RE: Ford Edge ST for Detroit

RE: Ford Edge ST for Detroit

Thursday 11th January 2018

Ford Edge ST for Detroit

UK only gets diesel Edges, the US is getting a 335hp V6 - where's that special relationship when you need it?



The world of performance SUVs is a bigger deal than ever, in case you hadn't noticed. An Audi SQ2 is soon to join the existing the SQ5 and SQ7, SEAT will create an Ateca Cupra and there must be another AMG SUV on the way soon too. The demand isn't going to abate any time soon, which means more of the mainstream manufacturers will jump on board.

See exhibit A, the Ford Edge ST. Set to be shown to the world at the Detroit show, the ST is powered by a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 with 335hp and 380lb ft - Ford says this is the most powerful V6 engine in its class, although the 400hp Macan Turbo may have something to say about that.


Power goes through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the standard Edge's all-wheel drive, with "selectable" traction control and "ST-tuned" sports suspension. It can be identified by its 21-inch wheels, new bumpers, more prominent side skirts and a pair of racy exhaust tips. There's a host of driver assist features too, because that's just as important as anything else now: Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering should keep things tickety boo, Evasive Steering Assist is there if something goes skew-whiff and then Post-Collision Braking for when it all goes to pot. Oh yeah, and 911 Assist if you're really in a pickle.

"Edge ST puts a new animal on the road - a performance SUV with a track mentality," said Hau Thai-Tang, executive vice-president of Ford's Product Development and Purchasing. Which Ford has proven in its launch video by, er, giving it to Ben Collins to drive around a car park. Make of that what you will.

While it would be surprising for a twin-turbo V6 Edge to make it to the UK - Ford currently only offers diesels here - it would also be perhaps the first time an ST model wasn't offered in this market. To our minds the first ST model was the Mondeo ST24 of more than 20 years ago and since then we've had a fairly steady stream of fast(ish) Fords, from the underwhelming (ST170) to the bloody fantastic (outgoing Fiesta). To be denied one seems a bit of a shame, even if the reality of an Edge ST makes that position understandable. More to follow from Detroit...

 

 

Author
Discussion

GTEYE

Original Poster:

2,092 posts

209 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
I wonder why Ford Europe have it seems avoided anything with even vaguely sporting pretensions for the best part of 20 years on anything bigger than the Focus?

The Mustang is obviously from the US, but faster Sierras and Mondeos used to be very popular, at least in the UK

itz_baseline

820 posts

220 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
GTEYE said:
I wonder why Ford Europe have it seems avoided anything with even vaguely sporting pretensions for the best part of 20 years on anything bigger than the Focus?

The Mustang is obviously from the US, but faster Sierras and Mondeos used to be very popular, at least in the UK
I suspect petrol prices puts off most people in the UK who aren’t ‘into’ cars. In the US the petrol prices are still very low in comparison and so even if you aren’t particularly into cars there are not the same things to think about.

It’s a bit crazy really given that a lot of people don’t do huge mileage, the running difference in petrol/diesel alone isn’t as much as what those people think if they sat down and calculated it.

Car-Matt

1,923 posts

137 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
GTEYE said:
I wonder why Ford Europe have it seems avoided anything with even vaguely sporting pretensions for the best part of 20 years on anything bigger than the Focus?

The Mustang is obviously from the US, but faster Sierras and Mondeos used to be very popular, at least in the UK
Because they dont sell, there just isnt enough 'badge' these days to get the sales going in big enough numbers to make it worthwhile and no brand image.
The Mondeo is almost invisible these days in a sea of Audi/BMW. No one will have them as company cars as despite there always being generous discounts on Fords the P11d values remain inflated and we'd rather have a poverty spec Audi instead. (by we I mean consumers, not me)

No racing programme, no real punchy marketing and just not a lot going on in Mondeoland for me. The Vignale idea is a dead duck and is taking gthe brand into pensioner land.

Fords always used to be so sharp to drive and that would make up for the cheaper bits, the development of the Focus shows this in micro, the base mk1 was such a great driving car, the mk2 less so and the mk3 even less so.....but i bet the dash is softer touch plastic lol

GTEYE

Original Poster:

2,092 posts

209 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
Car-Matt said:
GTEYE said:
I wonder why Ford Europe have it seems avoided anything with even vaguely sporting pretensions for the best part of 20 years on anything bigger than the Focus?

The Mustang is obviously from the US, but faster Sierras and Mondeos used to be very popular, at least in the UK
Because they dont sell, there just isnt enough 'badge' these days to get the sales going in big enough numbers to make it worthwhile and no brand image.
The Mondeo is almost invisible these days in a sea of Audi/BMW. No one will have them as company cars as despite there always being generous discounts on Fords the P11d values remain inflated and we'd rather have a poverty spec Audi instead. (by we I mean consumers, not me)

No racing programme, no real punchy marketing and just not a lot going on in Mondeoland for me. The Vignale idea is a dead duck and is taking gthe brand into pensioner land.

Fords always used to be so sharp to drive and that would make up for the cheaper bits, the development of the Focus shows this in micro, the base mk1 was such a great driving car, the mk2 less so and the mk3 even less so.....but i bet the dash is softer touch plastic lol
I don't disagree - its as if Ford themselves have given up on the Mondeo - which is a shame as they are by all accounts actually a decent steer.

