Ford’s replacement for the Territory SUV is almost certain to be called the Endura and not the Edge – because the name Edge is owned in this part of the world by Toyota.
Indeed, Toyota NZ recently renewed its trademark with the Hilux Edge, a swept-up example of the workhorse breed. The name was last used on a Hilux in 2014.
Re-registering it meant Edge couldn’t be used Downunder by Ford, although Ford’s use of it is okay in Europe, China, and North America. Edge is made in the US and Canada.
Ford has also trademarked the Endura handle. It means the name of every one of Ford’s SUVs will continue to begin with the letter ‘E’.
A case in point is the switch from Kuga to Escape. Then there’s the smaller Ecosport and larger Everest. But it’s not altogether a global move – Ford in the UK will hang on to the Kuga handle.
Endura has a history at Ford – it has been used as a name for company engines, including one under the bonnet of the small Ford Ka.
The NZ-spec Endura is almost certain to be built in Canada, at Ford’s Oakville plant in Ontario, where the Edge is produced for the UK market.
Ford NZ’s parent across the Tasman won’t comment on the Endura name nor the build location, although it has announced that the SUV will not be built in China.
The Changan Ford plant in China builds only the seven-seater Edge; the Canadian plant builds the five-seater. Ford Australia says the Endura will be available Downunder with seven seats and all-wheel drive across the range.
Therefore it is expected that the Canadian plant will start to build both body styles. The five-seater Edge is 4778mm long, the seven-seater adds 70mm at 4848mm. The Territory is longer again, at 4888mm.
Endura will be available across the Tasman in four models – Trend, Sport, Titanium, Titanium Plus, each one powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel mated to an eight-speed automatic.
It is not known what the line-up will be in NZ, perhaps two or three of the Aussie-bound four models. Endura’s braked towing capacity is 2000kg, or 700kg down on the Territory’s 2700kg.