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| Ford
Territory Ghia |
Broadcast
dates : 14th August 2005
20th August 2005 |
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The
Ford Territory is a fine piece of kit, especially at
the price. Costing under R400 000, it’s up against
the so-called soft-roaders like BMW’s X3. For
"soft-roader", read station wagon with an
extra dollop of roof height and ground clearance. And
as for image, well, the Territory is a clean-cut
kid.
The Territory’s cabin is crisp and clean. But this
leather-clad top-of-the-range Ghia model has
impressive panel fit, adding to an honest, no-fuss
image.
There’s an air of solidity and lack of gimmickry
that appeals, an unmistakable aura of friendly
Ford-ness that makes you feel right at home.
Yet there are quality touches too, such as the smart
central console, the aluminum-topped gear-lever, the
tasteful metal trimming, and the biscuit-finish faces
on the instrumentation.
Ford reckons the front seats are placed at the perfect
height for exit and entry of the average person.
And talking of accommodation, the Territory’s strong
suit is definitely the extra row of seats that it
offers.
The Territory is not merely an Australian makeover in
the styling department. It uses the same engine as
found in the big Australian Falcon sedan available
here until a few years ago. It’s a vehicle that’s
designed pretty much for a country like ours.
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Car
Magazine tested the Ford Territory at 9,47 to one
hundred, and in fact on a bang-for-buck basis, the
Ford offers more performance than its competitors.
The 180 kilometres-per-hour top speed is
electronically limited, and for a family-orientated
vehicle, it’s rather academic, especially in a
country with a 120 kilometres-per-hour national speed
limit.
While the Ghia model boasts full-time
four-wheel-drive, it lacks a low-range transfer box
that some competitors offer in this price league.
The prodigious torque of the Territory would make it
an ideal towing vehicle. It produces 380 Newton metres
at 3250 rpm. And with the specific automatic gearbox
fitted to the Ford, towing will be even more of a
breeze.
The auto is a rather old-fashioned
three-speed-with-overdrive device, the overdrive
acting as a fourth gear. On paper it sounds
unimpressive, but in practice it works very well, both
the engine and transmission profiled to lugging rather
than high-rev roustabouting.
The engines character is old-world, but it’s refined
enough to suit the genteel nature of the Territory. It’s
almost like a diesel engine, except it’s quicker and
revs more freely.
Ford isn’t pretending that this is a serious off-roader.
Like many soft-roaders it’s designed for use on tar
and good dirt roads, the type typically found on game
farms.
There’s a hill-descent ABS control to provide some
ability on steep inclines, but for heavy-duty 4X4
stuff, Ford would probably point you in the direction
of your nearest Land Rover dealership.
Australian Fords have always enjoyed a strong
following here, and this is a car that grows on you.
Ford Territory 4,0 AWD Ghia
- Engine:
Straight-six petrol, 3 984cc
- Power: 182
kW @ 5 000 rpm
- Torque: 380
Nm @ 3 250 rpm
- Transmission:
Four-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive
- 0-100 km/h:
9,47 seconds
- Top speed:
180 km/h (limited)
- Fuel
consumption: 14,4 litres/100 km (Car Magazine
figures)
- Price: R389
500
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