2011 Ford Explorer Spotted in Detroit...

[TrainTrac]

2011 Ford Explorer Spotted in Detroit -- And It's Front-Wheel-Drive



By Erin Riches | March 25, 2010

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Its official debut comes next week at the New York auto show, but the 2011 Ford Explorer was on an open carrier with nothing more than a car cover to protect it.



A gust of wind yanked the cover off the prototype during transit, and our shooters snapped a series of photos while the transport driver scrambled to replace the cover over his sensitive cargo.



As you know, the next-generation Explorer will abandon the nameplate's traditional body-on-frame architecture and employ unit-body construction. Additionally, it will share components with the Ford Taurus and Flex -- meaning that Ford is likely to offer it in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.



There's proof of this after the jump, as the prototype is clearly front-wheel-drive, with no evidence of a driveshaft or rear differential. Also notice the independent rear multilink suspension with coil springs, outboard dampers and a stabilizer bar.



The 2011 Explorer prototype looks plenty long enough to accommodate a third-row seat, and as before, we expect Ford to offer both five- and seven-passenger configurations. The new Explorer goes into production this fall in Chicago on the same line as the Taurus and MKS. We'll bring you more details next week.



[Broken External Image]:

 

[Dan Long]

While a part of me hates to see it go soft (unibody, FWD), I do like the final appearance!

 

[gary s]

some auto mfg's are getting away from the "truck" look for their suv's.

they are trying a more civiliazed look to lure in the non-truck buyers.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Looks like an Escape to me.



Though I am sure it is larger and what not, I just am not a fan of it being like an Escape.



Though I am not a fan of the Escape, there is nothing wrong with them, but it will change the size substantially I am thinking..

 

[gary s]

coastie,



not a fan of the escape? hey now :grin:

you are not going to believe this, but my lease rep has the ny mets as a client and they are looking for a small suv for their admins and staff.

the choice was a rogue, equinox, rav4 & escape. my rep asked me what do i think would work best and i told him the escape. now he wants to use it a reference.

imo, the escape in that group is the better. (price, mpg, and room for a semi-compact suv).

thats right, i passed up the toyota :sad:



now back to the post....



no more truck like suv's for the soccer moms

 

[Kevin Palmer]

The Escape is not a bad vehicle. Decent price, ride is ok considering its size and the suspension it has under it.



My ex even took one for a check ride but found it too boxy and all the noises came through it pretty much. She then went with the 08 Explorer and found it to be considerably more comfortable and much quieter.



They seem to go down the road fine and I am sure the AWD / 4 WD is as good as any other.



We are just spoiled by larger vehicles I guess..

 

[Kirk Risseler]

Bummer about the unibody and front wheel drive, but that is plain out SWEET looking!! Great ride for the wife. We really like the Merc Mariner she has now.

 

[Kevin Lang]

Looks like another crossover to me. :cry:



It looks low to the ground too, and the rear windows look weird IMO. I also don't like these stylish (cough) chrome-colored grills that look anything but rugged that are on all of their vehicles, including "work trucks".



It's just not the same anymore. It'd be fine and good for Ford to make the Explorer into a crossover, if there was still a rugged SUV available from them, but there isn't. Escape is the closest they have, and this is a baby-escape, which is ironic as the escape was a baby explorer.



There are already a ton of road-only largely-useless crossover-ish things in their lineup (Edge, Flex) so why do they need another?



What replaces the Explorer in the lineup? An F150 with a cap is not the same thing.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

KL

What replaces the Explorer in the lineup? An F150 with a cap is not the same thing.

That is my point exactly..

 

[ray moyer]

um.... lame



and wtf? front wheel drive? what is that crap.... :angry:

 

[Kevin Lang]

FWD because it's "too scary" to drive with RWD, even though the SUV puts some weight over the wheels.



Why wouldn't you want to have a reduced turning radius, plow through turns, & have civic-style burnouts?



Oh, and while RWD would be more logical for towing, it's an SUV...no one ever tows with those things!



(Sarcasm...RWD makes so much sense)

 

[Gavin Allan]

Escape had sex with an Edge.



:throwup:

 

[Mark K 2]

You maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

 

[Korey Kreiter]

Not too bad. Looks like a long Edge, or like Gavin said, Escape mated with Edge. Edge front. Escape rear. Those Michelin Latitudes must have low rolling resistance -- to produce better MPG. They are putting them on a lot of new CUVs/SUVs. They don't have a "meaty" enough tread for my taste.

 

[Shaun Tucker]

Well, I think i like it..



The grill looks pretty bad ass and i like the headlights (although I agree it does look like the offspring of an Edge & Escape). I'm interested to see what the a$$ end looks like.



But whats with the black A-pillars? I guess we wont know what the final, "polished" product will look like for a few weeks, so nevermind.



It'd be cool to see an ST variant of it.. Who knows, maybe further on down the road Ford may bring the ST name back. I certainly know a lot of people who wouldn't be upset at that possibility.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Maybe it's just the pictures, but it looks more like a Freestyle to me than an Edge, an Escape or the old Explorer for which it is named.



TJR

 

[Jimmy Lavoie]

I'm STILL PISSED that the ST is gone! :angry:



What bunch of BONE HEADS made THAT decision!!??? :cry:



I could MOST DEFINITELY see an ST from the new Explorer style.

 

[TrainTrac]

Maybe it's just the pictures, but it looks more like a Freestyle to me than an Edge, an Escape or the old Explorer for which it is named.

I agree. It looks like a Freestyle/Taurus X, although a little "beefier", with a current-gen Taurus grille.

 

[MARVIN McINTYRE 2]

:btddhorse: Well, it kind of looks like a Chevy lady:cry: married a Ford guy :banghead:and this is the result of that union. Really, it looks like some Chevy is in there to me, and that makes me more disappointed in the decision makers at FMC:argue: . But as a loyal Ford buyer, I will wait and see what the whole thing looks like before I say yea or nay. FMC is so hush hush that you can never tell what the real deal is on the fate of the ST, if in fact there is or isn't a final word from them officially. Hey Alan M, can you pull a few strings at the top and bring us a 2011 ST and STA, because you already have a market for this vehicle and you hardly know how entusiastic people are about the ST and STA! I dare either Alan M or Bill F will respond to our concerns here, but if they did it wouldn't be the end as we know it to appears to be for our beloved ST's. :banana:

 

[Kevin Lang]

Yes, I can see an ST on this body as well, but I can't see it being good.



This explorer already looks like a minivan, so hack off the trunk and slap on a bed and you have something more pathetic than the H2 with a bed. Useless and goofy-looking.



The Gen 1 ST has a bed capacity of 1,200 lbs. I've gone over that, and up to that with regularity. Several hundred pounds of stuff hauled is frequent.



FWD + hundreds of pounds above & beyond the rear axle = ineffective.