and turning circle.

The Territory, we're told, the new vehicle will achieve car-like steering, traction, comfort and handling.

But from a marketing point of view, the rear-wheel-drive announcement is big news.

Ford's Territory vehicle line director Russell Christophers says that a "...significant group of customers" has shown interest in 4WD-style features and versatility but doesn't want or need four-wheel-drive.

"For these people, RWD Territory is a more logical progression from the traditional large sedan or wagon," he says.

"Many of these customers have migrated into large 4WDs simply because they are looking for a higher ride height and interior flexibility. They have a limited, or in many cases no need for the 4WD capability of those vehicles but previously had no option but to accept it and pay for it as standard equipment, just to get the package they wanted."

He says the 4WD and RWD Territorys will look the same and will share the same interior package.

Although Ford didn't say so in yesterday's announcement, the rear-wheel-drive Territory obviously also will cost less than the all-wheel-drive version of the vehicle.

Ford also announced that it's worked with Goodyear to develop two new tyres specifically for the Territory. The AWD Territory will get a new Goodyear Fortera 235/50 R17 tyre, while the RWD version will come with new Goodyear Integrity 235/60 R17s engineered to suit the application.

For the record, here's Ford's technical data released yesterday and relating to the new Virtual Pivot Control Link front suspension -- shown with BA Falcon suspension specs for reference:

. Front roll centre height at kerb -- 132mm (BA Falcon -- 62mm)
. Front track width -- 1620mm (1560mm)
. Spring rate -- 50 Newtons/mm (33 N/mm)
. Anti-roll bar diameter -- 27mm (24mm)
. Rebound travel from kerb height -- 93mm (82mm)
. Wheelbase -- 2842mm (2829mm)

Ford says the Territory's 11.4m turning circle indicates the effectiveness of the new front suspension and steering set-up. That turning circle, it says, "... surpasses any competitve all-wheel-drive currently on the market". The RWD Territory will work just as well, we're told