autoevolution
 

Ford Focus-based Ute Under Development In Australia Under the Codename P758

We’ve heard a few times already about the Focus-based pickup, rumored to bring back the Courier name to the Ford Motor Company. But this time around, Wheels “has seen engineering documents from within the You Yangs proving ground facility.”
2019 Ford Focus (European model) 87 photos
Photo: Andrei Tobosaru for Ford Romania
2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)2019 Ford Focus (European model)
First of all, the codename of the unibody ute is P758 as per the dcouments in question. Underpinned by the C2 vehicle architecture of the Focus and Kuga (also known as Escape in the United States), the Courier is powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine (likely from the EcoBoost family) and it’s mated to an eight-speed tranny.

The 8F24 is the smaller brother of the 8F35, and what separates these transmissions from one another is the torque rating. Vehicles with longitudinal engines and rear- or four-wheel drive feature the 10R80, a 10-speed automatic developed with General Motors.

Wheels further reveals that “a Russian-market derivative of the C2 platform is used as the base for the test vehicle,” and the prototype is used to evaluate chassis components. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if all-wheel drive will be available as an optional extra, and neither would the existence of the Courier ST with the engines from the Focus ST.

Good for 245 ponies and 275 pound-feet of torque, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost appears to be more than adequate for a vehicle of this size and weight. The Ranger mid-size pickup, by comparison, relies on the 2.3-liter EcoBoost over in the United States while Europe is treated to the 2.0-liter EcoBlue and 3.2-liter Duratorq inline-five turbo diesel. Speaking of which, the low-end torque of the EcoBlue would suit the Courier nicely.

If you were wondering why Ford chose Australia to develop the chassis and various components of the Courier such as the suspension, that’s because the outback is a tough testing ground for any passenger car, utility vehicle, or commercial vehicle. As a matter of fact, the Ranger sold in the United States started out as the Ranger the Blue Oval developed in the Oz.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories