Detroit, 5:24 PM
Mon Dec 7
27 posts in the last 24 hours
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2011 Ford Explorer Showing Off Next-Gen Body |
2011 Ford Explorer To Be Built In Chicago, Taurus X-Based? |
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Jalopnik 
10/13/09
How will people distinguish between all their offerings that are so similar?
IMO they should have kept it truck based BoF or killed it, and not cannibalized their own sales.
10/13/09
I think putting the Explorer on a car platform is a supreme mistake. They've already got two car platform based SUVs, why not leave one based on a truck platform for those people who want a sturdier undercarriage and plan to really use the U part of their SUV?!
10/13/09
10/13/09
"so we think we should revive a model that made ford great in this turnaround we're having"
"great idea, but which model?"
"something that was respected and fun to drive, but something the kids will like."
"what do the kids like nowadays?"
"hey, I got it, the Thunderbird!"
"I think we need a car the public will view as responsible, now we've really got to think here. What else can we make?
"An SUV!!!"
...just great.
10/13/09
10/13/09
/dream
10/13/09
A new FS Bronco would be awesome. A new Bronco II would be depressing.
10/13/09
03/30/09
So, the Ranger will continue on, as it is a cash cow. This new Explorer most likely will NOT look like this, similar, maybe.
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
I thought I was the only oddball in the thread that like the Flex.
03/30/09
Leave Flex/Edge/Escape to cover soft roaders.
Flex and this Explorer will be the exact same thing, with different styling. There will continue to be a need for towing with a SUV, and not everyone wants an Expedition sized vehicle for that.
03/30/09
The Expedition is quite large, but the current Explorer is managable to park, can tow a good load, is decent on fuel and actually kinda hauls ass with the 3-valve 4.6
I guess its just kinda caught in the middle.
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
Don't get me wrong, I think that making the Explorer car-based is probably a smart move business-wise, I lament the death of the truck-based SUV. I had an '02 Explorer (1st year of the latest body style) and I loved it.
Oh well, I told my wife I want an M5 Touring as my next car.
03/30/09
You will not be the last person in Detroit if you buy a god damned M5 (I believe you have the goal of last person here). You would be hung before then.
03/30/09
Ah...Detroit.
Kind of like the Civil War south, except with UAW execution squads instead of KKK lynch mobs.
03/30/09
I did ask my father-in-law a while back if I could park in his driveway if I get anything other than a Ford. He said, "Sure, if you give me your Mustang."
In all reality, especially since the M5 Touring is not sold in the US (bastards!), I will have to go further down the list:
*Taurus SHO
*M3 Sedan
*3 Series
*Fiesta (4-door)
*Jetta TDI Wagon
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
/Looks at empty bowl;ducks
03/30/09
03/30/09
How about the cannibalization issue? Escape/Flex/Edge...
03/30/09
Ahem
Escape
Taurus X
Edge
Flex
new Exploder?
03/30/09
The Flex is a big enough vehicle that it can be effectively marketed to a different audience.
The Escape would be the one I would buy if I had to, considering it has most of the usable space of a current Explorer in smaller, cheaper, slightly more fuel efficient package.
The Explorer/Edge thing, though, leaves them in a tough spot. They are now both going to be midsize crossovers marketed right next to each other? I hope not. One would think they had learned the mistake of marketing the Freestyle/Taurus X and the Edge next to each other.
I think they ought to let the Explorer name die, and continue to develop the platform for use on the next Edge and MKX.
03/30/09
Second only to Mustang, Explorer is the most valuable sub-brand Ford has probably ever had. So between the two, I think Edge should disappear in favor of a mix of the two vehicles (named Explorer).
03/30/09
My thought was that the fact that you still see the "Exploder" jokes around was indicative of the fact that the Explorer name still has quite a bit of negative connotation attached to it, while the Edge name, though not as historic, is new, has been generally well-accepted, and does not have any major blemishes on it.
But I do agree that the Explorer is a valuable name plate, and truth be told, I don't care what they name it, as long as they do wind up merging them and not selling two competing products in the same niche.
03/30/09
Edge and Escape are really who are the same now.
Both are 2 row CUV's.
Flex and Explorer will now also be the same, 3 row CUV's.
I've never understood all of this. My thoughts are that maybe distinctly different styling appeals to different markets, so it is similar to sharing a platform across badges, but with the same badge.
03/30/09
I'm more concerned about the ever-growing Escape and the nouveau Edge--which, as I stated above, I feel should be "merged" with Explorer. Offer an optional third-row and call it done (which is what Explorer already does, unless row 3 is now standard).
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
i live in Boston.
they do like their Explorers around here... but no Flexeses.
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
03/30/09
The dealer up in Hillsborough (adds that to spellchecker) (adds "spellchecker" to spellchecker) has/had two of 'em - one light blue, one cranberry, both with white roofs. I quite like 'em, but they're bigger than what I'd want.