SEMA Preview: Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin is no SVT
UPDATE: We got the tip from Kicking Tires that Ford has confirmed the Sport Trac Adrenalin is a $2,995 package, so it can be had with either a V6 or V8 in 4x2 or 4x4 trim.
click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Sport Trac Adrenaline
Ford debuted the original Sport Trac Adrenalin Concept at the 2005 New York Auto Show, and since then we've been wondering if it would ultimately become a successor to the long gone SVT Lightning. We now have our answer, which is no. Ford will debut the production version of the Sport Trac Adrenalin next week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it will be sans any SVT badges like the ones worn by the concept. What it will have is a more aggressive look than the stock Explorer Sport Trac with a new front fascia that lowers the front end visually by 3.5 inches and incorporates round fog lamps, functional fender vents, integrated running boards, a new tailgate and cut outs for the dual exhaust system. Those 10-spoke wheels are also carbon copies of the concept's rims, though a bit smaller in diameter at 20 rather than 21 inches. The interior is also a monochromatic wonderland with Charcoal Black materials everywhere you look.
In terms of mechanicals, the Sport Trac Adrenaline does get the all-wheel-drive system that was shown on the concept, a first for a production Sport Trac. Unfortunately, no mention was made of the Roots-type supercharger worn by the concept's 4.6L V8 that produced 390 HP and 390 ft-lbs. of torque. In fact, Ford doesn't mention anything at all about an engine in the press release after the jump, so we're left to assume that A) there is no supercharger and B) the stock 4.6L V8 with 292 HP and 300 ft-lbs. of torque provides the Sport Trac Adrenalin's motivating force. It could also be the case that you can have either the 4.0L V6 or the 4.6L V8 in your Sport Trac Adrenalin, but we'll have to wait for Ford to provide clarification on this rather important detail.
The Sport Trac Adrenaline will be available to purchase in January for a base MSRP of $30,495 (including dest.), which is surprisingly close to the base price of a Sport Trac 4x4 Limited model at $30,195.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
FORD ADDS 'ADRENALIN' TO SPORT TRAC FOR 2008
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct 25, 2007 – The Ford Sport Trac's urban alter ego debuts at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, proving that Ford can deliver aftermarket attitude straight from the factory.
The 2008 Sport Trac Adrenalin is a sport utility truck that combines the utility and functionality of a pickup with a bold new attitude and genuine sense of street style.
"The new Sport Trac Adrenalin is designed to appeal to the urban adventurer," said Ryan Mitton, Sport Trac marketing manager. "It still offers up the functionality and capability that Sport Trac is known for, while boosting the style factor."
The sleek boulevard-cruiser's design was inspired by the Sport Trac Adrenalin concept that appeared at the 2005 New York Auto Show. Ford designer Melvin Betancourt was challenged to transfer the Adrenalin concept's bold, more low-slung design to the production Sport Trac.
"The goal was to keep the overall design intact, right down to the wheels," said Betancourt. "We had to make some minor adjustments as we went through the production process, but overall it's been altered very little from the original concept."
Adrenalin retains the Sport Trac's distinctive profile, blending SUV and pickup, but the similarities end there. Every exterior panel from the beltline down has been redesigned or styled to deliver the Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin's cool, aftermarket look.
New front and rear fascias sit 3.5-inches lower than the units on the standard truck. Full running boards are seamlessly integrated into the body design and function to visually tie the front and rear of the truck together. The rubber step pads provide traction and add a striking graphic stripe that accents the lower portion of the truck.
"The new body panels give the Sport Trac the appearance of being lower – without actually lowering the vehicle," said Betancourt. "You get a street cruiser look without compromising any of the functionality or capability."
The front fascia mounts circular fog lamps in matte black binnacles, bringing in a touch of Mustang performance DNA to the Adrenalin. The prominent gloss black grille features a unique crosshatch pattern with the Ford oval badge mounted front and center.
"Graphically, the new grille gives you a bigger opening that adds to Adrenalin's sinister look," added Betancourt. "The crosshatch insert serves to visually set it apart from other Sport Tracs, giving the Adrenalin its own personality."
Smooth side surfaces are the result of new front and rear fenders that lose their wheel lip moldings. Functional front fender vents, exclusive to the Adrenalin, add visual interest to the vehicle's profile. Adrenalin also motors without roof racks.
The rear fascia features a cutout for the dual-tipped exhaust. The design is finished with body-colored mirror caps and a new tailgate with a distinctive Adrenalin badge spanning the surface of the gate in individual letters.
