Ford Territory successor reveal at LA motor show?

Ford will unveil a new 'global SUV' at next month's Los Angeles motor show and the vehicle in question is likely to be a successor to the Edge medium-large crossover, tipped to become the next generation Territory in Australia.

The Edge SUV is currently sold in North America and the Middle East and the big difference between the imminent second-gen Edge and its predecessor is that the all-new vehicle will be sold across the globe.

"The expanding European SUV market is a unique opportunity for Ford and lands right in our sweet spot," Ford sales and marketing boss Jim Farley told UK Autocar magazine.

The new Edge could possibly be underpinned by a modified version of the CD4 platform used by the fifth-generation Mondeo, which debuted at the 2012 Paris motor show. A model dubbed simply 'Edge' was outed in a Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference (second photo), but it remains to be seen if this is the real deal.

Its introduction to the European market would give Ford a third rung in the SUV market, as the newcomer would sit above the Focus-based Kuga and Fiesta-based Ecosport.

The news is potentially of relevance to us too, as rumours suggest the Edge (and possibly the larger Flex) could be adapted for the Australian market as a replacement for the Territory when Ford ceases local production in 2016.

The existing Edge was first released in 2006, and a substantial mid-life overhaul for the 2011 model year has seen the vehicle post over 120,000 annual sales in the US over the past two years.

The all-new replacement is believed to have a more athletic look than the current car, and the existing Duratec V6 engines are set to get the chop as the second-gen vehicle will be offered solely with four-cylinder power, spearheaded by a new 2.3-litre Ecoboost turbo unit.

The existing Edge is a five-seater, but it's possible the replacement will offer seven-seat capability, which would boost its credentials as a successor to the Territory.

Whether or not it will wear Territory badges remains to be seen, but it would certainly make sense, given the strength and familiarity of the nameplate the Australian market.

Ford recently announced it would spend $720 million on upgrading its Oakville plant in Ontario, Canada, which builds the Edge, where the new Territory could be sourced.

"This investment is helping us find much needed capacity for global products and securing jobs, and it is positioning Oakville as one of the most competitive and important facilities in the Ford system," president of The Americas, Joe Hinrichs, was quoted as saying.

"If consumers suddenly shift their buying habits, we can seamlessly change our production mix without having to idle a plant," he said.

"Flexible manufacturing enables us to get vehicles to consumers faster than ever before. This is a great value proposition for everyone," stated Hinrichs.

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