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Most Expensive 2011 Ford Explorer: $50,710

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:01:12 +0000

After having trouble getting the 2011 Ford Explorer Build & Price site to work this afternoon, I was finally able to get a “maxed-out” price for the V6 model, which is the only one configurable right now. The grand total is $50,710, which includes the Platinum White Tri-Coat paint and every available option. This figure also includes the $805 destination charge for Ford to deliver your new ride to your dealer.

by John Suit

Source: Ford Build & Price

2011 Ford Explorer configuration site gives away pricing

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:55 +0000

The cat’s out of the bag, and most of the prices for the new 2011 Ford Explorer are available. Base price for the V6 model is $28,190, plus an additional $800 delivery charge. Ford has also released the configuration utility, called Build & Price, for the 2011 Explorer. As of now, it’s limited to V6 models only, so no word yet on the turbo 4-cylinder prices. Click here to configure your own. While prices start at $28,190 for a front wheel drive base model, the top trim level Limited starts at $37,190, $39,190 with 4WD. Add up all the options, and you’re talking high-$40,000s – well into Lincoln territory. Does this mean that Lincoln’s crossovers will have to move up in price as well?

UPDATE: Click here for a picture of the configuration utility showing the most expensive 2011 V6 Explorer!

by John Suit

Source: Ford

Preview: 2011 Ford Explorer

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:44:59 +0000

This week, Ford announced a whole lot of details about the upcoming 2011 Explorer SUV, including photos, technology and capability. They spent a lot of time talking about fuel efficiency and high technology, which I’ll go into after the break, followed by a high-resolution image gallery.

There are several technologies which Ford added to its newest Explorer design, in order to keep its current SUV customers happy, while stealing away buyers from its competitors. The highlights of this laundry list are the following:

Efficiency:

Aerodynamics: The design for the new Explorer was optimized in a wind tunnel to produce the least amount of drag, one of the biggest problems with large SUVs trying to gain fuel efficiency.
EcoBoost Engine: Ford’s name for its powerful but efficient engines, which all employ Direct Injection and Turbocharging, boosting fuel efficiency and power, respectively. Also, at cruising speeds, the turbocharger isn’t needed, which also boosts efficiency.
Lighter Vehicle Weight: By using aluminum and high-strength steels, engineers were able to remove about 100 pounds of weight, compared to the 2010 Explorer.
Low Rolling Resistance Tires: Special rubber in the tires lessens the waste heat generated when a car is moving. These tires are usually standard equipment on hybrid vehicles.
New Air Conditioner: A “variable displacement” air conditioner, which works more like the engine in a car, in that it only produces as much energy as is needed. This is used again to boost fuel efficiency without sacrificing power.

Overall, Ford is expecting its V6 Explorer to have a 20% increase over 2010 models, and the EcoBoost 4-cylinder should be closer to 30% more efficient. This should lead to 18/26 city/highway mileage numbers for the turbo 4-cylinder, and probably 16/23 city/highway for the V6 model.

Safety:

RSC, or Roll Stability Control, helps keep the Explorer from rolling over, while Curve Control keeps the vehicle moving in the intended direction.
BLIS and Cross Traffic Alert help in lane changes and parking lots, respectively. Adaptive Cruise Control helps keep your distance while on the highway.

The new Explorer will employ all of Ford’s standard safety features, as well as the latest and greatest innovations, the highlights of which are listed above. This should lead to a pretty safe SUV.

Quiet:

Using their NoiseVision technology, Ford’s engineers found the “hot spots” where noises are generated as wind flows around the vehicle, and engineered these noises out during the design phase. This leads to a much quieter ride that requires less sound deadening materials.

Other:

Unit-body Construction: The new Explorer rides on a platform similar to that of the Ford Flex, Taurus, as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT. This means it will have a more car-like ride to it, but retain all the ruggedness of its predecessors.
Intelligent 4WD: Ford has equipped the new Explorer with an intelligent 4WD system, capable of handling most types of off-road terrain via a driver-selectable knob.
Towing: The new Explorer, when equipped with a V6 engine, will be able to tow up to 5,000 pounds, and a rear-mounted camera with zoom capability will aid drivers in hooking up their toys.

