Ford Edge

Ford has decided to limit availability of its Edge SUV in Europe, known here as the Endura, due to slow sales in certain markets and ever-tightening emissions laws. A new report by Automotive News Europe says the Blue Oval's European arm will pull the Edge from markets like the UK – which also happens to be Ford's largest European market – while soldiering on in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Belgium and Romania.

Ford Performance is making a big deal of the Edge ST in the USA, pitting it head-to-head with two of its other ST models to prove the high-riding family hauler is properly quick. With 264kW and 515Nm on tap from its 2.7-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost petrol engine, the Edge ST will likely hit 100km/h in around 6.0 seconds. On the outside, it gets a unique bodykit, 21-inch wheels and a slew of ST badges. The car also gets a stiffer suspension than standard.

Ford’s regional boss says he felt “bemused” that Toyota wouldn’t allow it to use the Edge nameplate in Australia on its forthcoming large SUV — a decision that forced the Blue Oval into inventing the ‘Endura’ badge just for our market. The Ford Endura is on track to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year, where it’ll sit between the smaller Escape and the more off-road-focused Everest. While nominally a Territory replacement, it’ll only be available with five seats.

Ford Australia still won’t officially confirm what will replace the Australian-made Territory large SUV, but it has promised to do so before October this year — the time when its local car-making operation shuts for good. That said, the coming announcement is not expected to hold too many great surprises. It seems to be all but a formality that the Ford Edge will be sold in Australia to compete with the Hyundai Santa Fe and company, albeit not with that nameplate (read on for why).