New Explorer

[86_cookiemonster]

What a joke, the thing looks like a minivan and is built on a car platform, does anyone else think that is as pathetic as my spelling?

I honestly hope they kill the ranger, because if they bring it back like they did the explorer I won't be able to drive mine anymore because i wouldn't be able to stand being linked to the kind of people who buy a front wheel drive car with a bed.

 

[kemo]

you can thank the city folk and yuppies for the continuation of the unibody trend. unibody CUV's and the unibody SUV's seems to be the ugly future. Compact "trucks" are heading that way too.

 

[fx2prerunner]

looks like a nissan to me

 

[kemo]

That's a "concept" exploder.

Supposedly THIS is the spied 2011 Exploder...

Other sites claim it's a Flex... either way, barf... although... if it's a Flex, it's better than the previous!

 

[blh0007]

I bet the head designer of that is either gay or he was held at gun point and was forced to be gay. it looks like pure shat ford!

 

[nitrofan1]

That's a "concept" exploder.

Supposedly THIS is the spied 2011 Exploder...

Other sites claim it's a Flex... either way, barf... although... if it's a Flex, it's better than the previous!

Actually that is the "Test Bed" vehicle. Notice the Freestyle ass and the Flex nose? The Exploder will be a uni-body but it will have it's own identity.

 

[Burls]

you can thank the city folk and yuppies for the continuation of the unibody trend. unibody CUV's and the unibody SUV's seems to be the ugly future. Compact "trucks" are heading that way too.

No you can thank high oil prices & government gas mileage requirements for the mini van stance and unibody.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Car companies build what will sell, and a rough riding offroad savvy 1960's Bronco that is happy to get over 10mpg wouldn't sell well enough to pay the light bill.

I think it is great, they haven't had one that worth anything offroad for 16yrs and they still sold like hotcakes until gas went nuts. If they fix that snag they should have a show stopper once again.

Supposed to be 20% better milage for the normal Ex, my parents '02 just got 20mpg on a trip to Minnesota last week end, the old '94 wouldn't get that rolling down a cliff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/26/2011-ford-explorer-reveal_n_658999.html

 

[jasonl]

The real problem I have with the new Explorer's uni body design is that during the unveil on Facebook one of the engineers was bragging that they shaved 100lbs off as compared to the outgoing explorer... Really? You want to reinvent the wheel to save 100lbs? I mean if this thing was 500-1000lbs lighter I would say no brainer and accept it. But they gave up over 2,000lbs of towing capacity ,ground clearance and even made it look more car than truck to save 100lbs ? I think what Ford has done is create the perfect vehicle to compete with it's own crowded line up of crossovers. I mean the Grand Cherokee is bad ass and it is uni body, but it is still a real off road worthy vehicle that doesn't look like the CUV craze. If Ford simply went to some alloys in places on the current rig they could have shaved more weight than 100lbs. The EcoBoost could have been an upgrade to the current V-6 in power and MPG and have the 3.5V6 and keep the V-8 as a option to the 10% or whatever that wanted them. All most people wanted out of any real SUV was better MPG....... I love Fords, but I would take the new GC over this grocery getter if/when we buy a new "SUV"

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

There is already a lot of alloy in the current car. Quite a bit of the suspension, tranny, t-case, both differential cases, and the heads on the 4.6 are aluminum.

Chrysler has a distict pattern of going where the money ISN'T. If I was building cars they would be the last guys I would cheat off of. Besides that, it looks just as CUVish as the new EX... doesn't look any taller either for the neglegable number of new car buyers that will actually offroad a new 4dr SUV.

 

[jasonl]

The Jeep actually has an air shock 4x4 system that can raise ground clearance like 4.1" for off roading and lowers it like 2" from normal ride hieight for parking to make it easier to get in and out of. The one pictured might be in "park" mode? My point was why not leave the Explorer alone and refine the drivetrain for the fuel economy numbers? Obviously 100lbs isn't where they got the fuel economy from...lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It also probably handles, rides and all around drives better than the outgoing model as well. Not to mention safer.

Not being shaped like a huge pile of bricks would help too.

Only the fanciest Grand Cherokee's get the air suspension, so it isn't a really going to be a super common option anyway... and I doubt many that pony up for it will actually really offroad it anyway.

http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/grandcherokee/2011/review.html

 

[kemo]

Odd that they (ford) want more money for the 4 cylinder even though it IS turbocharged... yet produces less ponies and torque.

 

[SnC RangeR]

kill it! kill it with fire!

 

[jasonl]

It also probably handles, rides and all around drives better than the outgoing model as well. Not to mention safer.

Not being shaped like a huge pile of bricks would help too.

Only the fanciest Grand Cherokee's get the air suspension, so it isn't a really going to be a super common option anyway... and I doubt many that pony up for it will actually really offroad it anyway.

http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/grandcherokee/2011/review.html

Still, comparing apples to apples, the GC in Laredo 4x4 trim (which will be a large majority) has 8.6" running ground clearance vs 7.6" for the new EX, approach angle 26.3 vs 21.7 depart angle 26.5 vs 21.4 etc..... The GC will go places the EX would cry and rip the undercarriage off. You're right probably 75% of the owners will never be affected by the fact that the Jeep would be a superior and/or legitimate vehicle to take on some soft core off road excursion cmpared to the EX. For the rest of us though the new EX is a joke. They could have left the chassis alone, handling and ride are not where the complaints came from. It was MPG. They could have gave it a face lift and 25MPG and maintained all of it's capabilities, but they didn't. We'll see how it plays out for Ford. I bleed Blue oval Blue, I am just disappointed in this new grocery store parking lot "Explorer".......