Next Ford Explorer to be a CUV
Bloomberg published an article back on December 18th that has gone unnoticed until today. A few of our colleagues have picked up the story so far, so we can't tell you who was the first to notice it, but the report was published the week after Ford hosted invited media at Cobo Arena for its Showroom of the Future event. Ford put on the same event for current employees and retirees earlier that month, at which it revealed details of the next Ford Explorer, which will transition from a truck-based platform to a car-based unibody platform with its next iteration. Rumored to be built on Ford's D3 platform that underpins the Five-Hundred sedan and various Volvos, the next Explorer will be giving up its ability to tackle the rough-and-tumble and tow-your-boat in favor of a lower center of gravity, increased fuel economy and more car-like handling.
Considering the continuining shrinkage occuring in the traditional SUV market, we have to agree with Ford's decision to keep the Explorer name and apply it to a package that has more mass appeal. However, adding yet another crossover vehicle to Ford's already crowded lineup that includes vehicles like the Edge, Freestyle and upcoming production version of the Fairlane Concept, will likely create some cannibalism of sales within the brand. Perhaps by that time the lineup will lose a nameplate or two (bye, bye Freestyle!). And Ford will still continue to sell and develop the Expedition as its proper SUV, capable of going off-road within reason and towing boats all the livelong day.
Thanks for the tip, Charles!
[Source: Bloomberg via Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Stphane Dumas 2:20PM (1/02/2007)
A wise move for Ford to keep the Explorer name despite the Firestone disaster.
I taught of an supposition, but the chances to saw it are slim. What if the Fairlane concept could be renamed Explorer? It could left the Fairlane nameplate for a future car. It's not the first time then we heard of last-minute name-game changes, I heard once of a rumor then in the mid-1970s then the Aspen and Volare was originally planned to be called Dart and Valiant but Chrysler wanted a more upscale image.
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Spalind 2:45PM (1/02/2007)
Good move for all the soccor mommies who don't need a truck based SUV, ground clearance, or any other SUV characteristics to schlep the kids around in...They'd still be better off in a minivan or large sedan however...
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jgp 3:35PM (1/02/2007)
Hmm...I think I agree with Stéphane. Ford already said that the production version of the Fairlane won't be called the Fairlane, and if the new car-based Explorer were anything else, it would be too redundant with the Edge.
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infinihertz 2:53PM (1/02/2007)
#1, Ford has explicitly stated that they aren't planning on calling the Fairlane Concept "Fairlane." So it wouldn't be a last-minute name-game change. But that crossover also won't be out for another ~15 months based on their statements in Q3 2006.
I think calling the Fairlane Concept the next Explorer might be reasonable, but I don't think that'll happen. More likely the next Explorer will be smaller than the Fairlane Concept but bigger than the Edge, and the Freestyle will die or go to Mercury... which is kind of a shame, because for all of the Freestyle's blandness, it's not a bad car (I've only ridden in one once though).
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hondacura 3:29PM (1/02/2007)
They replaced the Explorer with a product already in the same pricing range, Ford Edge ( 26K - 31K ). FOrd explorer started around 26K base. The next explorer will still have lower sales I think do to it's name. Unless they can convience the public this isn't the same product from the past.
GM has already cancelled future product of the Trailblazer, so this decision from Ford is no surprise.
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Jonathan Hicks 3:33PM (1/02/2007)
No way. The Explorer should stay truck-based to stay true to its heritage. Besides, Ford already has the Escape, Edge, Freestyle, and the upcoming Fairlane. Ford has enough crossovers already.
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Pablo Cabrera 12:11PM (1/03/2007)
If the next Explorer be a CUV, Ford could need a True SUV Off Road for International Market.
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rick 4:41PM (1/02/2007)
this is great news for the grand cherokee.
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Howard Kerr 4:04PM (1/02/2007)
I guess it's just me, but I always figured that the FreeStyle was an ATTEMPT to wean soccer moms away from truck-based SUVs...like the Explorer.
As others have asked, why does Ford need the Escape, Edge, Explorer, Expedition (regular and EL), and this new CUV, especially considering no one is buying AWD FreeStyles...apparently?
As for retaining, or not retaining the Explorer name. Well, Ford and others, have a bad history of redesigning and renaming cars that COULD have carried on a good name. Example? Why change Falcon to Maverick? Was the Falcon name really so tainted? Going the other way, Ford....especially, has a bad habit of retaining some names that should have been changed when the cars changed. Example? T-Bird...when they added a back seat in '58. Cougar, when they switched it to the same chassis as the Torino/LTD II complete with 4 door SEDANS AND WAGONS. A COUGAR WAGON???????
