Ford Readies Diesel As Turbo Dies Of Thirst

[Corzza]

By MARTON PETTENDY

FORD'S discontinued Territory Turbo will not be replaced by a performance-leading

supercharged V8 model when Australia'shomegrown SUV is upgraded early next year.

Before it was axed as a result of tighter new Euro 4 emissions regulations that came

into force on July 1, the Turbo Ghia topped the Territory range at $66,820.

Now, however, the turbocharged crossover wagon, which joined the Territory line-up

two years after its 2004 launch in 2006, has met the same fate as FPV's slow-selling

version, the short-lived F6X.

Effectively representing a reversal of the scenario in which Ford developed a turbopetrol

variant of the Territory instead of a turbo-diesel, Ford has now confi rmed there

will be no replacement for the range-topping Territory Turbo when the facelifted model is

released next year.

Instead, as it has already confi rmed, Ford Australia will fi t a European-sourced 2.7-

litre turbo-diesel V6 from Land Rover's Discovery in the upgraded 2011 Territory,

which will also receive major interior and exterior revisions for the fi rst time next year.

Ford has also announced that an all new 'Coyote' V8 will represent a belated

replacement for the discontinued 5.4-litre Boss V8 that powered XR8 and FPV models.

As we have reported, GoAuto has learned the new supercharged 5.0-litre V8, which is

yet to emerge in Australia, will be available in three states of tune: an entry-level

version delivering 315kW in the upcoming 2010 XR8, a 335kW version for FPV

and, perhaps, a circa-400kW variation for next year's return of the hotly anticipated

GT-HO nameplate.

However, Ford has now confi rmed its locally developed blown V8 will not grace

the Territory engine bay, leaving the V6 diesel to fl y the SUV's performance fl ag.

"The addition of the turbo-diesel engine for Territory next year will complement

the current I6," said Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary. "We have

no current plans for any other powertrain.

"Our engineering resources are concentrating on delivering the diesel

engine for Territory next year, which we think will attract more customers to the

Territory brand."

[seduced]

Would love to see a SCv8 Territory. that's an SUV that I would buy! Too bad we didn't score the 3.0L diesel....