‘Modern DNA’ for Everest
FORD is intending to remedy the reputation of its Everest as being a basic SUV version of the old Ranger. Now the company has revealed more details of its next generation Everest which will be launched in South Africa next year.
“The new Ford Everest is an exceptionally versatile vehicle‚ equally prepared for the everyday commute as it is for the most extreme off-road terrain‚” president Ford Asia Pacific Dave Schoch said.
“The Everest’s blend of tough capability and exceptional comfort is going to resonate with drivers around the world.”
It is definitely a major improvement in terms of design‚ displaying more of the modern DNA that we have seen in other models from the blue oval and the company is promising to back up the looks with real offroad capability.
“The Ford Everest will help to expand our product footprint in the region with a tough and refined vehicle that enables drivers‚ their families‚ friends and colleagues to go anywhere comfortably – whether on urban roads or far off the beaten track‚” vice-president of product development Ford Asia Pacific Trevor Worthington said.
Led by Ford’s Asia Pacific design and product development teams‚ and making use of the company’s global SUV expertise‚ the new Everest will be available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants depending on specific market demand.
The company says the new model was designed with the durability to take on the most inhospitable environments. It has a body-on-frame design to provide the torsional strength for challenging terrains.
Together with an intelligent fourwheel drive system‚ an active transfer case with Torque on Demand‚ Terrain Management System‚ ground clearance of 225mm and water-wading capability of 800mm‚ Ford is planning to take on the new Land Rover Discovery Sport‚ due in South Africa in March next year.
The Terrain Management System gives drivers four preset settings – normal‚ snow/gravel/grass‚ sand and rock – that alter the vehicle’s throttle response‚ transmission‚ intelligent four-wheel drive system and traction control to confidently tackle any situation. For extreme off-road environments‚ drivers can manually lock the transfer case in low-range fourwheel drive mode.
Technology is also something that the company has focused on in the new model. The latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity solution‚ Sync 2‚ lets drivers use natural voice commands to control the car’s entertainment system‚ climate controls and connected mobile devices more easily. It also has an eight-inch touchscreen with colour-coded corners for easy menu navigation.
It will also feature Curve Control‚ Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Aid‚ as well as Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert.
A new 2-litre four-cylinder twinscroll EcoBoost petrol engine will debut in the new model along with the latest generation of the 3.2-litre Duratorq five-cylinder TDCi diesel engine‚ with upgrades including an updated exhaust gas recirculation system to boost efficiency There will also be the latest generation of the 2.2 Duratorq four-cylinder TDCi diesel. — BDlive 2014