The interior delivers monochromatic richness. The Charcoal Black environment is accented by a stone gray headliner and features custom floor mats that are embroidered with the Adrenalin logo. Adrenalin offers the choice of cloth upholstered or premium leather-trimmed seats.
Adrenalin looks hot, bathed in special Colorado Red paint. Colorado Red, a true red without metal flake, is new to the Sport Trac lineup and will be launched with the Adrenalin. Additional color choices are White Suede, Black and Silver Birch Metallic.
The 10-spoke, 20-inch wheels are the same units found on the Sport Trac Adrenalin concept. The polished aluminum wheels are shod with P255/50R20 Pirelli rubber.
Along with the standard 4x2 drivetrain, Sport Trac Adrenalin offers an all-wheel-drive system that's more suitable for a street cruiser. In addition to providing sure-footedness on slick surfaces, Adrenalin's AWD system offers a performance advantage as well. The system seamlessly transfers torque from the rear wheels to the front wheels as required to provide confident handling, reducing wheel spin and improving cornering.
Adrenalin will be in dealer showrooms in early January. Base Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Pricing (MSRP) for Sport Trac Adrenalin begins at $30,495 (including $720 for destination and delivery charges).
click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Sport Trac Adrenaline
Ford debuted the original Sport Trac Adrenalin Concept at the 2005 New York Auto Show, and since then we've been wondering if it would ultimately become a successor to the long gone SVT Lightning. We now have our answer, which is no. Ford will debut the production version of the Sport Trac Adrenalin next week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it will be sans any SVT badges like the ones worn by the concept. What it will have is a more aggressive look than the stock Explorer Sport Trac with a new front fascia that lowers the front end visually by 3.5 inches and incorporates round fog lamps, functional fender vents, integrated running boards, a new tailgate and cut outs for the dual exhaust system. Those 10-spoke wheels are also carbon copies of the concept's rims, though a bit smaller in diameter at 20 rather than 21 inches. The interior is also a monochromatic wonderland with Charcoal Black materials everywhere you look.
In terms of mechanicals, the Sport Trac Adrenaline does get the all-wheel-drive system that was shown on the concept, a first for a production Sport Trac. Unfortunately, no mention was made of the Roots-type supercharger worn by the concept's 4.6L V8 that produced 390 HP and 390 ft-lbs. of torque. In fact, Ford doesn't mention anything at all about an engine in the press release after the jump, so we're left to assume that A) there is no supercharger and B) the stock 4.6L V8 with 292 HP and 300 ft-lbs. of torque provides the Sport Trac Adrenalin's motivating force. It could also be the case that you can have either the 4.0L V6 or the 4.6L V8 in your Sport Trac Adrenalin, but we'll have to wait for Ford to provide clarification on this rather important detail.
The Sport Trac Adrenaline will be available to purchase in January for a base MSRP of $30,495 (including dest.), which is surprisingly close to the base price of a Sport Trac 4x4 Limited model at $30,195.
[Source: Ford]
Gallery: 2008 Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin
PRESS RELEASE:
FORD ADDS 'ADRENALIN' TO SPORT TRAC FOR 2008
- 2008 Sport Trac Adrenalin adds street style to its combination of functionality and utility.
- Exterior design is inspired by the Sport Trac Adrenalin concept from 2005, right down to the 10-spoke, polished aluminum wheels.
- An all-wheel-drive system, a first on Sport Trac, provides all-weather confidence with sport sedan-like handling characteristics.
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct 25, 2007 – The Ford Sport Trac's urban alter ego debuts at this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, proving that Ford can deliver aftermarket attitude straight from the factory.
The 2008 Sport Trac Adrenalin is a sport utility truck that combines the utility and functionality of a pickup with a bold new attitude and genuine sense of street style.
"The new Sport Trac Adrenalin is designed to appeal to the urban adventurer," said Ryan Mitton, Sport Trac marketing manager. "It still offers up the functionality and capability that Sport Trac is known for, while boosting the style factor."
The sleek boulevard-cruiser's design was inspired by the Sport Trac Adrenalin concept that appeared at the 2005 New York Auto Show. Ford designer Melvin Betancourt was challenged to transfer the Adrenalin concept's bold, more low-slung design to the production Sport Trac.
"The goal was to keep the overall design intact, right down to the wheels," said Betancourt. "We had to make some minor adjustments as we went through the production process, but overall it's been altered very little from the original concept."
