Ford finally unmasked the 2011 Explorer today. About time too, because the slow reveal over Facebook was really starting to try the patience of Executive Editor Dye (who still hasn’t joined the 21st century with a Facebook page). But now we have the pictures and the story behind them. Click through for our first impressions. Read more…
As I was zoom-zooming down US-23 this morning I spotted a convoy of Ford Expeditions and a Lincoln Navigator heading north. Seeing convoys out of Dearborn is not an uncommon sight in this neck of the woods, but it has been some time since this pair of vehicles has had any street time. Which got me thinking that Ford might just be readying these family haulers with new engines for the 2012 model year. Ford has four new engine possibilities, two V8s and two V6s, with one carrying the EcoBoost moniker, which could easily be shoe horned into the engine bay of the Expedition / Navigator twins. I submit the following for consideration: Read more…
2006 Ford GT
Happy Father’s Day from the Editors of Automotive Trends!!!
Ford Motor Company has literally stamped out millions of Explorers since its introduction back in 1990. So as the SUV market fizzles and the crossover market boils what is Ford to do with its perennial hot cake seller when the customer suddenly demands waffles? More than just add a fruit topping, that’s for sure. What you see above in the Explorer America Concept shown at the 2008 NAIAS is a full-fledged, car-derived, high-riding unibody crossover. Come launch time we’ll find one of two EcoBoost (that’s greenie speak for turbocharged and direct-injected) engines under the hood. The base model will get a 2.0L 4-cylinder with about 260-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque on tap. The optional upgrade engine will be the 3.5L V6 already making its rounds in the Flex, Taurus SHO, MKS, and MKT with roughly 340-hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. Next question is whether or not we’ll get a unibody Sport Trac to take on the minivan derived Ridgeline?
A Minor Refresh Makes A Major Difference
The movers and shakers inside Ford had a great idea once upon a time ago. They decided they were going to make a family sedan that was sporty. What could go wrong? They had experience fashioning family sedans such as the Taurus, and sports cars like the Mustang. Surely they could graft the two together. After all, they were starting out with a Mazda6, an astoundingly thrilling car to drive considering it is propelled via the front-wheels. Oh sure, the result was a nice car. They made it bigger so you could stretch out. They made the suspension softer so the bumps wouldn’t fling the contact lenses from your eyes. And they made it heavier by adding fluffy foamy stuff so you can’t hear the engine noises. They made it boring…
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Getting behind the wheel of the 2005 Ford Thunderbird is like stepping into a time machine. Sans the Flux Capacitor. No, settling into the T-bird takes you back to a time when the waitresses at A&W flew on rollerskates to your car. If you are an empty nester this car is the perfect weekend getaway vehicle for you and the misses. You can put the top down and relax as the Thunderbird will serve up a compliant, comfortable ride free of harshness. Under the hood is Ford’s smooth-running 280-hp 3.9L V8, ready to provide a little extra spirit to drive, but mostly just ready to cruise.
The vehicle pictured above is really the Ford Flex cleverly disguised as the Fairlane Concept. Ford showed their new take on people moving at the 2005 NAIAS to much acclaim. The Fairlane feature “French-opening” doors that eased access to the third row, as well as all-LED lighting upfront. But the real story here was how much of the concept Ford was able to deliver to the streets in the form of the Flex. Many of the gimmick features were lost, but the basic shape that inspired so much fanfare carried into production untarnished.
Carroll Shelby, automotive racing and design legend, poses for pictures with the Ford Shelby Cobra concept car shown at the 2004 NAIAS. The Cobra was the first of many new Ford projects that would bear his name over the following years. True to Shelby’s original formula for automotive design the Cobra was a small car with a large engine shoehorned between the fenders. The 6.4L V10 powering this concept was capable of 605-hp and 501 lb-ft of torque.
Ford and Harley-Davidson celebrated their centennial year anniversary in 2003, so logically that called for special editions of their respective product. Shown here is the 2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson. Complete with Harley-Davidson specific trim, 20″ wheels, chromed tube steps and side exiting chromed tailpipes. Under the hood was a detuned Ford Lightning 5.4L Supercharged V8 producing 340-hp and 425 lb-ft of entertainment (torque)! This engine combined with those shiny pipes produced a V8 burble that melted the hearts of bikers and truckers alike. We even managed to catch up with the coordinating bike during the truck’s stay with us!
Ford claims they grew this one. No really! The Model U, showcased at the 2003 NAIAS, is a test bed for bio-based alternative materials. The seat foam is a soy-based polyurethane. The tailgate is made from a soy-based polyester reinforced with fiberglass. There are corn based fillers in the rubber compound of the tires. Even most of the vehicle’s lubricants are an experimental sunflower seed oil base. Behind the soybean resin body panels is a supercharged 4-cylinder running on hydrogen. Daisies will be emitted from the tailpipes (ok, so I made that one up). The point is Ford sought renewable, and they got a car that can pretty much be put on the compost heap once its useful life is over.
Happy Mother’s Day from you friends at Automotive Trends!!
