Mazda turns down seven-seater Ford SUV twin | CarAdvice

Car Advice
  • Home
  • »  Mazda turns down seven-seater Ford SUV twin

Mazda turns down seven-seater Ford SUV twin

MAZDA BT50
By Jez Spinks |
FIND DEALS

Mazda has decided against having a twin version of the upcoming Ford seven-seater SUV that is being based on the Ranger ute, a company insider has revealed to CarAdvice.

Ford Australia is currently developing the still-secret ute-based sports utility vehicle, which could be called Everest or Endeavour and follows the local car maker’s successful project to develop the Ranger ute for global markets.

A Mazda source at the 2012 Paris motor show revealed that the company turned down an offer from Ford to have a second twin based on the Ranger ‘T6’ platform that also sits beneath the BT-50.

“We looked at the global market and weren’t convinced there was a great demand for a seven-seater, ute-based SUV,” said the Mazda source.

“Mitsubishi has the Triton-based Challenger, but its sales figures aren’t the kind that would encourage us to offer such a vehicle.

“Mazda also already covers the seven-seater SUV area with the CX-9.”

The Mazda insider says the company got as far as design sketches for the SUV as it considered whether to give a green light to the project or not.

The ute-based SUV market is currently occupied by the likes of the Challenger and Nissan Pathfinder, but will be joined next year by the Holden Colorado 7 (pictured below) and followed by the Ford competitor.

CarAdvice understands Mazda Australia was instrumental in the decision to bypass the big SUV. Australia would have been one of the key markets for a potential SUV.

Ford’s large, five-door SUV would be expected to be built in the same Thailand plant as the Ranger (pictured above), and made available worldwide.

The same drivetrains as offered in the Ranger are also likely, meaning 2.5-litre petrol, 2.2-litre turbo diesel and 3.2-litre turbo diesel, along with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive.

The Ford Ranger is one of the best utes to drive in the segment, though Ford Australia’s Broadmeadows engineering team is likely to further tweak the SUV’s underpinnings for improved road manners.

The new SUV would give Ford Australia a back-up seven-seater if production of the locally produced Ford Territory comes to a halt in 2016.

Ford has only committed to building the Falcon-based Territory, along with its donor large car, to 2016.


 

  • AJS

    I actually don’t mind the look of that Colorado 7. I assume it will be MASSIVE but. As was my surprise when I saw the new Colorado ute in the flesh. Very imposing. 

    • Amlohac

      Still… drives like a bucket of soup.

      • AJS

        Well, that isn’t surprising. Its a four wheel drive, don’t usually but those to carve corners ;)

      • AJS

        Well, that isn’t surprising. Its a four wheel drive, don’t usually but those to carve corners ;)

    • nickdl

      Saw one on the freeway the other day and it is much bigger than my Territory.

  • 5reasonreviews.com

    The Ford version sounds interesting – of course the XC90 (new one due next year) is always worth a look in this segment

  • Zaccy16

    hopefully the diesel will be a liitle more refined in the suv version

  • Dave W

    Is it a 7 or 5 seater? The paragraph just above the last photo says it’s a 5-seater.

    Just wondering because 2.5L petrol for a 7-seater seems awfully underpowered, unless they meant turbo, but then it doesn’t say turbo petrol the way it says turbo diesel.

    • Darryl

      Says 5 doors doesn’t it? Would look interesting though if they stuck some extra doors behind the rear wheel arch. These (the existing Everest) are popular in south east Asia and have replaced the Territory in South Africa. I read a road test and it did 0-100 in 12sec with the old 115kw 3l td

  • Stumpy

    I wonder if Mazda’s reluctance has anything to do with their current financial situation and is due to not have the funds to invest, rather than the market potential. Toyota seems to do all right with the Prado and the Kluger, both 7 seater wagons. Ford will have the Territory and this for the heavy duty 4WD and towing applications. It will be another offering for the market against the Prado and Pajero size vehicles and that can only be a good thing.

    I wonder what the rear end will be like on the Everest? Mitsubishi put coils and links on the Challenger to replace the leaf springs of the Triton. I hope Ford do at least something similar.

    • Drive

      Territory isn’t a serious 4×4.
      Ford put it in showrooms and I will buy one!

  • Latin Fish Names

    You could put gun racks and spotties on it if it wasn’t for Mazdas effeminate styling.

  • BN

    would love to see the toyota 4 runner back in Aust. the current US model is great.

    • pixxxels

      Apart from the fact it is a despotic nanny car. It wont let you change radio or anything on the screen interface (maps etc.) unless the car is stopped. This would drive me nuts. 

  • Huwtm

    I don’t know if anybody else picked it up, but I find it interesting that Ford should choose to double up with the Territory. It could just be a safety measure. But more likely a death knell for the Falcon/Territory. You don’t put things in place like this for a double up in the same company with out a plan to remove something in the future.

    • Mark Kevin

      The Territory is monocoque SUV, whereas the Ranger version will be a body-on-frame 4×4. There’s nothing wrong with having both ends of that SUV/4×4 spectrum covered – Toyota seems to do it ok with the RAV4, Kluger and Prado and no one is making claims about one of those products dropping off the market. Contrary to the incessant claims and speculation from the likes of Jex Spinks who can’t resist making a comment about the Falcon and Territory dying off (and in the case of this article, in a context that is completely irrelevant), the Territory still has some life in it yet and is slated to receive a further update.

    • Amlohac

      Havent ford said the Teritory will cease in a couple of years?

      Either way the Teritory and this huge suv truck thing are very different cars. Id suggest it will be better off road.

  • Huwtm

    Point taken, I think it’s got more life than the Falcon to be honest, but Ford might be in a slightly different position to Toyota. All there products are international, the Territory, no so much. NZ, SA, PNG, and here, if it had a wider market (that is countries in which it is sold) I think it would be safer.

  • Bryan

    I quite like the Colorado 7 shown in the photo which is surprising considering the Colorado ute is so ugly!

  • Davesoda727

    Ive got a picture of the Colorado & on the road here in Victoria! Interesed in it Car Advice?

  • Daniel Teis

    Probably a good decision.  While it might be a good car and able to cater to a niche it would find it very difficult to find traction against the entrenched offerings from Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Mitsubishi, VW, BMW and Mercedes.  It’s a crowded market with many players having a distinguished history.

  • Amlohac

    I’d Imagine Mazdas decision to not head down this route would have to do with three things

    1) The cx9
    2) I would suggest the finish and drive comfort wouldnt really fit within Mazdas “zoom zoom” philosphy, It would be rather hard to make that car feel “sporty” in terms of handling being based on a utility.
    3) Mazda have said skyactive in all vehicles (with the exception of BT50) in the next couple of years, I doubt this huge suv type truck fits that mantra.

    • Drive

      1. CX9 is petrol only and has no 4×4 ability
      2. CX9 & BT50 are hardly zoomy cars so there is a precedent for non-sporty cars.
      3. “Except BT50″ – nuff said. They could do a BT50 7 seater.