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Thread: Wheels Car Of The Year

  1. #1
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    Wheels Car Of The Year

    http://carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/porta...opDefault.aspx



    LOCAL STAR WINS WHEELS MAGAZINE CAR OF THE YEAR

    AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED AND MADE CROSSOVER CAR TAKES TOP MOTORING AWARD


    In a significant boost for the local car industry, an Australian-made and designed vehicle - one of the smart new breed of crossovers - has taken Australia's top motoring award.

    The Ford Territory, which blends attributes of station wagons, people movers and 4WDs, is formally classed as a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). It is the first such vehicle to be named WHEELS Magazine Car Of The Year.

    As part of the SUV category the Territory has been caught up in the flak directed at large, old-fashioned 4WDs on city roads. But Territory breaks this mould by offering both 4WD and lighter, more fuel-efficient 2WD models.

    And because it is built in a similar fashion to a Ford Falcon, sharing key Falcon components, it also brings passenger-car manufacturing techniques, dynamics, refinement and safety levels to the category, at affordable prices.

    "Today, one in every four cars sold in Australia belongs to the 4WD or SUV category. While this trend has been evident for some time, Territory is the first such car that is worthy of Australia's most coveted motoring award," notes editor Ged Bulmer.

    "The Territory is unique in that it offers Australian consumers the size and passenger carrying advantages of a large 4WD, but is available in both 2WD and 4WD guises. Everything else in the SUV category is 4WD-only.

    "In addition, it brings world-class levels of performance, handling, comfort and refinement, at a price that no imported competitor can match.

    "Significantly, Territory also has impressive safety credentials. It's the first locally built model with side curtain airbags. Its electronic stability program (standard on all 4WD models) is the most advanced available. And Territory conforms to Australian government passenger car crash safety requirements that many imported 4WDs do not."


    THE WHEELS MAGAZINE CAR OF THE YEAR
    From a possible field of 31 new or significantly updated vehicles, 13 new models were nominated for Wheels Magazine Car Of The Year testing, with 42 variants tested during an exhaustive week-long program.

    The Ford Territory ultimately took the prize from two worthy European finalists, the Golf MkV and Volvo's twin offering of the S40 sedan / V50 wagon.

    The Territory is the result of Ford's quest to build a vehicle that satisfies the shifting demands of the Australian motoring public. Through extensive market research the company found that Australians are well aware of the shortcomings of existing 4WDs, people movers and sedan-based wagons. The Territory combines the best characteristics of all three styles.
    As one of the judges noted, the Territory has not just copied best practice in SUVs. It has established best practice in many areas.

    Territory's versatile interior is one of its most appealing aspects. Thoughtful design has endowed it with both excellent ergonomics and outstanding practicality. Several judges noted that Territory provided the best driving position of all the WHEELS Magazine COTY contenders.

    Territory's range of storage options is brilliant, from the five-seater's under floor wet storage compartment, to the slide-away drawer beneath the driver's seat. No other competitor, regardless of price, delivers more practicality and user-friendliness than the Ford. Neither does any competitor drive so well.

    Territory's ride is wonderfully compliant, yet it steers and handles with a level of finesse that is quite literally unrivalled. The chassis stability system is outstandingly effective. It won't make the Territory impossible to crash, but it is a very effective active safety feature that will help prevent many accidents.

    A two-wheel drive version is available from a base price of $39,000 with the All-Wheel drive model costing an extra $4,000.
    "This year's winner has taught the world a lesson about designing cars for the Australian market," adds Bulmer. "For practicality, user-friendliness, comfort, quietness, and driving pleasure, Territory is unrivalled." Full details appear in WHEELS.
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    Last edited by fpv_gtho; 02-02-2005 at 03:37 PM.
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  2. #2
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    interesting.............
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  3. #3
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    POS car. hate the territory.
    Holden will bring out an SUV soon and then look out, its mini america here too!
    The Datto will rage again...

