Ford SUV: New name for Territory successor?

The mid-sized Ford SUV known internationally as the Edge is expected to be confirmed within weeks for Australian sale before the end of 2016.

However, what it will be called here remains the subject of negotiation and speculation and may not be resolved by the time its Australian launch is confirmed.

There are three potential name options understood to be facing Ford: Edge, Territory and a new, as yet unknown badge.

While Ford is understood to want to use the global name here, Toyota Australia owns the local rights and has used it on several limited edition models.

Toyota Australia renewed its exclusive rights to the Edge name earlier this year for 10 years.

If Ford cannot convince Toyota Australia to do a deal on that name, then it can opt for Territory, the name of the locally-developed and manufactured SUV that ceases production in October.

But the Edge is smaller, front-/all-wheel drive rather than rear-/all-wheel drive, does not have the same towing capacity and is likely to launch as a five-seater only.

That means it is not a like-for-like replacement of the current Territory.

If neither of those naming options are taken by Ford then a new name could be the only choice.

The announcement of the Edge has been foreshadowed by Ford Australia president Graeme Whickman several times this year, but Toyota's rights to the use of the name appear to have delayed that.

"We are very close talking about the product. I know we said we were going to do it about 30 days ago," Whickman said. "We have a point of view about when we are going to talk about it and I am smiling because I know the date but I am not going to tell you.

"The discussion around the Territory replacement; you know we are going to have one. The discussion round the potential name; some of you have reported about who might own another name and we are working through some of those things.

"It makes it a bit more difficult to come out and say something until we get a few ducks in a row."

Ford Australia will source its Edge supply from a factory in Toronto Canada. A seven-seat version is only built at a plant in China.

Motoring.com.au has reported on the specification released in the UK and also road tested a right-hand drive version of the Edge.

Ford is hoping adding Edge to an expanding line-up of Everest large SUVs, including the recently launched rear-wheel drive version and increased promotion of the Kuga compact SUV will help deliver it a larger share of the booming SUV market.