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First Look: The Next Generation Ford Edge Concept

31K views 38 replies 21 participants last post by  2b2 
#1 ·
Previews new look and platform
Ford Inside News
November 20, 2013
By: Austin Rutherford


Seven years ago next month, Ford launched the all-new Edge to near instant success. When Ford gave it a facelift for model year 2011, they expanded sales outside of the original Americas and Middle East markets into China. Now, with the second generation, the Ford mission is to expand the model into nearly all significant global markets. The Ford Edge Concept previews that future with a near-production look.

The next generation Edge will ride on a version of the new Fusion/Mondeo platform specifically called CD4.2. It will be the first vehicle on this sub-platform of CD4 with the Lincoln MkX and Ford S-Max following it. Insiders have pointed out that the next Edge will carry an all-EcoBoost I-4 engine lineup, except for an alleged performance model.

Though no powertrain specifics were given, the concept gives a technological preview for future vehicles including autonomous driving technology in addition to the next Edge's styling.


Exterior

The Edge Concept's overall shape is very much like the current model with the wide stance and large grill. As seen in the leaked picture earlier this year of the production model, the concept has dropped the think three-bar grill for a more refined two-bar grill. Behind the grill, the gas-saving grill shutters have been integrated into the design. When they flip up at the speed where they need to, they can be clearly seen doing so. The headlights and bigger than the current model and hold similar styling to the EcoSport's.

Moving to the side of the vehicle, the concept has taken a much stronger character line that the door handles have been integrated into. We would personally like to see those door handles stay for production, but that is likely wishful thinking. The window glass house now will have a swoop upward near the D-pillar a la BMW.

Out back, the tailgate features more glass than the current vehicle. Surprisingly, the concept has a full-length rear taillight, which makes you wonder about how it will be differentiated from the next MkX. Below that, the design is rather clean all the way to the integrated dual tailpipes.


Interior

The Edge Concept's interior is basically a tech store. Up front, MyFord Touch takes up the center console and features the return to knobs and buttons except for the touch screen. The driver's information center features the usual Ford screen as well. The rear seat looks like an Apple Store thanks to two iPads and an a iPad Mini for the rear passenger's pleasure. Typical of modern concepts, the roof is one sheet of glass. We are positive the Edge will have some form of the Vista Roof when production starts.

The interior also features gracious amounts of the ambient lighting from the center stack to the door panels.


Driving Technology

The Edge concept previews two technological features that will be seen on future Ford's as autonomous driving comes closer to reality. First, self-parking technology. With this system, one will not even have to be in the car to park it. After pushing a button inside the vehicle, using the key fob outside the vehicle, you will be able to park the vehicle in even the tightest of spots. The system will also work in reverse allowing the vehicle to pull out before the driver and/or passengers enter the vehicle.

As building blocks to fully automated driving, the Edge Concept features Active Park Assist, Lane-Keeping System, collision warning system, and blind spot monitoring. These features will now work with one another in what Ford hopes will lead to automated driving.

The Edge is an important vehicle for Ford and they will be going all-in with the next generation. With production being added in Russia and supposedly Spain and sales starting in Europe and Australia, expect the Edge's global sales to increase significantly.






 
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#6 ·
The entire package looks sharp, although the fascia is considerably more anonymous than before, I wish they were a little more innovative here.

I am hoping the full-width lamps stay, otherwise what is going to occupy that space obviously integral to the design? And it would certainly give the Edge a unique signature in global markets which don't see anything like that.
 
#8 ·
Looks good, but i was expecting more... the car is bulky.. those oversized fenders are a bit exagerated. The grille is exagerated and unrefined, say everything but Ford (a big mistake because the "Aston Martin" grille is one of the best feature of the new "Ford look"). The rear quarter wiindow come directly from the Lexus RX... And those tailligths are, definitly, not in place in a Ford... the full width tailligths must be an exclusive Lincoln feature.
The best is the interior..but we dont know now how much of that will be keeped for the production model, so, i perfer to wait to see the final model.

Maybe i was expecting something more refined... not this ordinary design.
 
#10 ·
I now realize what I don't like about the grill, and it is an easy fix for Ford, or the consumer. It is the grey pieces accentuating the chrome slats. The way this looks is very similar to my old 96' Explorer, and it makes the front look outdated. If these accents were piano black, it would look much closer to the earlier rendering.
Just one more thing...the fog light surrounds need a bit more pizazz.