Adrenalin retains the Sport Trac's distinctive profile, blending SUV and pickup, but the similarities end there. Every exterior panel from the beltline down has been redesigned or styled to deliver the Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin's cool, aftermarket look.
New front and rear fascias sit 3.5-inches lower than the units on the standard truck. Full running boards are seamlessly integrated into the body design and function to visually tie the front and rear of the truck together. The rubber step pads provide traction and add a striking graphic stripe that accents the lower portion of the truck.
"The new body panels give the Sport Trac the appearance of being lower – without actually lowering the vehicle," said Betancourt. "You get a street cruiser look without compromising any of the functionality or capability."
The front fascia mounts circular fog lamps in matte black binnacles, bringing in a touch of Mustang performance DNA to the Adrenalin. The prominent gloss black grille features a unique crosshatch pattern with the Ford oval badge mounted front and center.
"Graphically, the new grille gives you a bigger opening that adds to Adrenalin's sinister look," added Betancourt. "The crosshatch insert serves to visually set it apart from other Sport Tracs, giving the Adrenalin its own personality."
Smooth side surfaces are the result of new front and rear fenders that lose their wheel lip moldings. Functional front fender vents, exclusive to the Adrenalin, add visual interest to the vehicle's profile. Adrenalin also motors without roof racks.
The rear fascia features a cutout for the dual-tipped exhaust. The design is finished with body-colored mirror caps and a new tailgate with a distinctive Adrenalin badge spanning the surface of the gate in individual letters.
The interior delivers monochromatic richness. The Charcoal Black environment is accented by a stone gray headliner and features custom floor mats that are embroidered with the Adrenalin logo. Adrenalin offers the choice of cloth upholstered or premium leather-trimmed seats.
Adrenalin looks hot, bathed in special Colorado Red paint. Colorado Red, a true red without metal flake, is new to the Sport Trac lineup and will be launched with the Adrenalin. Additional color choices are White Suede, Black and Silver Birch Metallic.
The 10-spoke, 20-inch wheels are the same units found on the Sport Trac Adrenalin concept. The polished aluminum wheels are shod with P255/50R20 Pirelli rubber.
Along with the standard 4x2 drivetrain, Sport Trac Adrenalin offers an all-wheel-drive system that's more suitable for a street cruiser. In addition to providing sure-footedness on slick surfaces, Adrenalin's AWD system offers a performance advantage as well. The system seamlessly transfers torque from the rear wheels to the front wheels as required to provide confident handling, reducing wheel spin and improving cornering.
Adrenalin will be in dealer showrooms in early January. Base Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Pricing (MSRP) for Sport Trac Adrenalin begins at $30,495 (including $720 for destination and delivery charges).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
John P. 3:29PM (10/25/2007)
There's some nice styling and attention to quality details inside and out on this, I wish Ford of USA would pay as much attention to their cars. The kind of vehicles I purchase.
Reply
Adam 2:58PM (10/25/2007)
Please, for the love of God.... no more fender vents. Seriously the most overused styling trend today. Functional or not (BTW, what constitues "functional," especially on this thing. Does "functional" just mean that there are actual holes in the body work like the non-"functional" vens on the Escalade/Focus/Nitro/etc....)
Years from now, cars from this era will be recognizable much like ones from the era of fins, only much more embarasing .
Reply
David W. 4:32PM (10/25/2007)
...they are used to keep the brakes cool...great to have under heavy braking.
Adam 4:45PM (10/25/2007)
man.... I hope you are making a joke. They sure as hell don't do that on this thing, and deffinately not on the Escalade or any other stick on vent equiped cars.
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 3:07PM (10/25/2007)
I wonder how this would look gray on gray or white on white.
Reply
Zerk 3:10PM (10/25/2007)
Fender Vents are the least creative and most worthless styling elements.
No more please!
Reply
Red Star 3:13PM (10/25/2007)
Sweet. I might trade my either Mustang or F-150 for Adrenalin.
Reply
Red Star 3:13PM (10/25/2007)
Sweet. I might trade my either Mustang or F-150 for Adrenalin.
Reply
MikeUF 3:21PM (10/25/2007)
I really really loved the concept. Enough that for 6 months after I pestered my local dealer to let me know when they would be starting a list for the first production copys of it. So glad I got over it. They butchered a great looking concept. Specially the interior...
Reply
mk 3:25PM (10/25/2007)
I would consider this, if I were looking for a truck.
