ExplorerX

What was once a staple of the American household in the 90's has now transformed into a pseudo-luxury SUV that is not only lower to the ground but entirely designed for the highway. Almost twenty years ago when the Ford Explorer debuted, gas was cheap and the engines were not designed with fuel efficiency in mind. The first generation Explorers (1991-1994) remain to this day a popular choice amongst offroad enthusiasts due to the aftermarket and ease of modification for offroad use. The second generation Explorers (1995-2001) marked the entrance of more power with a 5.0 V8 shared with the Mustang, and a noticeable step up in quality and features. By the late 1990's and early 2000's, due to the Ford vs. Firestone fiasco, Ford was under tremendous pressure to improve the safety of the Explorer and get it to market faster than yesterday.

The result was the third generation Explorer (2002-2005), which was slightly lower to the ground, and featured an entirely new chassis. Ford over each consecutive year for this model generation improved the safety and immediately earned a NHTSA 4 star driver and 5 star passenger safety award for crash testing.

But by 2005, the Explorer was growing stale and sales were quickly declining. Gas was becoming slightly more expensive due to the overall economy and worldwide conflicts. Ford had to do something to give the Explorer a facelift, but it was already feeling the pain that similar American car companies had been feeling as well: fuel efficient foreign cars were selling hot, and American SUVs and trucks were declining fast in sales.

Ford introduced the redesigned 2006 Explorer in 2005, and the Explorer suddenly became a much more luxury oriented SUV that would make its predecessors have an identity crisis. Arriving as the fourth generation (2006+) model, this marked Ford's most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly Explorer ever. Safety, fuel efficiency, and environmental carbon footprint suddenly became a concern to Ford - a far cry from the days of the early 1990's when it was all about offroad capability and towing capacity. The V8 model also marked Ford's first 6 speed automatic transmission for the Ford Explorer. The new Explorer introduced creature comforts and technology options to garner more attention from those who may have overlooked the Explorer in the past.

A New Identity for the Ford Explorer

With politics, the economy, and fuel efficiency primary concerns and frustrations amongst consumers and American automakers alike, a need for a new Ford Explorer has arose. The Explorer was rumored to be axed by the turn of the decade, but in early 2008 Ford released the first ever pictures of the new Ford Explorer concept. With crossovers as all the rage in America, this new Explorer concept is built upon this platform. While Ford still retains that the new Explorer will retain "moderate" offroad and towing capability, it's clear that both are no longer the main function or design inspiration. With a drastic change in body styling, the Ford Explorer 2010 Concept is rumored to represent the new global design language that Ford has in mind. Yes, the Ford American "Bold" design style (which more or less looks like a Schick razor blade in the front grille area) and the European "Kinetic" design style (which was supposed to emulate motion in the vehicle design style even if the vehicle was parked) will both be scrapped.

As part of the new promise to increase fuel efficiency, Ford utilizes a EcoBoost technology equipped powertrain to reduce fuel consumption by 20-30% as compared to the current V6 Explorer. Performance is estimated at 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque or, as a premium engine, a 3.5-liter V-6 delivering about 340 hp. Direct injection, smaller engine blocks, and turbocharging are all part of the strategy for Ford to reinvent itself as an innovative American car company that can truly rival foreign rivals. Ford says the EcoBoost engine delivers 20 better fuel economy, 15 percent less CO2 emissions, and improved performance.