Other than those minor quibbles, I Like it and think it will sell well for Ford. I would love to see the interior dimensions vs the current Edge.
 
#12 ·
I would like to see the Blue Oval badged re positioned and (downsized) from the center placement in the trapezoid to the hood, as they did on the new Fusion.
View attachment 5833

In my eyes this would clean up the trapezoid and give a more aggressive nature.

Maybe someone can do a little photoshop and see how it looks.....please?
 

Attachments

#13 ·
I would like to see the Blue Oval badged re positioned and (downsized) from the center placement in the trapezoid to the hood, as they did on the new Fusion.
View attachment 5833

In my eyes this would clean up the trapezoid and give a more aggressive nature.

Maybe someone can do a little photoshop and see how it looks.....please?
The entire grille, not only the position of the blue oval badge, is a tragedy. Too big and too "in-your-face" and bold for my taste. The upscale Fusion feeling was lost in this car, that is its platform companion.
 
#14 ·
The Fusion fascia on anything but the Fusion just doesn't look good to me, especially the S-Max concept which just looks like a giant Fiesta dustbuster. I'm actually extremely grateful we have this fascia on the Edge and not a weird EcoSport mash-up. The grille shape and size is okay, the grille itself could use a rethink to make it more distinctive.

The rest of the car is just about perfect, it has excellent bones like the original Edge and is unmistakably an Edge. It has that nice modern, athletic, and robust look with tidy SUV proportions (short overhangs). They did good, I'm very glad to see they were loyal to the existing Edge despite building off an entirely new platform. I definitely need to own one (or the MKX). Clearly I've been a big fan of these vehicles, especially since I drive and purchase so many different Fords.

You know that light strip might be an important design feature to help distinguish it from the Escape.
 
#15 ·
I would love to see the interior dimensions vs the current Edge.
The dimension I would like to see is the curb weight. My '11 Edge Limited AWD weighed over 4,200 lbs. My loaded up '13 MKX AWD apparently tips the scales at over 4,400!! Sure, the 280 lb-ft of torque moves it along nicely, there's always room for improvement in this area. Not saying 3,500 lbs or anything... right around 4,000 would probably be good.
 
#18 ·
^ I really loved the Edge's last refresh
so
it may take awhile or at least seeing this in person for me to warm up to it...
...the "lines" just don't seem to "go anywhere" for me

The entire grille, not only the position of the blue oval badge, is a tragedy. Too big and too "in-your-face" and bold for my taste. The upscale Fusion feeling was lost in this car, that is its platform companion.
imho this grille is a bit too truckish


...I am hoping the full-width lamps stay, otherwise what is going to occupy that space obviously integral to the design? And it would certainly give the Edge a unique signature in global markets which don't see anything like that.
imho
all they have to do is replace the bottom lightbar with chrome or a tube of red-reflector...
...maybe they WILL do that on the base model(s)?
 
#19 ·
The entire grille, not only the position of the blue oval badge, is a tragedy. Too big and too "in-your-face" and bold for my taste. The upscale Fusion feeling was lost in this car, that is its platform companion.
The Edge has always had in your face styling.
 
#21 ·
The grille area might look better if either all blackout or body color. Doesn't the current Edge offer body color grille as an option?
The current Edge offer 2 grilles: the all chrome grille in the bese and upscale models and the black grille in the sport model. The current grille is big, "in your face" and very bold, but is most atractive. The new one is truckish...
 
#26 ·
Seeing the Santa Fe Sport reminds me how ridiculous it looks compared to the Ford Edge. Sharing a grille shape and a total design package are VERY different things. And once again, this is a Taurus fascia, not a Hyundai one. But whatever, people can think what they want. Hyundai Santa Fe exists to challenge Edge.

Ford and Lincoln seem to like this light concept approach to building early buzz on a forthcoming car. It's a strategy that they obviously like and will continue to use. It almost seems like a guaranteed formula for them, you can expect it for virtually all major new introductions, although the Mustang appears to be skipping the concept phase. It also means we no longer see extravagant concepts anymore, especially from Ford.

The Edge concept seems very light however, lighter than even the MKC which had very exaggerated proportions. If you look at the door thickness on the MKC concept (bank-vault huge!) vs that on the Edge, you can see there is much less fiction going on with the Edge concept.

The Edge has already been spotted in full prototype mode for the past few months, they are close to a reveal I would think, but maybe not in January. The Detroit show might be set aside for F-150.
 
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