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solomonrex 4:14PM (1/02/2007)
"cannibalization" of sales? Yes, those 7 large SUVs at Toyota are _really_ killing their sales! Ford wouldn't want to emulate their approach!
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V4L 4:17PM (1/02/2007)
"which is kind of a shame, because for all of the Freestyle's blandness, it's not a bad car"
It's not a good car either.
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DC_1 4:56PM (1/02/2007)
This sounds like a rumor!! I cannot see Ford changing the Explorer to a carbase SUV. Besides it’s to my understanding that the Explorer will stay on it current and relatively new platform at least until the end of the decade.
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That One Person 5:04PM (1/02/2007)
Edge, Freestyle, "Fairlane" and Explorer?
I dont know. I have a hard time believing that Ford would just ditch the Explorer like that. It sells fairly well (in the SUV market). Also, they already have enough "CUVs".
If the next Explorer will be a "CUV", then that negates the whole purpose of the Freestyle and "Fairlane". The Edge is a five seater. The Freestyle is a seven seater. And I thought the "Fairlane" was supposed to be a seven seater also (the concept only had six seats). I can kind of understand the Freestyle and Fairlane...only if the Fairlane has more cargo room. But what will the Explorer be? An eight seater? It doesnt make sense...
I just have a feeling there may be an outcry from Explorer fans. I have a couple neighbors who have bought nothing but Explorers since 1991.
Even though sales are declining, there is still a market for truck based SUVs.
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Doogs 5:09PM (1/02/2007)
This a good move (and a no brainer) by Ford. The Explorer's never exactly been synonymous with offroading anyway, so no loss there.
But this leaves me wondering what Ford has in mind for the buyers who want some offroad capability in something smaller than an Expedition.
Maybe if they'd ever get around to redesigning the Ranger they could take a cue from Nissan and Toyota, and build a new Bronco to take on the Xterra and FJ Cruiser.
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JON C 7:00PM (1/02/2007)
CUV's are becoming more trendy lately.Perception is they re more sophisticated than truck based SUV's.
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Geotpf 7:20PM (1/02/2007)
solomonrex, Toyota makes six SUVs total-and only two of them are "large", and those are the two worst selling in the bunch:
Small CUV: RAV4
Small SUV: FJ Cruiser
Medium CUV: Highlander
Medium SUV: 4Runner
Large CUV: Sequoia
Large SUV: Land Cruiser
By "CUV", I mean "It looks like a SUV but is really meant for driving on the streets", and by "SUV", I mean "It's meant to be driven underwater in a hurricane".
There really is no overlap between Toyota's six SUVs at all.
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Andy 11:18PM (1/02/2007)
Making the Explorer a car-based crossover vehicle is silly. The Explorer is a truck. It was built as a civilized, roadgoing alternative to the strictly off-road Bronco II. The problem is how Ford has become dependent on flooding the market with hundreds of thousands of large trucks in the market instead of more practical small sedans. The Explorer does not have the future it had as being one of the best-selling vehicles in America. The Edge is Ford's flagship CUV. The Escape is a more sensible SUV alternative. Ford should devote the energy it did with the F-150 and Explorer on its small and midsize sedans.
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Eric L. 8:57PM (1/02/2007)
Actually #15 - the Sequoia is based on an extended Land Cruiser platform and is a truck based SUV, not CUV.
I think the Explorer moving into the CUV category spells doom for the unloved Freestyle. I see room for a larger CUV in Ford's lineup anyways - they don't have a minivan, so they might as well do what GM is doing with the new Saturn Outlook - a huge CUV thats minivan-like. That way, the Escape can be the "small CUV", Edge the midsize, and Explorer the large CUV/minivan.
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Xplrsport01 9:31PM (1/02/2007)
wow what on earth made them decide this? Its totally against the norm for the explorer. They used to be very capable off road after a few mods until now!
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tony 12:10AM (1/03/2007)
you guys are so easy to react .. i dont think FORD is that dumv n stupid to change Explorer into a CUV .. Explorer will always be a truck-based ... if it becomes car-based so SportTrac becomes carbased too? thats stupid ... in order for Explorer to be competitive it just needs to put the 3.5 V6 engine ... people love the Explorer they just dont like the MPG ...its really silly that they have a more efficient engine with more HP n Torque n better MPG n yet still used the 4.0 which annoyingly has almost the same MPG with its own V8 engine ...
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