Ford Territory - Definition and Overview

A basic rear-wheel-drive TX model is offered with numerous four-wheel-drive variants, in the TX trim and more luxurious TS and Ghia ones that feature appointments such as a DVD player (which is also available as an option on the TX).

The Ghia has seven seats as standard. The three rows of seats are arranged in a "theatre style", with the back row highest.

The base engine is a 3,984 cm³ straight-six-cylinder DOHC unit from the Falcon, developing 182 kW.

Four-wheel-drive models have a Hill Descent Control system, using the ABS braking to control the car's motion downhill, inherited from Land Rover.

Australian and New Zealand models are slightly different visually: all models sold in New Zealand have body-colour bumpers, including the base model. Front light detail resembles that of jewellery in a black box.

Appearance-wise, the Territory resembles the smaller Volvo S80-based Ford Freestyle sold in North America. Both cars have similar styling—it was this that sold the Territory to Ford executives at the head office in Dearborn, Michigan. Simon Butterworth, who was behind the Ford Falcon facelift of 2003, styled the Territory but had worked with his American counterpart, J Mays, in working in the global Ford "DNA". Marcus Hotblack worked on the Territory's interior, with a Swiss army knife as a metaphor. Consequently, the car has touches such as flexible cup-holders and a handbag holder to the side of the seat for female drivers, recognizing that many SUV buyers are women.

External link

• Ford press release published at Autoweb (http://www.autoweb.com.au/cms/A_101280/newsarticle.html)