the new explorer

[henry tanner]

i was looking at the new explorers they are front wheel drive. wft? you can get some that are 4wd or awd. but it is still off of a fwd chassis. has ford gone off the deep end. :banghead:that may be one of the reasons for the death of the sporttrac. :boohoo: can you see a fwd sporttrac? i love my explorers but this new one i don`t know. just my two cents.

see you out there., :driving:

 

[Matt Alvin]

The the way of the old fashioned RWD SUV is gone. We are now in the era of the crossover vehicle. You can get the new Explorer in FWD or AWD. If I were to get one it would the AWD version.

 

[henry tanner]

it is on a car chassis. how is this a suv? :banghead::smack::sad: dead to the real suv. :fire:

 

[Art Garcia]

i thought it was designed on an land rover chassis.

i know the cosmetic design originated from the LRX concept.

 

[TrainTrac]

i thought it was designed on an land rover chassis.

Nope. The Explorer's D4 platform is a derivative of the Ford D3/Volvo P2 Platform. The D4 serves as the platform for the Explorer, Flex, and Lincoln MKT. The D3 serves as the platform for Taurus and Lincoln MKS.

 

[Johnny O]

At the meet where we got to speak with the Ford brass, they told us that the main reason for the new Explorer design was fuel efficiency. They can't make the old design any more fuel efficient than it was because body-on-frame construction is too heavy and they did not sell enough Sport Tracs to justify building a pickup version. Some of us would argue that they didn't advertise the Sport Trac much either, but I digress....

 

[gary s]

"dead to the real suv"



not true..... other mfg's still produce.

 

[EddieS'04]

When ford realizes the raptor is a fluke this day and age. I expect something like the trac from one of the crossover platforms. Competition against the ridgeline and others.

 

[gary s]

"When ford realizes the raptor is a fluke this day and age"



very true eddie. the raptor is a very good off road vehicle, but as you mention, very minimal consumer demand.

 

[Karen Smith]

Me personally,I would rather drive a fwd over rear wheel drive any day.I feel they are easier to control when I hit a slick spot in the road.While driving my ST 60% dry pavement,40% snow covered,when I hit the snow covered started fish tailing I didn't stay ahead of it,and lost it in the ditch.The following week was driving fwd Escape,almost the very same spot and elements,and kept it under control.I realize it goes with personal preference!:driving:

 

[H D]

Karen, your main difference was the lack of weight over the rear in the Sport Trac, not as much to do with the difference in front or rear wheel drive. Had the Escape been rear wheel drive, it still would have handled that situation better than the Sport Trac because the rear wouldn't have been as light.



I think rear wheel drive is more predictable, but that's also what I learned to drive with. I feel more confident controlling oversteer than understeer associated with front wheel drive.



Oh, and trucks should always be rear wheel drive, preferably 4wd. Just like sports cars should be rwd and manual transmission.



Fuel efficiency is such a wasted discussion when determining the value of a vehicle, imo. It has to suit your needs more than anything. This new Explorer and none of the crossover type vehicles will suit my needs, no matter the fuel efficiency.

 

[Bill Koonce]

I think rear wheel drive is more predictable, but that's also what I learned to drive with. I feel more confident controlling oversteer than understeer associated with front wheel drive.

Ditto that!!!



I was brought up on RWD, but have plenty of experience with FWD cars like the Eldorodo and countless Euro-subcompacts. I went through my phase when I thought that FWD was superior, but the truth brought me back.



My high school driving teachers warned us of the dangers of FWD cars. If you get in too deep in one, you're going to crash, plain and simple. In panic stops, the front weight bias literally puts the car's center of gravity in front of the car. And then there's torque steer etc. etc. etc.



Teach your kids how to drive a RWD car. Let them practice recovery procedures that require nothing more than two hands on the wheel and a smooth throttle foot. (Seriously, teach a teenager to do emergency brake tricks? :fire Then go ahead and attempt the same things in a

fwd car.



Most of the new crossover ("giant unibody") vehicles with AWD use the Haldex design which is adequate for most brainless suburbanites with ample insurance policies. They can accelerate in fresh snow with gusto, and can't stop without the help of a ditch, tree or other solid object. If you're making a turn, a median, far curb or other vehicle does the steering so you don't have to.



Don't get me wrong. IMHO the more AWD cars out there, the better. I just think that, as cars become as sophisticated as jet planes, maybe we should require commensurate training.

 

[Makin Trax]

Gary the Raptor may be a fluke where your from but they are selling like hotcakes around here. I admit I wouldn't want its gas mileage but there is not one other mas produced truck that is as capable off road as the Raptor PERIOD. They built this truck to prove a point and it has been proven in Baja twice

 

[Tom Schindler]

The Raptor is a niche vehicle for a niche market. Hate it if you want, but if they sell all they make, it is a success.



It was not meant as a daily driver or a family ride. It is for those that can afford them and want something like that.



For people, like myself, that can afford just about anything they want, gas prices will never step in my way to keep me from driving what I want.



I don't care if gas prices are $20.00/gallon. If I choose to buy a big truck that gets 5 MPG, I will drive the vehicle I want.



When I make the comments "I can't afford this or that" or "I wish I had the money to but..." I am not saying I don't have the money, I am saying I don't see the need, so "I can't afford it".



I am saying this to keep the resident 'tards from stiring the pot. (If the shoe doesn't fit, don't respond to my comment about the 'tards. If the shoe fits, you will identify yourself by commenting)



Is the Raptor a fluke? I don't think so. It is a niche vehicle for a niche market. Those that want one will have one.





Tom