You don't even get them as rental cars anymore!

TaylotS2K

1,964 posts

206 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
I had a look at the Edge and liked it, but the lack of petrol option was why I didn't get one.

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
Given the popularity of fast SUV's here in the UK, i'm quite surprised at this. I seem to see quite a few RS Q3's and RS Q5's now. Is that just Ford thinking that they just can't compete with the German stuff over here? It's a fair point, but i could see Ford shifting more of these than they realise.

I like the look of this from the front and the rear. It's got alot new Fiesta ST look about it. Unfortunately, for me, the rear look absolutely horrendous. It appears Ford are really struggling to design the rear of some of their new cars. The back-end of the new Fiesta ST is awful too, IMO.

Dannbodge

2,160 posts

120 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
TaylotS2K said:
I had a look at the Edge and liked it, but the lack of petrol option was why I didn't get one.
This.

If they brought this one to the UK, I'd most certainly consider it

GroundEffect

13,819 posts

155 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
Remembering how terrible this will be on CO2, I can see why it's not offered here - it will throw the fleet average CO2 out the window.


gazza5

815 posts

104 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
I had one of these in america about a year and a half ago.

It was the 2.0 litre petrol version - believe same engine thats in the mondeo (240ps?).

Was actually a very good car - did enjoy driving it, and I think it would make sense over here with the anti diesel brigade. Yes fuel and tax will be a bit high, but I won't even look at the edge in diesel form, because I don't want one, but the petrol one I would consider, the v6 one even more so!

We know from the 4 pot mustang v V8 mustang that ther eis not a huge penalty in terms of real world mpg - although the v6 does have turbos which isn't great for day to day fuel consumption - especially if using the turbo.

Shins

31 posts

212 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
We bought the 2 litre diesel Ford Edge Titanium Sport a few months ago and I have to say it is quite a phenomenal SUV in a number of ways:
Good power,
Very, very well specced for it's price (it would be easier to tell you what it doesn't have!!!)
Bigger than you think, good presence on the road.
Very comfortable on the road yet has a sporty feel to it.
I bet 335bhp would be awesome in one of these!!!!

cerb4.5lee

30,182 posts

179 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
With diesel being out of fashion in the UK currently...I'm a little surprised that Ford haven't gone with this for the UK. I'm another one that misses the days of XR and RS Fords being commonplace.

treeroy

564 posts

84 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
I'm glad it is not coming here, as an ST driver it would make me embarrassed to drive my car.


GTEYE said:
I wonder why Ford Europe have it seems avoided anything with even vaguely sporting pretensions for the best part of 20 years on anything bigger than the Focus?

The Mustang is obviously from the US, but faster Sierras and Mondeos used to be very popular, at least in the UK
They haven't sold well in quite a while, when was the last time you saw a Mondeo mk3 ST?

But when you say "anything bigger than the Focus" - the Focus IS as big or bigger than the Sierra and old Mondeo. It sells very well as do the ST and RS versions.

The current Fiesta is the same size as the mk1 Focus. Cars are just bigger than they used to be, which has kind of rendered larger saloon cars useless. I may be making this up but pretty sure the Mondeo numbers are way down, I don't see a whole lot of them on the roads.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
It looks as if it's on the verge of tipping over whilst stood still. What a minger.

dvs_dave

8,581 posts

224 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
GTEYE said:
I don't disagree - its as if Ford themselves have given up on the Mondeo - which is a shame as they are by all accounts actually a decent steer.

You don't even get them as rental cars anymore!
Ford are not going to replace the Fusion (aka Mondeo) for the US market. The current model will be the last.

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Thursday 11th January 2018
quotequote all
I actually quite like this.

The kuga or whatever it is looks pretty decent. Imagine a slightly bigger and faster one.

MC Bodge

21,551 posts

174 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
dvs_dave said:
Ford are not going to replace the Fusion (aka Mondeo) for the US market. The current model will be the last.
Interesting. Will they keep the Taurus?

If the current Mondeo is actually a European spec Fusion, will there be another Mondeo?

Having had a number of Mondeos, I suspect I'll be looking elsewhere next time.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
That is a really, really ugly car. It looks like they designed the whole thing from the top down without knowing how far they had to go to meet the floor pan so they just kept adding extra sticky-outy bits until they got there.

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
I just looked up the specs of the next closest existing Edge, the 2015-launched 2.7 Ecoboost with 315bhp That has a CO2 of 0.99 pounds per mile, which equates to 279g/km. That's £2000 for the first years road tax, plus £450/year thereafter (assuming it has a price of more than £40000). I assume Ford just don't want it dragging down their European CO2 credentials.

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
treeroy said:
I'm glad it is not coming here, as an ST driver it would make me embarrassed to drive my car.
You have issues. Driving any ST is embarrassing enough already.

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Friday 12th January 2018
quotequote all
xjay1337 said:
The kuga or whatever it is looks pretty decent. Imagine a slightly bigger and faster one.
I really like the Kuga! I'm not even ashamed to admit it smile