2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Explorer America Concept

• Looks like: Ford’s serious about updating a dinosaur
• Defining characteristics: Bold grille that doesn’t have three chrome bars
• Ridiculous features: 3-D compass and navigation unit
• Chance of being mass-produced: Pretty darn good.

The big news about the Ford Explorer America concept is that Ford has confirmed it will move its Explorer SUV from a truck-based body-on-frame design to a car-like unibody design that many crossovers use. This will save weight to increase gas mileage and also follows GM’s recent crossover trio the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave.

Ford also said it will bring turbo engines to the Explorer, including a four-cylinder capable of making 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft of torque. That’s equivalent to what GM’s V-6 crossovers get. To replace the V-8 engine, there will be a turbo V-6 producing around 340 hp. Ford says fuel economy could increase from 20% to 30% over the current V-6 Explorer.

Now, before you go saying this is just a concept, we want to make sure you understand that Ford is serious about making the next Explorer more fuel-efficient and making the next Explorer a crossover with three rows, just like this concept. Whether the aggressive looks, power doors, tailgate seats and other features make it to final production, we’re not sure. Regardless, this is a big, big concept for Ford. Many more photos below.

Comments

As a long time Ford fan, I am once again blown away by the concept - LOVE the seat design, automatic shifter controls, and bold, daring design that is still immediately recognizable as an Explorer. Unfortunately, as a long time Ford fan I feel certain to see everything new and cool and interesting about this staple of their lineup be pitched in the production model in favor of cost-cutting and parts-bin engineering. Hopefully I will be proved wrong and am looking at the replacement for my 2005 Freestyle!

Paul,
This is a concept and if they actually used that much metal on a production model interior you'd be paying $100K for your Explorer ;)

I'm sure the seats will be more in line with the new Flex and Edge as will the rest of the interior. Hopefully it will carry over a few of the niftier items like that truncated shifter on the column.

Still, I think it's the exterior design you might want to worry about saving. But the Flex kept most of its concept form...

Wouldnt turbocharging give those engines about as much gas mileage as the outgoing V8? Thats alot of time and effort tuning those turbos to deliver better mileage.

That's the benefit of turbos you can use smaller displacement to get better power and mileage. Ford is also saying the turbos will take regular gas and not premium.
It's not a HUGE spike in mileage 20-30% for something that has mileage in the teens isn't setting records.

That front grille looks really good! I suspect, however, that it will be seriously toned down on the production model and will end up with something along the lines of the Edge.

Not bad. Is the interior a sign that Ford does not realize how horrible and dated green interior lighting looks?

Pretty sure these following would happen before its in the showroom, grille: change, headlights: change, sliding door: gone, seats: change, taillights: change, interior trim: change, 3D compass: gone, window switches: change, door handles: change.

That is one cool interior...too bad it doesn't stand a chance.

So how many crossovers will Ford have? Taurus X, Flex, Edge, Explorer...I'm lost.

You know, the more I read 'bou people's comment on this blog, the more I question 'bou the education level of many of the posters...

DO NOT BELIEVE 100% OF WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS ARE TELLING YOU!

Many of you have fallen to the "good news" of Ford's turbo engine being used in future Explorer. Yup - lots of hp & torque. However...

Go to cars.com friendly link of www.cartalk.com and do some research from the radio show's archive (Q&A). In there Tom & Ray have a very good explanation of why you DON'T want turbo engines in a SUV or Pickup - unless you will NEVER TOW anything or put huge load on the vehicle itself. Then again, why buy SUV/PUT when you are NOT using it for its real use? An excellent example are the Porsche and Bimmer Turbo SUVs - you don't see people towing with those 2, do ya? Those that do tow with the turbo engine, you'll see their vehicles in the service bay often :)

(Unless Ford is claiming that not only is this turbo engine a new engine, but the turbo being used is also a "permanent," "never wear*" new type of turbo that's drastically different than what we have nowadays.)

*meaning the turbo will have an extremely long lifespan as an engine. In the mean time, avg turbo life is b/n 90K to 120K. You can prolong turbo's life to over 120K by frequent, good quality oil change without ever putting harsh work on the turbos.

Amuro Ray,
I have a feeling tons of Saab and Subaru owners would argue with you turbo lifespan claim. I have NEVER heard of Turbo engines failing at 90K miles. If that were true no one would buy a turbo vehicle.

Also one point of them moving the Explorer to a crossover frame is to clearly show that towing is not a priority anymore.

LOVE IT! Please, Ford, build it. Without too many changes (OK, the grill is a bit show-car-too-much). If they offered this car today I would immediately trade my Audi in for it. Ford needs to get BOLD and BEAUTIFUL like this concept in their production vehicles--then price them right-- and then people will buy more of them.

Sorry D.T., not clear in my last post. It's NOT the turbo engine that fails; it's the turbo that fails. You can replace the turbo (the engine itself is working fine), but again, info on the lifespan of a turbo (and not the engine) can be found online or thru' Tom & Ray's talk.

Another issue is that you can NEVER try to change the thinking of a customer (Ford should have learned its mistake with the Windstar > Freestar). Explorers have long been considered as a vehicle that can tow/haul (on the "Ford" side; like GM's SUV), and I bet that no salesperson will tell potential Explorer (future) customers that, "btw, don't tow or haul heavy items with this vehicle." Although this is a historic incident, but Chrylser customers have had major issue with the Caravans with the I4 Turbo - thinking that it could do exactly what the V6 did but with I4 fuel economy. BIG MISTAKE.

Look, I'm not saying that the engine is bad; I'm saying that it's a bad idea to mix SUV that people have traditional used to tow/haul with a turbo engine. A better move on Ford would be to have this on the Escape or Edge instead.

Dave,

Think FD3S. Thanks~
(For those who doesn't know what is a FD3S, they are the 3rd gen RX-7)

Amuro Ray is of course completely discounting the posibility of a Turbo DIESEL option. Hey they're only used on just about every tractor trailer on the road. "a very good explanation of why you DON'T want turbo engines in a SUV or Pickup". Ummm what?

Then again, what do I care? I've never liked these oversized station wagons anyway. (although I DO like Wagons, I'm weird like that)

Still if the Explorer goes uni-body, why exactly do we need the Freestyle again? Ford's continues to canabalize sales from itself. And will there be Mercury versions of the same truck too?

Nice outside the box thinking on Ford's part here. It looks like a tall person will have problems riding in the SUV. Doesn't the roofline look a little low?

Infosaur,

Thanks for the clarification. The turbo option here is for gasoline engine, not diesel.

This new engine that Ford has announced and reported in cars.com as well - I don't recall this being a DIESEL engine, hence my usage of Turbo here is straightly for this new Ford engine that uses gasoline.

The turbo diesel engine for tractors and commercial buses are a different breast of engines, not for passenger vehicle use.

Amuro,
Can't agree with you this time.
Think VW Touraeg's diesel V10.

Infosaur,
I am with you on the wagon thing! Can't understand why people don't like it!

It's not that the turbo in an engine won't necessarily make it more than 100k mile, although I've heard lots of people saying this; it's just that it's one more thing that could go wrong on a car.
Personally, I still think that diesels are the way to go, especially for big SUVs and trucks. If the rest of the world can do it, why not here as well?

L.S.
Because this is the US, and people think they are different.
Just when everywhere in the world loves wagon/hatchback, here they love those suck the Earth dry dinosaur-like SUV.

Very modernly appropriate.
Now as long as you don't have to:
Fix Or Repair Daily?