Innovation & Design: Ford Edge makes global debut in Detroit

DEARBORN, Michigan—At the eve of the “Further with Ford” Trend Conference, Ford Motor Company unveiled the all-new, second-generation Edge crossover at their world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan Considered now as part of Ford’s “global product portfolio”, the all-new Edge could find its way to markets such as South East Asia and the Philippines where it is seriously being considered (it’s actually sold already in markets such as China). Innovation and design come together truly as the 2015 Edge packs a fresh new design, more interior technology, and more fuel-efficient drivetrains than its predecessor.

The Edge now rides on Ford’s mid-size architecture—the same one that underpins the Ford Fusion. The migration allows the Edge to get better vehicle dynamics thanks to its entirely new body structure as well as all-around independent suspension specifically developed to isolate road imperfections and absorb noise without compromising handling. The Edge retains a MacPherson front suspension, but features an entirely new, sophisticated integral-link independent rear with coil springs and a 23mm anti-roll bar. The advanced new system has been tuned to deliver a more dynamic and engaging driving experience that Ford says customers will feel immediately. The body is also 26 percent stiffer in bending and 16 percent stiffer in twisting compared to the previous Edge.

In terms of design, the Edge is now squarely in line with the rest of the Ford line-up. It continues to have a hexagonal grille—an Edge trademark—but framed with larger headlights. At the back, it departs from Ford’s other crossovers by getting a body-spanning taillight cluster with clear LED lighting with a red frame. The rear end is certainly very dramatic with the aggressively slanting roofline and large rear spoiler. On the Titanium trim, the Edge runs on standard 20-inch alloys while the higher-end Sport model receives 21-inch rollers.

Going together with the aggressive looks, the Edge features standard EcoBoost power in the form of the 2.0-liter unit that generates 245hp and 366 Nm of torque thanks to its twin-scroll turbo technology. The Edge also gets an automatic start/stop technology, the first time it will be made available with an EcoBoost engine. The 2.0T version is joined by a normally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, shared with the Explorer. Though no power figures were given, it shouldn’t be far off from the 294hp figure. Finally, the range-topping Edge receives a 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. This engine is made from a compacted graphite iron block for impressive NVH characteristics and durability, producing figures north of 350 horses. All engines are mated to 6-speed automatics with Select Shift manual override. The 3.5 V6 and 2.7 are AWD models while the 2.0T is available in both front- and all-wheel drive configurations.

Inside, the 2015 Edge has a look and feel that’s familiar to current Explorer owners. It gets the same dual display instrument cluster along with the large central LCD touch screen. The touch capacitive controls are gone and are replaced with more traditional buttons for easier tactile access. In terms of convenience features, it’s available with a long list of available goodies such as heated/air conditioned seats, rear heated seats, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, hands-free lift gate, active park assist with front and rear sensors, SYNC and MyFord Touch, blind spot monitoring system, inflatable rear seatbelts, and a front passenger knee airbag (that deploys from the glove box). The Edge is also the first Ford product to get adaptive steering technology that varies the steering ratio depending on speed.

“The original Edge was our first entry into the world of crossover utilities—a technologically advanced vehicle that was the perfect blend of sedan comfort and efficiency with SUV functionality,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Global Product Development. “Now, we are building on that success, and building on the emotional appeal of the vehicle by offering more of the technology our customers want in a package that meets the highest expectations for quality and craftsmanship.”

Sales of the all-new Ford Edge start in the first quarter of 2015. At the global launch event, new Ford Motor Company President Mark Fields made an appearance alongside renowned business innovationist Clay Christensen and fashion designer Kenneth Cole. Ford announced that the all-new Edge will be sold in over 100 markets starting with North America. This will be followed with sales in Europe, South America, and Asia Pacific. Representatives from Ford Asia Pacific and ASEAN Communications, who were on hand during the launch, said that they are extensively studying whether or not to bring the all new Ford Edge to the ASEAN market, especially in the exact configuration shown in Detroit. However, given journalists were flown to markets such as Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the answer could be a yes!

Some of the key technology features of the new Edge include Active Grille Shutters to help counter air resistance; Adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, which uses radar to detect moving vehicles directly ahead and change the cruising speed if necessary; Air curtain, which creates a curtain of air alongside the vehicle using smart duct work, improving aerodynamics at high speed; Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which uses radar to trigger a warning when another motorist is in the driver’s blind spot; and Cross-traffic alert, which uses radar to help alert drivers to oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking space.

Yet other advanced features are Enhanced active park assist, which builds on Ford’s parallel parking technology and includes a system to guide the vehicle into a perpendicular parking space (the system can also steer the vehicle into and out of a parallel parking space); Hands-free lift gate, which allows customer to move leg below center of the rear bumper to unlock and raise lift gate; and Lane-keeping system, which alerts driver to steer the vehicle back into its lane if the vehicle starts to drift to another lane.