Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Unsurprising News of the Day: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is toast]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/30/unsurprising-news-of-the-day-ford-explorer-sport-trac-is-toast/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/30/unsurprising-news-of-the-day-ford-explorer-sport-trac-is-toast/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/30/unsurprising-news-of-the-day-ford-explorer-sport-trac-is-toast/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin - Click above for high-res image gallery

When it comes to a new Explorer Sport Trac for 2011, the only real surprise would have been if Ford had actually opted to build one. With the standard Explorer moving to a unit-body architecture, there are no plans for a new pickup truck version, a vehicle that probably would have been something akin to the Honda Ridgeline.

Since the Ridgeline hasn't exactly been flying off dealer's lots, Ford has wisely decided to focus on its full-bodied version, the Explorer. The Blue Oval hasn't made a habit of breaking out Sport Trac sales from its SUV kin, but the Explorer only totaled 52,190 in 2009, so the pickup's volume probably wasn't a huge seller. According to Automotive News' sources, Sport Trac sales usually totaled about 20 to 25 percent of Explorer sales over the last decade, but that number strikes us as curiously high. Over its entire life, we never saw a ton of them - even on the roads around Michigan where domestic pickups are commonplace.


Gallery: 2008 Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Unsurprising News of the Day: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is toast originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112011 ford2011 ford explorer2011Ford2011FordExplorerexplorerexplorer sport tracExplorerSportTracfordFord Explorerford explorer 2011Ford Explorer Sport Tracford explorer sport trac cancelledford sport tracFordExplorerFordExplorer2011FordExplorerSportTracFordExplorerSportTracCancelledFordSportTracSport Tracsport trac adrenalinSportTracSportTracAdrenalinFri, 30 Jul 2010 15:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19574822/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/30/unsurprising-news-of-the-day-ford-explorer-sport-trac-is-toast/19574822/article-detail.xml 19574822 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/08sporttracadr03opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/08sporttracadr03opt.jpg <![CDATA[Ford recalling 33,000 vehicles to replace... seat recliner?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/23/ford-recalling-33-000-vehicles-to-replace-seat-recliner/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/23/ford-recalling-33-000-vehicles-to-replace-seat-recliner/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/23/ford-recalling-33-000-vehicles-to-replace-seat-recliner/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Ford has announced a recall of some 33,000 vehicles due to faulty front seat manual reclining mechanisms. The recall affects certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Explorer and Explorer SportTrac models, as well as 2010 Mercury Mountaineer and Milan vehicles. Both the Blue Oval and NHTSA are concerned that during an accident the mechanisms could fail and cause the back of the seat to move toward the rear of the vehicle, resulting in a possible injury.

While no injuries have been reported as a result of the defect, NHTSA found that the seats don't meet federal standards for head restraints and must be replaced. Ford will replace the hardware free of charge. For more information, visit NHTSA's website.

[Source: Associated Press]

Ford recalling 33,000 vehicles to replace... seat recliner? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20102010 Ford Explorer2010 Ford Explorer Sport Trac2010 Ford Fusion2010 Mercury Milan2010 Mercury Mountaineer2010FordExplorer2010FordExplorerSportTrac2010FordFusion2010MercuryMilan2010MercuryMountaineerExplorerExplorer RecallExplorer Sport TracExplorer Sport Trac RecallExplorerRecallExplorerSportTracExplorerSportTracRecallFord ExplorerFord Explorer Sport TracFord FusionFord RecallFordExplorerFordExplorerSportTracFordFusionFordRecallFusionFusion RecallFusionRecallMercuryMercury MilanMercury MountaineerMercuryMilanMercuryMountaineerMilanMilan RecallMilanRecallMountaineerMountaineer RecallMountaineerRecallNHTSANHTSA RecallNhtsaRecallRecallSport TracSportTracFri, 23 Apr 2010 16:21:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19452296/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/23/ford-recalling-33-000-vehicles-to-replace-seat-recliner/19452296/article-detail.xml 19452296 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/fusion-sport-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/fusion-sport-630.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Ford to nix Explorer Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/27/report-ford-to-nix-explorer-sport-trac-mercury-mountaineer/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/27/report-ford-to-nix-explorer-sport-trac-mercury-mountaineer/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/27/report-ford-to-nix-explorer-sport-trac-mercury-mountaineer/#commentsFiled under: ,



Anyone who actually wants a Ford Explorer Sport Trac had better go out and grab one now because they won't be around much longer. As production of the the current body-on-frame Explorer winds down in the coming months, the pickup bed version and the rebadged Mercury Mountaineer will breathe their last breath. Sometime in 2010 a new unibody Explorer based on the Flex/Taurus platform will debut and an open bed version will not be part of the lineup.

With total Explorer sales down to just 78,439 in 2008, including the Sport Trac, and those numbers down by half again this year, the number of Sport Tracs sold simply doesn't justify developing a new one. At its peak when Ford was moving some 400,000 Explorers annually, about 60,000 were Sport Tracs. This year the number is likely to be 10,000 or less.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

REPORT: Ford to nix Explorer Sport Trac, Mercury Mountaineer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>explorerexplorer sport tracExplorerSportTracfordford explorerford explorer sport tracford explorer sport trac cancelledFordExplorerFordExplorerSportTracFordExplorerSportTracCancelledsport tracSportTracMon, 27 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19110695/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/27/report-ford-to-nix-explorer-sport-trac-mercury-mountaineer/19110695/article-detail.xml 19110695 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/09exst_ltd_tow_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/09exst_ltd_tow.jpg <![CDATA[2007 Ford Sport Trac takes on Honda Ridgeline]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/03/2007-ford-sport-trac-takes-on-honda-ridgeline/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/03/2007-ford-sport-trac-takes-on-honda-ridgeline/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/03/2007-ford-sport-trac-takes-on-honda-ridgeline/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The Honda Ridgeline, the company's first pickup truck, sold nearly 53,000 vehicles last year. Though the numbers were considered disappointing by Honda and much of the press, the total nevertheless concerns Ford Motor Co., since many of those sales were from its segment share.

Now Ford is striking back with the 2007 Ford Sport Trac. The latest version, which is based off the new Explorer, provides greater room, for both interior and cargo space. A V8 engine (which had not been available in previous years) is now an option... the Ridgeline makes do with a V6. Ford has improved the Sport Trac's safety equipment and systems to earn the highest rating for frontal offset impact safety from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as well as all government crash tests. To counter the Ridgeline's lockable trunk built into its truck-bed, the Sport Trac comes with a lockable bed cover as an option.

But the best feature, Ford and analysts points out, is that many truck buyers still don't consider the Ridgeline a 'truck' due to its unibody construction. Says Jim Sanfilippo, an AMCI analyst, "I'm not sure the domestic truck buyer has figured out what the Ridgeline is."

Full details can be found at the link.

[Source: Detroit News, picture by Ford]

2007 Ford Sport Trac takes on Honda Ridgeline originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cargo spacepickupreputationRidgelineSport Tractruck bedMon, 03 Apr 2006 18:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/605065/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/04/03/2007-ford-sport-trac-takes-on-honda-ridgeline/605065/article-detail.xml 605065 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/ford-2007-sport-trac_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/ford-2007-sport-trac.jpg -1 2