Autoblog

Our spy photographers have noticed a test mule running around Detroit, and we agree with their guess that it's the upcoming reinvention of the Ford Explorer on a unibody platform. Since its inception, the Explorer has been a true SUV built on a sturdy truck frame, but the market has turned its back on traditional SUVs, so Ford came up with the Explorer America concept that debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The concept previews the vehicle you see here, though current mules for the production version are cobbled together with bits of Taurus X and Flex body panels.

The new Explorer will be ditching its truckish roots and climbing onboard a new car-based platform that's shared with the Flex. The new unibody structure will effectively make the next Explorer a large CUV rather than an SUV. The mules are wearing a Flex front end with a modified lower grille to allow more cooling air to reach the engine, but after the more steeply raked A-pillar we find the body of a Ford Taurus X. Our spies note that the wheelbase of these mules appears to be shorter than that of the Flex, though we expect the new Explorer to sport a third row of seats regardless. The mules also appear to be wider than a Taurus X or Flex, which is fitting with the SUV image the new Explorer must project. Click the gallery below for more spy shots of the next-gen Explorer, that should be arriving sometime in 2010.


[Source: KGP Photography]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Ford Explorer America Concept

For years, the success of vehicles such as the Ford F-Series pickups and Explorer SUV kept the Blue Oval brand from improving its line of mostly uncompetitive sedans. Automakers like Honda, though, never went the way of body-on-frame trucks and SUVs, preferring instead to continually improve its range of cars and crossover utility vehicles. That strategy is paying dividends in these days of high fuel prices, and Ford has taken notice. Asked whether he would prefer a more car-oriented model-mix, like that of Honda or Toyota, CEO Alan Mullaly recently answered, "Absolutely. We just don't have enough of those small or medium-sized vehicles yet, and that's what we need to concentrate on." Of course, all is not lost. As Automotive News points out, Ford has a new F-150 on the horizon, which is likely to improve its sales somewhat, and the brand as a whole has sold 647,140 vehicles, placing it well above Honda through April. Profitability, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.

[Source: Automotive News]

Update: Video of the Explorer America concept reveal is available after the jump.


click above for morel live images of the Ford Explorer America Concept

The unveiling of Ford's Explorer America concept might finally prove that the end of the SUV era is upon us. FoMoCo's stalwart 'ute has left the body-on-frame world and joined the ranks of crossovers that – if you believe the hype – are quickly filling up the SUV-sized vacuum left in garages across the country.

On the outside, Ford decided to keep several of the design cues that have defined the Explorer over the years, simply smoothing the edges, raising the belt line and giving it a healthy injection of futuristic lines that would make it a shoe-in as Robocop's next black-and-white cruiser. The sliding door on the passenger side might not make it to production, but it would be a smart addition to bridge the gap between machismo and minivan.

Check out our previous post for all the details on the Ford Explorer America.

Recently, Honda has had issues with keeping supply and demand in check with its newest products. Waiting lists for everything from the Civic Si to the Honda Fit have become bones of contention with consumers, and the recently redesigned Honda CR-V was among them earlier this year. Sales of Honda's cute 'ute have been on an upwards trajectory during 2007, with over 167,000 units sold thus far -- a 44-percent jump over the previous year. Analysts contend that buyers who used to flock to the Ford Explorer are now looking at smaller, more fuel-efficient offerings, bolstering sales of the CR-V along with Toyota's RAV4.

Honda is constantly trying to keep a balance between imported and domestically made products, so it's considering doubling the North American production of the CR-V. The move would come at a perfect time, as CR-V sales have officially eclipsed sales of the Explorer, the U.S.'s best selling SUV for 14 years.

[Source: Detroit News]

Here's another one of those eBay finds that makes us reach for our wallets. It's a rare 1998 Saleen Explorer XP8, the famous Ford tuner's first foray into the world of SUVs. While some might argue that performance tuning should never be applied to these beasts of burden, Saleen went the extra mile to tap every ounce of the Explorer's potential. Saleen's tuned Explorer could be had with a 4.0L V6, the famous 5.0L V8 once used in the Mustang, or a supercharged version of the 5.0 making 268-horsepower. It appears our eBay find carries the naturally aspirated 5.0, which is just fine. It's backed up by a Racecraft suspension that lowers the SUV a full two inches, which tucks the sharp 18-inch Saleen wheels made out of magnesium tightly into the fenders. Like any Saleen, the XP8 sports a full signature Saleen body kit with a rear spoiler balanced at the top of the rear hatch. The Explorer wears its new suit well, and proudly proclaims its origin with a pair of Saleen graphics above the rocker panels. eBay item #290115445535 ends in just 6 hours or so, and the price for this prime example with only 45,567 miles is $11,600. The reserve has not been met, which doesn't surprise us. While not a top of the line supercharged Saleen XP8, this example nonetheless appears to be in pristine condition (as much as one can tell from pictures).

