Ford, together with its joint venture partner in
China, Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), will launch the Territory in 2019. The
2019 Ford Territory is a new 5-seat SUV targeted primarily at customers in
China’s tier 4,5 and 6 cities, where Ford is seeing the greatest growth in
terms of consumer disposable income. Together with JMC, it is able to reach
from approval to mass production of this model in less than a year.
The reason behind the lightning fast development of
the 2019 Ford Territory is that it is not a product developed from scratch. The
Blue Oval, under its Emerging Market Operating Model (EMOM), used an existing
model from the local market to develop this SUV. What you’re looking at, is
essentially a repurposed JMC Yusheng S330. These SUVs sit on the same platform
as the Range Rover Evoque rip-off Landwind X7. Needless to say, the
Americanised version is the plusher vehicle.
The all-new Ford Territory is equipped with LED
headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera,
10.25-inch HD virtual instrument cluster, heated and ventilated seats,
10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, panoramic sunroof and Adaptive
Cruise Control.
Under the hood, there’s the 1.5-litre EcoBoost145
petrol engine that develops 142 P) and 225 Nm of torque. This
direct injection turbocharged mill sends drive to the wheels via a continuously
variable transmission. Electrified powertrain options (48V mild-hybrid and
plug-in hybrid) are also planned.
Ford is evaluating the Territory for Latin America,
but at the moment, the new SUV is a China-only affair. Sales will commence in
early 2019.
