A production version of the Ford Edge is expected to return for the 2015 model-year.
Though it’s officially being described as a “concept vehicle,” the Ford Edge prototype making its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week will make its return, in short order, in production form — and not just here in the U.S., but in markets around the world.
The next-generation Edge is the latest of the Detroit automaker’s models to go global as part of CEO Alan Mulally’s One Ford strategy. The move to reach beyond North American shores makes perfect sense, said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president of marketing, considering the way crossover vehicles have gone mainstream around the world.
“Utilities now account for one of every five vehicles sold around the world,” he said. Ford’s intermediate objective is to build a family of small, compact, mid-sized and full-size utility vehicles that will appeal to a broad range of global buyers. “Utilities are no longer a regional vehicle,” he said.
A closer look at the face of the new Ford Edge.
Thus, the Ford Edge Concept signals what the maker has in store for markets as diverse as China, Russia and South America, as well as the U.S and Canada. Following the “One Ford” strategy, it was designed to utilize the latest ideas in technology as well as interior and exterior design from around the world, Farley said, while going up against competitors as varied as the Grand Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota Venza.
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Kevin George, the head of the design team that worked on the Edge Concept, said the goal was to develop a surface language that is lean and muscular. The original Edge model’s six-sided front grille has been toned down while bridging new LED headlamps that are now flush with front surfaces. The headlamp openings are also smaller and more focused.
The silhouette of the concept vehicle is very similar to that of the current Edge, George added, explaining that, “We wanted to keep what’s great about the Edge and its silhouette has a lot of charisma.”
The sides have been scooped out, however, to make the Edge Concept appear less bulky, while the tailgate and taillamps have been completely revised to give the vehicle a leaner appearance.
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The Edge Concept's interior is intended to give the crossover a much more upscale look and feel.
The exterior design of the Ford Edge Concept has also been dressed up with polished and brushed aluminum that gives the vehicle a more expensive look – a theme carried over into the interior. The instrument panel, for example, is wrapped in leather, while Ford has used other high-end materials, including carbon fiber interwoven with copper wire.
Design team leader George also pointed to practical details worked into the new Edge design, including active grille shutters to improve the car’s aerodynamic performance and an “air curtain” to reduce turbulence around the wheel wells – the latter feature first seen on the Porsche 911. Turbulence can drag down fuel economy.
Jaques Brest, one of the engineers who worked on the Edge concept, said the vehicle comes equipped with technology meant to make the driver safer and more efficient, including an advanced version of the autonomous parking assistance that allows the driver to park in a tight space while standing outside the car.
It’s also equipped with automatic Stop/Start which shuts off the engine if it sits idling for a few seconds. The system can save fuel, he said, and Ford’s surveys indicate there is interest in the technology.
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Ford equipped the Edge Concept with an obstacle detection and avoidance system that will automatically steer the vehicle around another slower moving vehicle or stationary object if the Edge’s radar and other sensors determine a collision is imminent.
The electric powered steering also has been tuned to insure that the car is easy to maneuver at low speeds while at high speed providing the driver a more solid feel for road conditions.
While Marketing chief Farley declined to discuss when the new Edge Concept would evolve into a saleable vehicle, he clearly indicated the next version of the popular crossover is likely due in 2015.