  4. #4
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    Now thats a bit harsh isnt it, its still a great car for what it is
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  5. #5
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    So, no surprises.
    The Territory was always going to be a controversial choice. Not choosing the Territory would have been even more controversial.
    There's two sides of the story here. There's the supporters of the Territory who rightly point to its excellent value for money, packaging, safety advances, on-road dynamics and comfort.
    Then there's the other side. Shouldn't an SUV have a decent level of off-road ability?
    Personally, I still have a problem with an SUV that has had question marks raised for its off road ability. Many reports have certainly raised this question mark over the Territory.
    You may say that most buyers don't buy the Territory to drive it off road. However, that raises the question of whether the Territory and SUVs like it are purely marketing exercises if the people who buy them don't want or need the off road ability.

    I believe that one of the primary purposes, if not THE primary purpose, of an SUV is that it should be a capable vehicle off road.
    If an SUV fails off road, then I believe that it fails its main purpose.
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  6. #6
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    It depends how you look at it, its not as clear cut as its either a car or its an SUV anymore. The Territory in particular was always refered to as a crossover by Ford and IMO thats a better designation for the type of car it is.
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  7. #7
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    And "Crossover" isn't just a creation of the marketing department to justify SUV type vehicles that are inadequate off road? Why do cross-over vehicles need the height of an SUV if they're not intended to go off-road?
    Why was the Territory made as a high-riding SUV when the same body and packaging benefits of the Territory could have been incorporated into a normal height wagon? The AWD could have been kept.
    Last edited by motorsportnerd; 02-02-2005 at 10:15 PM.
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    Nothing says that all SUV's were intended to be built for off road purposes. Afterall, the local market only switched from 4WD's and 4x4's to the SUV term because of all the limited ability 4WD's coming onto the market. SUV or Sports Utility Vehicle is just a broad term, the Territory can be classed just as much Sports as a Landcruiser can be Utilitarian.
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  9. #9
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    Which is the crux of the problem. To me an "SUV" is a 4WD. I don't care how luxurious it is or how utilitarian. I think an "SUV" should be capable off road.
    Can somebody explain to me what other possible purpose an SUV should have if it isn't intended to go off-road. Whey are they marketed using the "great outdoors" in their advertising if they can't get there?
    UCP's biggest Ford Sierra RS500 and BMW M3 E30 fan. My two favourite cars of all time.

  10. #10
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    After they killed most of the field it was always going to win it so i'm not to shocked it won.
    "Just a matter of time i suppose"

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  11. #11
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    The 2WD & 4WD Territory is designed as FPV says as a cross over vehicle,as the person who was going to buy the people mover or large station wagon might buy a 2WD Territory instead.The 4WD Territory was designed more for the family with a large boat etc,who wants more traction when retrieving their boat on a greasy ramp and for tooling around on the beach etc.As a general concept it certainly has worked. Example:a guy up the river hired a bobcat and towed it up the river,something you just cant do with a normal falcon,you just get a little bit more flexibility with a Territory.
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  12. #12
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    The Territory won. Well duh.

    nearly every other car wheels tested this year other than the Territory had a "Yes, But....." in it's review. Something wasn't good value, something didn't handle brilliantly, blah blah.

    Well done to Ford, i think they deserved it, but i find it hard to believe a wasteful SUV which can't really go that far off road (one of it's main functions, so it really should have been culled earlier......) wins on merit. Methinks this was a timely home win for Ford Mo Co. Next year my money is on the New Galant, already.......
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  13. #13
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    Judging from all the media from it, the impression from the interior and on road dynamics alone could sell the car. Sure it is a pity that something like the RTV ute even has more ground clearance than the Territory, but i wouldnt be surprised if something to increase that gets released if and when they stick the diesel V6 in there in the future
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  14. #14
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    It's what the consumers want i guess......

    Not really that good considering that this is a dead end road of quick profits for most of the industry.

    The cabin (I've sat in one) Is nothing truly special, and i''ve been in better made, better looking cars (A friends dad drove me to school in one) but it certainly did not look or feel Australian built, that must be part of the appeal!

    If they could engineer it to LHD i'm sure there would be a lot of happy happy seppos begging for something like this.
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  15. #15
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    Its hardly a dead end, if anything the Falcon remaining a true family car is becoming a dead end. The Territory was made because all the market research showed families were jumping out of sedans and into 4WD's. Thats why the 2008 Falcon is gunna be smaller and more sports based. If Ford wanted to remain producing cars locally they needed something that would sell in the vicinity of 60-100K units a year and last year they produced just over 100K Falcons and Territory's.
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