[Source: eBay]

A federal judge has declared that the public must have access to safety data from automotive OEMs and part manufacturers, even before a recall is officially announced. The ruling comes as the result of a suit filed by Public Citizen, which was claiming that manufacturers should not have blanket protection from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) filings when it comes to the warranty claim data and other safety-related complaints that must be filed with the Department of Transportation.

The tire industry fought to keep the data confidential, stating that any release of it prior to the announcement of an official recall safety campaign would constitute "competitive harm". When the TREAD Act of 2000 originally passed in the wake of the Firestone debacle, such information reporting was required, and when the DOT's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed rules on the matter in 2002, it stated that any reported data would be "non-confidential". A final issuing of the rule in 2003 allowed the pre-recall data to remain safe from FOIA filings, however.

[Source: Detroit News]

In Japan, there are four trim levels in the Ford Explorer lineup: XLT, Eddie Bauer, Limited, and the just-announced Superior.

The deal with the Explorer Superior is pretty simple. Basically, it's a loaded Explorer Limited that gets a real wood center console and door pulls, custom floormats, model-specific badges, and chromed sideview mirrors with built in turn signals. Black and gold are the only color selections, and there are two options for the interior leather/wood combo.

The big chrome grille up front has "SUPERIOR" emblazoned across its width, letting less-informed motorists know they're in the presence of a ¥7,000,000 SUV. At the current exchange rate, that's roughly $61,000 USD -- a huge sum even when you consider that the Explorer is a more expensive vehicle in Japan to begin with.

With the almost-identical Limited and well-appointed Eddie Bauer also available, one wonders just how many people will actually pony up the extra cash to feel "Superior" behind the wheel.

(Interior pic after the jump)

[Source: Ford Japan (translated)]

The 2006 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, which were heavily revised this year, have earned five-star crash ratings in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s front and side impact crash tests for drivers and passengers. Each SUV features a package of 10 standard safety features from Ford, seven that are all new to the mid-size SUV class. (See after the jump for a list of all ten)

Many comments left on our current Autoblog Garage reviews (here and here) of the 2006 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4X4 focus on the SUVs dated looks compared with its competitors. We agree that the exterior redesign leaves a lot to be desired, like a modern and attractive appearance, but more and more we’re convinced the Explorer is the mid-size, body-on-frame SUV to beat when looks aren’t factored in.

[Source: Ford]

One great thing about the way we review vehicles is that we get to read all of your comments and address some of them in the second and third parts of our reviews. Russell left a particularly enlightening comment in our first post on the 2006 Ford Explorer that sums up many of our feelings on the 2006 Explorer: “As the number of different models in the market continues to proliferate, vehicles like the jack of all trades Explorer become more focused; in this case, on the powerful psuedo luxurious tow/haul niche. It'll never sell in the volumes it used to and I think that's in large part by Ford's own choosing.”

We couldn’t have said that better ourselves, and as evidence we’d like to present the Explorer’s new interior. It’s more luxurious, more soft-to-the-touch and features more amenities that any of its forbearers, which suggests to us that Ford has deliberately gone and driven its number one selling SUV upmarket.

"All dressed up and nowhere to go" might best describe the situation in which the 2006 Ford Explorer found itself when it appeared in showrooms last year. The not-quite "all new" model had donned a new sheetmetal suit to attract suitors, and underneath the skin it received upgrades that improved the power, fuel economy and refinement of this SUV all-star.

Despite critics heaping praise on the new Explorer, it's being stood up by consumers. Though Ford had hoped the 2006 model would lift the SUV’s sagging sales in 2005, the year ended with 99,545 fewer Explorers sold than in 2004, a drop of 29.3 percent.

What happened? Why has this SUV archetype begun to fall out of favor with the very suburban clientele that made it a sales superstar? We’ll examine why in our three-part review of the 2006 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4X4, beginning after the jump.