Ford teases Everest

Ford's first direct rival for Toyota's top-selling Prado is little more than a week away from making its global public premiere in Beijing, China (on November 13).

It's no surprise, therefore, that the Blue Oval has released this single teaser image and video, which it claims hints at the all-new Everest's "capabilities and premium smart features".

Equally unsurprising is that, from what we can see so far, the production version of the rugged seven-seat SUV will look exactly like the concept (also pictured here) we've seen plenty of previously.

Perhaps the only unexpected aspect of today's sneak preview is Ford's willingness to highlight the fact the Everest was designed and engineered in Australia by the same team that developed the Ranger ute on which it's based.

“This is our vision of a large, seven-seat off-road vehicle that exemplifies how Ford’s 'One Ford' vehicle philosophy can apply for a vehicle created for Asia Pacific,” said the director of the Ford Design Centre in Melbourne, Todd Willing.

"The Everest is also further proof of the world-class design expertise here in Melbourne. Many of the talented team who worked on Everest – and continue to work on other Ford vehicles – have been educated right here in Victoria.

“Everyone at Ford is very proud of this new SUV.”

Due on sale in Australia next year, the Everest was created in Melbourne by Ford’s Asia Pacific design and development team in co-operation with colleagues from across the region and around the world.

Ford said the Everest, which is expected to be built alongside the mechanically similar Ranger in Thailand, is "the culmination of several years’ work aligning Ford’s global design language with customer insight from each of the key markets where Everest will be sold".

"The Australian designed and developed Everest has also been subjected to global durability testing, including extensive development work in the Australian outback," said Ford.

Ford Asia Pacific Product Development vice-president Trevor Worthington, who previously led Ford Australia's product engineering team, was less parochial in his enthusiasm for the Everest.

“We can’t wait to show the world the latest example of our One Ford global product strategy in action,” he said.

“After five years and 4500 man-years of design and development work, we’re going to redefine what customers can expect from an SUV.”

Expected to be powered by the same 3.2-litre turbo-diesel engine as the Ranger, the Everest -- like the Prado -- should be priced from under $60,000.

It will join Ford Australia's SUV range the year before the homegrown Territory (and Falcon) is discontinued forever when local Ford manufacturing ceases by October 2016. Both Broadmeadows-built models will be upgraded for the last time next month.

However, the five/seven-seat Territory wagon's duties are expected to be fulfilled beyond 2016 by the imported Edge and Explorer respectively, one of which could continue the Territory nameplate.

Next month Ford Australia will release an upgraded and expanded Kuga mid-size SUV range, including more powerful turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines and the first 2WD-automatic variant.

Apart from the Everest, Ford Australia will next year also release the facelifted Focus small-car range (including ST), redesigned Mondeo mid-size family and the Blue Oval's first global Mustang coupe and convertible sports cars.