2019 Ford Edge ST becomes high-speed camera car
Pursuit Systems adds the turbocharged crossover to its fleet.
Good thing the Edge ST has a twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 to help hustle that 1,000-pound camera rig around.
When big-budget productions need to film car-to-car video, they often call upon Pursuit Systems. The company has a BMW X5 M , Porsche Cayenne Turbo and a Mercedes ML-Class that have been converted into high-speed camera rigs. And the latest addition to the company's fleet is the 2019 Ford Edge ST.
The new Edge ST packs lots of performance from the factory, with with a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 with 315 horsepower, upgraded suspension and revised brakes. But for Pursuit Systems' use, it needed even more tweaks. Ford says the engine was retuned to account for the extra weight of the camera crane and other gear, though the company won't say how much extra power and torque in makes. Air suspension was also added to help counterbalance the mass increase.
Up top, as is evident from Ford's provided photos, is a giant movable arm with a stabilized, remotely-controlled camera. The so-called Pursuit Arm weighs nearly 1,000 pounds, Pursuit Systems says, so the Edge's roof structure had to be reinforced to handle the extra loads.
The crossover's interior is equipped with a roll cage for the crew's safety, important given that Pursuit Systems says it plans to operate the camera car at up to 100 miles per hour. The cabin also is filled with various extra wiring, equipment and video monitors for production teams to see camera footage in real-time. Finally, to ensure no unwanted reflections show up in the vehicle being filmed, the outside of the Edge ST has been wrapped in matte-black vinyl.
Ford says that it's in discussions to have the Edge ST "help create upcoming feature films." So the next time you're watching a blockbuster car chase, it might just have been shot with the aid of the Blue Oval's crossover.