Emission deadline looms for Territory and Falcon

Next year's deadline for Euro 4 exhaust emissions compliance is a key date for Ford Australia's model development. But while it is shaping the timetable for the replacement of the Territory, the local maker says it has not locked it into launching the all-new version of the SUV before the emissions 'hard-deck'.

Australia adopted the Euro emission regs in 2005. Though not harmonised in terms of timing, the regulations standardise local testing and emission regimes with the key European marketplace.

Although 'new' vehicles built in Australia after July 2008 were required to meet the tougher Euro 4 standard from July 1, 2008, all passenger vehicles manufactured after July 1, 2010 must meet the mark.

For example, Ford's FG Falcon was launched ahead of the initial July 1, 2008 deadline and as such is still only Euro 3 compliant. The updated SY MkII Territory launched this week (more here) is in the same boat as it is not a 'new' model. Both model ranges (including Falcon's ute and light commercial variants) will, however, be required to hit Euro 4 next year.

Speaking at this week's drive program for the updated Territory, Ford Australia development boss Russell Christophers confirmed the Euro 4 dates had played a significant role in the mechanical make-up of the facelifted SY MKII Territory. And, though he admitted it was also shaping the timetable for the now-overdue all-new Territory, he confirmed meeting Euro 4 would not require the launch of the new SUV, nor even a move to the FG Falcon's new powertrain.

"There's something coming up in 2010 and a half -- which is Euro IV. Putting the FG powertrain into Territory is not a small program and you really need to have some other things to build along with it, so we will do that when we have enough content to make sense," Christophers told the Carsles Network.

"It may be before it [the Euro 4 deadline], it may be after," he said.

Though Christophers conceded the Euro 4 timetable was a logical point at which to align Falcon and Territory powertrains, he would not confirm the carmaker was planning to do so.

"FG was a new car, so it just got in under [before the July 1, 2008 date]. If the launch of the FG had been delayed three months we would have had to meet Euro IV...

"Moving from the Territory level of engine, which we call Copperhead, to the FG level there are some benefits in doing that... That's not to say we couldn't achieve Euro IV levels of emissions on Territory with the Copperhead level of engine," Christophers stated.

"You can do a whole lot of things but you don't do them twice. What you like to do is collect a whole lot of change so you only have one major prototype development program and that could be Euro 4 for Territory. It could be later..."

In terms of the development work required to move Falcon to Euro 4 compliance, Christophers stated the change may not require significant "hardware" changes. According to the dev boss, the new regs could potentially be met with after-treatment [ie: a new catalytic converter] and engine calibration changes.

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