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Video: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show

Zach Bowman — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:10:00 +0000

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, SUV, Videos, Crossover, Ford

Click above to watch Autoblog Short Cuts: 2011 Ford Explorer demonstrates Terrain Management

Ford has set up a display to show off the multiple Terrain Management modes on the 2011 Explorer at this year's Chicago Auto Show. As you may recall, the tech keeps an eye on a laundry list of parameters, including specs like engine speed, throttle position, transmission shift patterns and the stability and traction control systems.

Visitors can ride shotgun over a number of surfaces, including a seesaw that transitions from a steep, slippery incline into a similarly aggressive descent and a deep sand section. The multiple surfaces are designed to flex the Explorer's all-terrain muscles, at least in the climate-controlled comfort of McCormick place.

Our own Drew Phillips cooked up a quick video of the ride along for your viewing pleasure. The clip after the jump includes all of the gravity-defying action of the Explorer all-terrain system when viewed from both the cabin and from the safety of the show floor. Follow the jump to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show

Video: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford Explorer orders nearly double expectations

Steven J. Ewing — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 14:31:00 +0000

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer - Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 Ford Explorer is a drastic departure from its predecessors, ditching body-on-frame construction in favor of a unibody structure, and sharing its platform with the Taurus sedan (as well as the Flex, Lincoln MKS and MKT). This shift to a traditional crossover construction has not turned away buyers, however, and Ford reports that Explorer pre-orders have nearly doubled original projections.

According to The Detroit News, Ford has received roughly 15,000 orders for the 2011 Explorer. This includes about 3,000 retail and 7,500 dealer orders, as well as an additional 4,500 orders from companies.

Jason Mase, Ford's manager of utility vehicles, told The Detroit News that about 55 percent of buyers are opting for the trailer tow package, and 64 percent want all-wheel drive. Mase says that consumers don't really care if the vehicle is a crossover or an SUV, the major concern is that the vehicle fits their specific needs. So far, so good, and Ford expects this trend to continue after the Explorer officially hits dealerships in early 2011.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Southern California Live Debut

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: Ford Explorer orders nearly double expectations originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:32:00 +0000

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Crossover, Ford

In case you thought installing SYNC into Ford vehicles was a ho-hum-whatever affair, that's not the case - Ford puts a lot of thought into it. The Blue Oval's latest assembly line advance is to have SYNC's infotainment software installed into the 2011 Ford Edge via WiFi. Made possible by the the latest version of SYNC with WiFi access, the new process allows Ford to save money on parts and inventory by using a common module among vehicles in different cars and made in different plants. After the Edge, the Lincoln MKX and 2011 Explorer will gain the same systems. Follow the jump for the press release.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines

Ford begins using WiFi to install Sync on assembly lines originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer unveiled live from coast to coast

Drew Phillips — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:58:00 +0000

Filed under: SUV, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer Live Debut in Southern California - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's been quite a day for the new 2011 Ford Explorer. After teasing, more teasing, and even more teasing, Ford finally unveiled what it thinks will "reinvent the SUV for the 21st century." At 12:01 EST this morning, we presented an in-depth look at the new Explorer, providing details on the new exterior and interior as well as some of the safety features, and at noon we went over the new powertrain options, including the 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-4 that will deliver 30 percent better fuel efficiency than the previous V6 model. Ford has even put up a configurator for the 2011 Explorer, allowing you to build your own.

The 2011 Explorer was also introduced live in various parts of the country, from the middle of New York City to Detroit to Los Angeles. We were in attendance on both ends of the coasts to cover the unveilings, each of which had an entirely different feel. The Discovery Channel's Mike Rowe was on hand with CEO Alan Mulally to make the introductions in the Big Apple, while Ford's President of the Americas Mark Fields did the honors amidst huge sand sculptures alongside the famous boardwalk in Venice Beach. You can see photos from both unveilings in the galleries below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Southern California Live Debut

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer New York City Live Debut

2011 Ford Explorer unveiled live from coast to coast originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer configurator already up and running, pricing starts at $28,190*

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Ford

It's been less than 24 hours since Ford took the wraps off of the 2011 Explorer, but in an effort to keep the buzz going about the all-new crossover due to hit dealerships later this year, Ford's online configurator is already up and running.

