GROWTH in SUV sales globally have been rising steadily as millennials starting families lend strong support to the SUV boom – with surge in the Middle East specifically, expected to double in the next 10 years. Vying for a greater market share, leading the charge on its Middle East launch, is the all-new Ford Edge.
The Edge is a demonstration of what happens when a proven leader gets even better. The original Edge – a perfect blend of sedan comfort and efficiency with SUV functionality – was Ford’s first entry into the world of crossover utilities, and it took its seat at the head of the table as the Middle East’s favorite.
“Edge buyers are more and more discerning, which drove us to approach the design of the all-new Ford Edge inside out with a more aggressive assault on its segment share in mind,” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, VP Marketing Sales and Service, Ford Middle East & Africa. “Having been retooled to meet higher expectations for quality, and reengineered to add more features and technologies for a more rewarding driving experience, Edge is primed to reset the standard in the two-row utility vehicle market, and we can’t wait for our customers to experience it.”
The all-new Edge has been remade in almost every single detail, always keeping in mind the customer, who expects something premium, powerful and special. With a structure more rigid than ever and a suspension tuned to the highest global standards, the 2016 Edge is a high-tech utility that delivers a special driving experience customers will feel from their first moments behind the wheel.
Crucial to the Edge’s claim for number one spot in its segment, is having the competitive upper hand, and the all-new Ford Edge has that in spades. Featuring three engine options, two of which are new powerplants – a standard twin-scroll 2.0-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder and a 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6 – Edge already has more to offer than its closest rival. A normally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine is also be available, and all are be equipped with dual exhaust and a six-speed automatic transmission.
When it comes to power, Ford Edge’s 2.0-litre outperforms its closest competitor in both performance and EPA-estimated highway and combined fuel economy. With all-wheel drive on the Edge Sport, the 2.7-litre V6 aided by Torque Vectoring Control – a technology not offered by the closest competitor in its class – energizes the idea of a crossover giving an unmatched spirited performance.
Edge represents the first Ford vehicle to feature standard EcoBoost power. The twin-scroll 2.0-litre EcoBoost, offering an estimated 253 PS and 378 Nm of torque, is significantly improved over the previous 2.0-litre EcoBoost. Beyond efficiency advantages, this new engine will also provide more capability.
The 2.0-litre EcoBoost is a twin-scroll design enabling optimized camshaft timing for improved engine performance and reduced turbo lag. A new, lighter engine block casting along with new aluminum balance shaft assembly shaves almost three kilograms from the engine’s gravitational weight. Other changes include lighter pistons; a newly designed, integrated exhaust manifold; and a new, high-pressure direct-injection fuel system for finer fuel atomization. These upgrades pave the way for an increased compression ratio of 9.7:1, up from 9.3:1, for improved overall fuel efficiency.
On the other side of the engine spectrum is Edge Sport, with an exclusive, all-new 2.7-litre EcoBoost engine that will provide an exceptional combination of power and efficiency. Setting a new standard in world-class powertrain engineering, this twin-turbocharged V6 is one of the world’s most advanced engines. The 2.7-litre EcoBoost uses the same compacted graphite iron in its cylinder block as is used in the 6.7-litre Power Stroke. This advanced cylinder block allows for a remarkably stiff and compact design that returns exceptionally refined noise, vibration and harshness control. The compacted graphite iron core is mated with a die-cast aluminum engine-block ladder frame and composite oil pan, saving weight by applying advanced materials where they are needed most.
The strength of the compacted graphite iron cylinder block allows the 2.7-litre EcoBoost engine to produce impressive power and torque for its size. Compact and efficient, the all-new engine can produce the power and torque of a mid-range V8.
Expected to deliver 340 PS and 542 Nm of torque, this 2.7-litre EcoBoost will ensure Edge Sport is the highest-performance Edge ever.
The suspension in Edge Sport has front and rear anti-roll bars that are 15 per cent stiffer than the base model, and unique rear monotube dampers that are larger in diameter. The coil springs are 10 per cent stiffer. Overall, with improved damping and control, Edge Sport offers improved road-holding capability, giving the driver more control, sharper steering and greater confidence.
All three engines are mated to Ford’s SelectShift six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift activation. Drivers will have the ability to manually select gears via race-inspired paddles on the steering wheel. The paddle-shift system is standard on all models.
The SelectShift transmission features two modes of operation – drive and sport. Sport mode offers a more aggressive shift pattern, allowing the engine to rev higher during acceleration, and hold lower gears longer to support spirited, fast-paced sessions.
Unlike many paddle-shift systems, the Edge six-speed automatic is always “live in drive,” so the driver won’t have to select sport mode to enable operation.
