Australian media gets first look at Ford Everest concept

It was announced in May this year that Ford will be closing down its Geelong & Broadmeadows plants in Australia, bringing a 90-year chapter to its conclusion. This episode is a culmination of years of decline suffered by the Australian automotive industry, which struggles with insufficient volume and unsustainable economies of scale.

The first Aussie-built Ford rolled out from Geelong in 1925 and when the last one comes out, Ford’s presence in Australia will be sustained solely by imported models. Ford Australia currently manufactures the Falcon and Territory, both models designed exclusively for domestic use and therefore incompatible with the global One Ford strategy of streamlined model offerings.

Ford Motor Company President and Chief Executive Officer, Alan Mulally, is in Sydney to reaffirm Ford’s long-term vision for Australia and he has confirmed plans for 11 new model launches down under that will have the entire Ford Australia line-up fully refreshed by 2017. Details of the plan were disclosed to Australian journalists in a major event held at Fox Studios in Sydney.

Dignitaries present at the event included Ford Motor Company Chief Operating Officer, Mark Fields, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln, Jim Farley and Group Vice President and President of Asia Pacific, David Schoch and Ford Australia President and CEO, Bob Graziano.

New models that were announced at the event included a final update of the Ford Falcon and the Ford Mustang. Ford’s press materials did not specify as such, but it is likely to be referring to the next generation Mustang rather than the current one, which has been around since 2005.

Of greater interest to us, however, are news regarding the new Fiesta, the EcoSport, the all-new Mondeo, and the all-new Everest revealed in concept stage. Like the current Ranger T6 which it is based upon, the seven-seater Everest is developed by the Ford Australia R&D team. Unlike previous versions of the Everest, the upcoming one sports a unique appearance rather than having the Ranger’s nose slapped on an SUV body. Technical details were not revealed, but expect the same catalogue of engines as the Ranger.

Australians will also be receiving a facelifted version of the Fiesta by September featuring a selection of two new engines – a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder Ti-VCT and two-time International Engine of the Year Awards overall winner, the turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine producing 123hp and 170Nm. The Fiesta ST tops the range with its 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine pumping out 180hp and 240Nm.

The above-mentioned 1.5 Ti-VCT and 1.0 EcoBoost engines will also power the EcoSport, a mini SUV based on Fiesta underpinnings. Ford will launch the EcoSport in Australia in December. The second half of 2014 will then see the arrival of the next-generation Mondeo, which will be offered with a range of engines including but not limited to a new 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol and a carryover 2.0-litre turbodiesel.

Whilst Ford’s overall plans in Australia are beyond our interest, details of future models are worth paying attention to, for they potentially reflect what we can look to expect over here. Launch plans for the new Fiesta have already been confirmed, and whilst we remain uncertain on the Fiesta ST’s prospects, the 1.5 and 1.0 EcoBoost are almost certain to make it here. After the Fiesta, we can perhaps look forward to the EcoSport and Mondeo in almost a similar time frame as the Australians.

KON

Pictures:
- Territory – KON
– Everest Concept: Official Ford release.