At the moment, only models equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 can be optioned, ranging from the base $28,190 front-wheel drive Explorer (*Don't forget to add $805 for delivery fees) all the way up to the top-trim Limited 4WD ($39,190 plus destination). A fully decked-out all-wheel drive configuration will set you back $48,075* - and that's before the optional accessory list is looked over.

If you have some time to waste, head over to Ford's configuration page and spec out the Explorer of your dreams. Additionally, be sure to scroll through our gallery of color choices, showing the nine available paint jobs.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Colors

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer

[Source: Ford]

2011 Ford Explorer configurator already up and running, pricing starts at $28,190* originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer puts four-cylinder EcoBoost engine above V6 in pecking order

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:57:00 +0000

Filed under: SUV, Technology, Crossover, Ford, Off-Road

2011 Ford Explorer - Click above for high-res image gallery

For part two of our in-depth look at the 2011 Ford Explorer, we'll take a look at its new powertrains and improvements in fuel efficiency, as well as how well it can still tow a trailer. But first let's see what kind of techno-goodies Ford has applied to this new SUV.

Technology

This being 2010, technology has to play a big part in any major new vehicle introduction. On the inside, the Explorer joins the new Edge, Focus and Lincoln MKX in adopting the MyFord Touch interface. We first saw this new touch sensitive interface when the MKX and Focus were unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January. Much like modern smartphones, the center stack has a smooth surface with capacitive touch buttons to manage the audio and climate controls. Continue reading after the jump or check out part one of our introduction to the 2011 Ford Explorer first.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer

Continue reading 2011 Ford Explorer puts four-cylinder EcoBoost engine above V6 in pecking order

2011 Ford Explorer puts four-cylinder EcoBoost engine above V6 in pecking order originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer unveiled, tries crossing over on road to redemption

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Filed under: SUV, Safety, Crossover, Ford, Design/Style

2011 Ford Explorer Deep Dive - Click above for high-res image gallery

UPDATE: When you're done reading part one, check out part two of our introduction of the 2011 Ford Explorer that focuses on new technology, powertrains and fuel efficiency.

In creating the 2011 Explorer, Ford engineers and designers had an enormously difficult task set before them. Ford's President of the Americas, Mark Fields, described the job as "Reinventing the SUV for the 21st century." Despite the near complete collapse of the traditional mid-to-large SUV market over the last several years, Ford still sees a substantial market for the capabilities of these boxy behemoths. Customers just don't want the traditional downsides that accompany these body-on-frame 'utes - specifically, their higher fuel consumption and poor ride and handling.

The new Explorer remains squarely targeted at traditional SUV buyers.

Since its debut some 20 years ago, the Explorer has sold over six million units, four million of which are still traversing the world's roads. Through much of the late-1990s and early part of the last decade, the Explorer was Ford's second-best-selling vehicle behind its F-Series pickups, regularly selling 400,000 units a year. Fast-forward to 2009, and that volume had plummeted to just over 52,000. Even so, Ford believes it still has an opportunity. According to the automaker's vice president of global marketing, Jim Farley, each year, at least 140,000 Explorer owners come back to Blue Oval dealerships looking to purchase new vehicles. And obviously, they just aren't buying Explorers.