The available all-wheel-drive system for the new Edge is full-time, on-demand and seamless – there are no knobs or switches to activate. An electronically controlled clutch, which can engage faster than a human can blink, transfers power between the front and rear axles, sending up to 100 percent of the power front or back.
And while unrivalled power, performance and efficiency in its segment is important, to be number one, a crossover must go beyond this and offer unprecedented levels of features and technology. Edge not only matches the features listed on its main competitor’s Sport trim, but betters them with the inclusion of numerous other features such as front 180-degree camera, SecuriCode invisible keypad, lane-keeping system, and adaptive cruise control.
Staying ahead of the curve, as the all-new Ford Edge rolls into showrooms, it does so with an innovative new technology that will redefine the idea of “power steering”. Ford’s Adaptive Steering (standard on Edge Sport, and available on Edge Titanium) makes it easier for drivers to maneuver a vehicle at low speeds while making the vehicle more fun to drive and agile at high speeds.
Central to the improved driving dynamics is an entirely new body structure and redesigned suspension – front and rear – developed specifically to better isolate road imperfection and absorb noise without compromising handling.
The front-wheel-drive Edge retains a MacPherson-type front suspension, but features an entirely new, sophisticated integral-link independent rear with coil springs and a 23-millimetre antiroll bar. The advanced new system has been tuned to deliver a more dynamic, engaging ride customers will feel immediately.
Throughout the vehicle, seams are tighter and more consistent, and the design has been executed in a way that reduces visual cutlines. The team worked out the smallest of details, such as rethinking how the front doors meet the instrument panel, simplifying merging points and reducing potential alignment issues.
The dashboard and center console have also been carefully designed and shaped to look like one thin, streamlined piece. A central eight-inch LCD touch screen supporting SYNC with MyFord Touch is now available on even more models.
Storage areas have been improved throughout the cabin, with a covered media bin on top of the center stack; an open, pass-through- storage area beneath the climate controls; an open storage area on the instrument panel, below and to the left of the steering wheel; and large pockets on each door.
Thanks in part to smart design work and next-generation seats that are thinner and more supportive, the interior of the new Edge is larger and more spacious. Adding further to the feeling of openness, Edge will continue to offer one of the largest sunroofs in the business – Ford’s Panoramic Vista Roof, measuring 47.7 inches front to back. (click to tweet)
Legroom in the first and second row of the new Edge has increased by 1.9 inches and 1.0 inch, respectively. Headroom increases by 1.0 inch throughout. Cargo capacity increases, with 39.2 cubic feet of space behind the second row of seats – 7.0 cubic feet more than the previous model. With the second row folded, space has increased by 4.5 cubic feet, to 73.4 cubic feet. The new Edge is also slightly longer and taller than its predecessor, and the wheelbase increases by 1.0 inch, to 112.2 inches.
The all-new Edge is not only more luxurious and comfortable, but also quieter. In wind tunnel tests, Edge proved to be more than one sone quieter than its predecessor (a sone is a unit used to measure how loud a sound is perceived). This enhanced quietness is due to better sealing of the body, sound insulation improvements, and powertrains that are better isolated from the cabin and operate in a quieter manner. Acoustic windshield glass is standard on every model. Select Titanium models are even quieter, incorporating acoustic glass on driver and passenger side doors.
Thanks in part to the use of more high-strength steels, the solid body structure of the all-new Edge provides a far better platform for the new suspension to work. This means less noise, vibration and harshness characteristics, giving Edge customers a quieter, more substantial ride. As a result, Edge is well suited for an everyday commute, but ready to attack when the road opens up.
The twin-scroll 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, for example, has reduced vibration levels when idling compared to the previous version, and is two decibels quieter. In moments of heavy acceleration, the revamped engine emits a quieter, more refined sound. This is due to multiple changes including an acoustic wrap to the intake manifold, upgraded heat shield that provides additional sound management and modified oil pump.
Edge Sport will be equipped with Active Noise Cancellation technology from Ford to manage and enhance the sound of its powerful 2.7-litre EcoBoost engine. Using three microphones strategically placed throughout the cabin, the system is able to generate opposing sound waves directed through the audio system, enhancing overall cabin ambience.
Even the tires have been selected to deliver a better on-road experience. The 20-inch tires available on Sport and Titanium trim levels are a full two decibels quieter – reducing unpleasant road noises often associated with larger wheels.
“Longer, stronger, taller, quieter; the all-new Edge represents a significant move forward in both material and visual quality,” noted Sivagnanam. “Aided by the emotional appeal of a vehicle offering more of the technology our customers want, in a package that meets the highest expectations for quality and craftsmanship, the all-new Edge is well suited for an everyday commute, though ready to attack when the road opens up. Just as importantly, however, Edge is prepared to reclaim its title as the region’s favorite crossover utility vehicle.” — SG
