New Ford Edge: arriving in Europe in 2015

Ford has officially announced today the details of the second generation of the Edge. The SUV, which until now had the American continent as its main market, will represent the next step in the blue oval’s strategy to expand its product range in Europe. We will see it at European dealerships next year, and it will come to occupy the highest position in the range.

Unfortunately for Ford, the exterior design of the new Edge will not surprise many. Its shapes were first revealed in an internal presentation by the manufacturer, and the prototype that previewed it has also left little room for major changes. The variations are limited to the headlights, the exterior mirrors, the door handles, the air intakes in the front bumper and the design of the lower part of the rear bumper.

What is worth pointing out is that the published images correspond to the version of the model with North American specifications. The European Edge will be distinguished by some minimal aesthetic details, as well as by the range of engines and other mechanical adjustments. Likewise, it remains to be confirmed whether the Sport trim, which stands out for its lower body-coloured mouldings, rear diffuser and certain darkened elements, will also be available in Europe.

If on the outside the new Edge has barely changed from the prototype shown at the past Los Angeles Motor Show, the cabin reflects a greater number of modifications. For example, the instrumentation features a cleaner and simpler layout of the speedometer, the rev counter and the digital screens with the car’s essential information. Also visible are more conventional air vents, a different arrangement of the buttons located below the colour touchscreen multifunction display on the centre console, and higher armrests on the doors.

As Ford announced at the presentation of the Edge Concept, the interior of this SUV will be characterised by the use of higher-quality materials and leather in additional areas, as well as better sound insulation thanks to the Active Noise Cancellation system and tyres chosen by Ford to reduce road noise.

Ford states that the handling of the Edge has been configured to suit the tastes of European consumers. The adaptive power steering, which adjusts the steering ratio according to speed (more agile for parking and more precise on the road), and the suspension, which promises to be firmer than what American drivers are used to, will help achieve that goal.

In Europe, this model will be sold with two variants of the diesel engine 2.0 Duratorq TDCi: one with 180 CV and 400 Nm of maximum torque paired with a six-speed manual gearbox, and another with 210 CV and 450 Nm coupled to the six-speed Powershift automatic gearbox with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Like the first generation, the redesigned Edge will feature a very complete technology package, highlighted by the new SYNC 2, adaptive cruise control with collision prevention and warning, the new Active Park Assist with perpendicular parking and vehicle approach alert, rear inflatable seat belts, blind spot detection and traffic sign recognition, among others.

The first markets to receive the second generation of the Edge will be North America at the beginning of 2015, and then, later that same year, sales will begin in Europe, South America and Asia-Pacific. This model will be one of Ford’s main launches on the old continent, together with the Mustang and the luxury range Vignale.

Source | Ford