When word got out that Ford was developing a new unibody Explorer off the same platform architecture that underpins the Taurus and Flex - not to mention the Lincoln MKS and MKT - many people wondered why Dearborn had elected to develop yet another crossover, especially since the Taurus X/Freestyle had just been killed due to slow sales. This predicament was not lost on Ford's product planners, and their four-wheeled response is a new Explorer that remains squarely targeted at traditional SUV buyers - shoppers that Ford sees as a distinct group from most crossover intenders. Long ago, Jeep proved with the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee that a unibody chassis isn't necessarily an impediment to building a fully capable off-roader, and Ford appears to have taken that lesson to heart, along with targeting big improvements in fuel economy and driving dynamics. Follow the jump to find out if they succeeded.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer

Continue reading 2011 Ford Explorer unveiled, tries crossing over on road to redemption

2011 Ford Explorer unveiled, tries crossing over on road to redemption originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer with EcoBoost 2.0-liter delivers 30% better fuel economy than V6

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Filed under: Ford

Ford has got the gas mileage goods on its 2011 EcoBoost-powered Explorer, and it's news you might like if you want one: you'll get 30 percent better mileage with the inline-four than you could with the outgoing V6. Ford did, however, leave a key detail out of the press release touting this: it didn't reveal the actual mileage number, "pending EPA certification."

Nevertheless, with the 2010 Explorer's 210-horsepower, 4.0-liter V6 EPA rated at 14 miles per gallon in the city and 20 out on the highway, you're looking at a healthy increase all over with the four-pot turbo doing the work up front. Follow the jump for Ford's press release that details all the reasons your wallet won't be so sad if you end up buying a 2011 Explorer.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Explorer with EcoBoost 2.0-liter delivers 30% better fuel economy than V6

2011 Ford Explorer with EcoBoost 2.0-liter delivers 30% better fuel economy than V6 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Explorer teasers keep coming, model to debut July 26 in NYC

Zach Bowman — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Filed under: Budget, SUV, Ford, Celebrities

2011 Ford Explorer teaser images - Click above for high-res image gallery

The agonizing 2011 Ford Explorer striptease continues, made somewhat less painful by the fact that we now have what appears to be a solid unveil date and location. While the company has rolled out two new detail shots of the reworked SUV-turned-crossover - including a look at the rear hatch and roof rails (oooh!) - the Blue Oval has also graced the world with news that "a new Ford vehicle" will get a complete unveil in New York City's Herald Square on Monday, July 26. Less we've missed our mark by a wide berth, odds are that the vehicle is the 2011 Explorer.

According to Ford, the whole gang will be in attendance for the event, including CEO Alan Mulally and spokesperson Mike Rowe. Who knows exactly what kind of high jinks the company has planned for the 26th, but given the substantial buzz Ford has tried to build for the new Expy, we would be surprised if it were just a stage and a silk sheet. Stay tuned.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Teasers

[Source: Ford]

Ford Explorer teasers keep coming, model to debut July 26 in NYC originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Explorer teasing continues – My, what big pillars you have

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Spy Photos, SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer Facebook teaser shots - Click above for image gallery

The slow burn of Ford Explorer Facebook teasers continues today as the Blue Oval has seen fit to update its online photo gallery with three new images showing off various bits of its new 2011 unibody-based sport ute. This time, we're teased with a view of an open rear cargo hatch (above), a gearshift lever conspicuously absent of PRNDL markings and a power liftgate button. Sure, they may not be the three most interesting photos you lay your eyes upon today, but there are useful bits of info to glean with a closer look.

For instance, just how thick are those D-pillars? Judging by the size of the suitably active outdoorsey family being focused on, it would appear that the rearmost pillars could swallow an entire fleet of subcompacts in the rearview mirror. Also, unless there are some super tricky optical-illusions going on due to an awkward camera angle or there's some sort of dual opening rear hatch arrangement, it sure looks like the cargo opening is a wee bit compromised for the sake of style and/or structural integrity (the last thing Ford execs want is more Explorer rollover headaches).

In any case, we should be privy to a full web debut sometime in July. At that time, all our questions will be answered, but in the meantime, check out all the teaser images in our gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Teasers

[Source: Ford Explorer Facebook]

2011 Ford Explorer teasing continues - My, what big pillars you have originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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