IRS is nice. Amazing that this gets it, but Mustang doesn't...
A supercharged modular V8... would have been cool, but aftermarket probably already has it ready by the time this hits the market, with all the aftermarket that is already in place for that engine in other cars.
It would be nice, in terms that more than two people can come along, and it hauls more than my sport sedan does, but I am not giving that up for this... I gave up a supercab Ranger for my sport sedan, and have no intention of going back the other direction.
It is smaller than the Avalanche which is also nice, and better looking, and has a V8 which the ridgeline doesn't. It would be nice if this thing had a mid-gate like apparatus, or an in-bed locking trunk for storage. A locking hard tonneau cover isn't bad, but the tonneau is harder to store or tote, when the bed needs to be open.
Not bad. Maybe a used one someday for me. I don't need a truck badly enough for a new one that soon.
Reply
jcar302 3:25PM (10/25/2007)
I liked the concept, but without the supercharged engine the adrenaline loses most of it's appeal to me.
I would of liked to see some performance out of it similar to the srt8 cherokee.
It would be nice to live in the north and drive a performance ford with awd.
Reply
DesiAuto 3:32PM (10/25/2007)
I used to own 2004 Adrenalin, this 2008 exterior is much better, but interior sucks big time. My 2004 model had ultimate pioneer audio (still miss it big time), this seems to go back on that point. Overall interior does not look modern at all.
I actually like fender vents, doesn't hurt and adds to style.
Reply
Gregg 4:47PM (10/25/2007)
This thing is sad. The "new" Sport Trac uses too many old body parts from the previous generation, and offers nothing new other than superficial styling tweaks and a V8 the thing should have had back in 2000. Now, three years after the concept, they come out with this "Adrenalin" that is basically nothing more than an unimaginitive trim level. Great, Ford. Three years to come up with some different trim for a vehicle that like the 500 to Taurus "all new" bluster, already doesn't appeal to most people. Where's the innovation? How about a midgate arrangement or other packaging flexibility? An exclusive engine? The lowliest Sport Trac has an independent rear end, and from the side view, it might as well be a 2001 with fender vents. The interior is so nothing. No wonder Ford continues to be in trouble when they spend way too much time bringing so little of substance to market.
Reply
That One Person 5:20PM (10/25/2007)
Too many body parts from the original Sport Trac? What are you talking about? The last gen. and the current gen. Sport Tracs are two DIFFERENT vehicles. The previous gen. ST was based on the 1995 Explorer platform. This one is based on the current Explorer platform. The only thing it shares with the previous gen. ST is the 4.0L V-6.
You do realize that this isn't an all new ST? And if you have ever seen a previous gen. Adrenaline, this is definitely a step forward. The dash would look better with the navi unit.
Greek Boy 10:27PM (10/25/2007)
gregg,
yeah...what are you talking about. There is not one shared body part from the previous gen. Even the chassis is entirely new - you twit.
I really like this direction because it makes it much more accessible for more people - rather than a limited edition $40K SVT model. For 30K you can have great differentiating looks, a V8 with AWD, 4 wheel IRS and nobody out there can touch it, especially for the price.
Nice job Ford.
You will sell a lot more of them.
Gregg 9:34AM (10/26/2007)
Twit is as twit does. The basic cab is the same. Same structure, same rear doors, same roof, same rear window. They grafted it onto the latest Explorer architecture. So the windshield is modified. Sure makes it look different from my 2001. Not.
That One Person 10:07AM (10/27/2007)
Oooook Gregg, you keep on believin that :)
svt boost 11:33PM (10/25/2007)
pretty cool, too bad no terminator engine or I would buy it for my wife....however
you could buy any mustang 3v blower, take it to a tuner, and presto 450 rwhp.
Reply
dan 1:05AM (10/26/2007)
Instead of a chin bodykit to make it look 3.5" lower, why not actually cut the springs and lower the CG?
A cheap plastic body kit and 20" wheels, for only $3,000, this is a gamechanger!
Reply
Rob 2:32AM (10/26/2007)
Its really to bad they have appearently ditched the blower. The 4.6 DOHC blown engine was a gem, Especially in 04 when the added 9 thread plug holes and fixed the problem with #7 running lean. This is the motor that should have found its way into the Shelby GT considering the price of that car. That would have really rounded out the Mustang lineup, 300hp GT, 400hp Shelby GT, and 500hp GT500.
Reply