New Territory diesel before 2010, but which one?

Ford's highest priority for any Territory upgrade is still a diesel version. Several Ford senior managers have acknowledged that this can't wait until the 2010 switch to V6 petrol engines. While it's widely assumed that the Jaguar-LandRover-Peugeot 2.7-litre diesel is the obvious choice, it is also expensive and midway through its development life. It is now looking more likely that the Territory's diesel engine is so new that it hasn't been released yet.

Ford Australia has now acknowledged that the five-cylinder Volvo diesel was under consideration. Though a worthy powerplant, with 136kW/400Nm from just 2.4-litres, it is not muscular enough for the 2000kg Territory once its seven full-sized seats are filled and its 2300kg towing capacity is factored in.

Last week, Ford sources confirmed that Ford intends to strengthen Territory's competitive position as an alternative not only to the bigger softroaders such as the Toyota Kluger but also as an alternative (at least in hauling power and cabin capacity) to the dedicated heavy-duty 4X4 wagons such as the Toyota Prado and full-sized LandCruiser/Nissan Patrol.

As part of this strategy, the Ford Escape will need to be replaced with a new compact SUV with diesel that is able to take the battle to the Honda CR-V/Subaru Forester/Nissan X-Trail.

The clear inference here is that the new diesel under the Territory bonnet would therefore need to be larger rather than smaller. This would dictate a capacity of at least 3.0 to 4.0-litres, almost certainly a V6 and therefore one that has yet to appear under Ford bonnets. It would need to deliver at least 150kW and 575Nm if it is to thread the eye of the needle, with Prado below and LandCruiser above.

The Carsales Network's source explained that if another Ford division were building a business case for an all-new diesel, Ford Australia's needs would very much be in the frame to build up numbers.

The obvious buoyancy in mood from the Ford executives at the FG launch whenever discussion turned to a diesel-powered Falcon, suggests that an exciting new diesel powerplant along these lines has been undergoing parallel development in a number of Ford vehicles.

The possibilities include a re-engineered (and cheaper) 3.0 to 3.2-litre version of the PSA-sourced 2.7-litre V6 diesel, a cheaper version of the twin-turbo 3.6-litre V8 diesel derived from this 2.7 V6, or an all-new direct-injection engine developed for the US based on the same technology and built at a competitive location.

When there are numerous Lincoln and Ford passenger cars, along with a wide range of SUVs, MPVs and light commercials in the Ford, Mazda and Volvo worlds with similar performance and load-lugging requirements as those of the Territory, these extra volumes would support a state-of-art diesel engine at a far more competitive price than the current 2.7-litre turbo out of Europe.

This engine would also be on offer to the new owners of Jaguar for further volume.

The Carsales Network believes that Ford's Australian engineering team is already working on such a diesel at a number of levels. The engine is possibly destined for the upper levels of the global T6 light commercial that is being developed locally.

And here's the biggie... Also expect a new diesel of at least 3.0-litres in capacity with a relatively simple single-turbocharger installation combined with common rail, direct-injection. So what are the choices?

Ford US

Plans for a totally new Ford 4.4-litre V8 diesel were leaked as early as 2006 with a completion date in 2009, about the time of the projected Territory Diesel launch. This US engine to be developed internally by Ford for the US market and potential European models, is intended to bridge the gap between US and European technology. 

Although it draws on Ford's European 3.6-litre turbo diesel V8 technology, its primary purpose is to replicate the power and torque of the 6.0-litre Powerstroke diesel for the F-series without the weight and size so it can also power the corporation's larger SUVs and passenger cars. 

The significance of this new engine is not only its state-of-the art Euro technology but it will mark the end of Ford's reliance on an outside supplier for its US diesel engines. This is especially important to Australia.

When previously there was no reason for Ford Australia to seek diesel engines from Ford's US supplier over any other outside global supplier, this all changes when the internal Ford group responsible for the new engine would be actively selling the new engine across Ford's global divisions.  By combining volumes for those markets with similar requirements, different versions of the new engine suddenly become viable.

Back in 2006, there was speculation that it would be built at Ford's Dagenham diesel manufacturing centre from Brazilian compacted graphite iron blocks and then shipped back to the US.

Since then, Mexico has also been listed as a potential site when projected volumes have escalated dramatically since it was first planned. One possible outcome is that both centres could end up producing variations of this engine. Suddenly, combined Australian volumes for Falcon and Territory versions start to add up.

This of course raises the question whether there will be cheaper, lower capacity V8 versions or bigger V6 derivatives. The 4.4-litre version minus two cylinders brings it back to 3.1-litres, about the right size for several Ford models.

In 4.4-litre turbocharged specification it is expected to offer 240-250kW and around 700Nm in torque, desirable for an FPV buyer perhaps but overkill for most Territory buyers.

Ford UK

After Ford's European engineers designed the highly successful 2.7-litre V6 diesel fitted to various Jaguar-Land Rover-Peugeot-Citroen models, the company has since gone one better with a new development of this engine. A new 3.6-litre V8 diesel which shares the bore and stroke of the original 2.7 V6 went into production in Ford's Dagenham plant in April 2006. 

In twin-turbocharger form this compact V8 diesel delivers almost 200kW and 640Nm, figures closer to what Territory buyers would expect. However, in a simpler and cheaper single turbo specification it would hit the target power and torque figures comfortably.

The only wildcard in either of the above Ford US or UK scenarios is whether the new diesel engine, which has yet to surface in a V6 or V8 specification suited to Territory requirements and pricing, will first appear in the Territory or another Ford. If Ford Australia chooses to wait for the new engine to be revealed in another Ford model, then the projected launch date would be pushed out to later in 2009.

If the new diesel required Ford's five speed auto as fitted to the FG Falcon, Ford Australia would need to modify the Territory's floor pan to accept the new transmission before the new V6 petrol engines arrived in 2010. If this is required, suggested one Ford engineer, then it would be much easier to add the new transmission to the current in-line six cylinder petrol engine as an interim measure.

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