While it may have a car-like ride on-road, and be based on car and crossover DNA, the new Explorer should be no slouch when the going gets tough.

Summary:

Beyond all the aforementioned improvements and features, Ford will of course be offering its MyFord Touch system, as well as an audiophile-grade sound system by Sony. Also, a lot of you are probably wondering why Ford even bothers, as the new Explorer closely resembles one of the myriad of crossovers they are already producing. The answer to that question lies in the intelligent 4WD system, not found on any Ford crossover. It allows drivers to go places crossovers simply can’t – namely mud, sand and deeper snow.

When the new Explorer goes on sale, which should be sometime later this year, I think it might actually cannibalize some of Ford’s crossover sales, especially the Edge, and if it’s as quiet and luxurious as their PR department says it is, look for the already fairly slow-selling Lincoln MKX and MKT crossovers to take a hit as well. With any luck, Ford is already designing a Lincoln-ized version of the new Explorer, which should include Bridge of Weir leather, nicer interior materials, its own bodywork, and some of the other touches that differentiate Lincoln vehicles from their Ford brethren.

Image Gallery:

by John Suit

Source: Ford

Surprise! Hybrid Lincoln MKZ Price matches Gas version

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:00:09 +0000

Ford dropped a bomb on the hybrid car market earlier this year with the introduction of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Just to enlarge the size of the crater, they’ve announced that its base MSRP will be the same as the gasoline version of the MKZ, at $35,180. While not an insubstantial amount of money, it’s the first time a hybrid variant of a car hasn’t carried with it a multi-thousand dollar price hike.

2010 Lexus HS250h

Probably the MKZ Hybrid’s best competitor, the Lexus HS250h, the MKZ is exactly $80 more expensive, at least before adding any options. While the Lexus HS250h starts at $35,100, to get some of the more popular features the Lincoln has standard, you’re going to be looking at $37,870, plus a couple of options. Oh, and don’t forget the 6mpg advantage the MKZ Hybrid gets over the HS250h.

This move is one I see as a direct attack against Lexus by Lincoln. While Cadillac goes after BMW and Mercedes with sportier rides, Lincoln is aiming squarely at Lexus, with the quiet comfort of the MKS and now the hybrid version of its fairly popular MKZ model. Paired with Ford’s SYNC technology and its EcoGuide hybrid displays, the MKZ Hybrid looks hot, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one!

by John Suit

Source: Ford

2011 Ford F-150 to get 3 new engine choices

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:00:47 +0000

Automotive News is reporting that Ford will be giving buyers of its F-150 pickup truck 3 new engine choices for the 2011 model year. Those new choices include a 3.7-liter V6, which replaces the current base V8, a 5.0-liter V8, and an EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6. If any of those choices sound familiar, you’re right. The first two engines are found in the V6 and V8 2011 Mustang, respectively. The third one, the EcoBoost V6, is available in several Ford and Lincoln models.

While the two Mustang-sourced engines have already been used in a rear wheel drive setup, this will be the first time Ford’s EcoBoost V6 will do rear-drive duty. This cross-vehicle engine sharing allows Ford to build a lot more of each engine, dividing the several million dollars spent on development of each one.

3.7-Liter V6

The inclusion of the 3.7-liter V6 is a no-brainer, as it helps keep Ford on track for new CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements set to take effect in 2012 and 2016. It also helps the F-150 compete with the Chevrolet Silverado and RAM 1500, both of which offer V6 engines, while the F-150 has done without one since the close of the 2008 model year.

5.0-Liter V8

While all three engines should get superior fuel economy compared to the 2010 model, the EcoBoost V6 should be the most interesting. It is rumored that in the F-150, the EcoBoost will produce about 400 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque, both of which are crucial for truck sales. At the same time, it’s expected to get better mileage than its V8 brethren. While this high-tech V6 has the power, traditional truck buyers have it ingrained in their minds that V8 power equals better hauling, so it’ll be interesting to see how that all shapes up.

by John Suit

Source: Automotive News

2011 Lincoln MKX: EPA Certification

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:00:08 +0000

This week, the EPA gave Ford the results from its fuel economy tests on the new 2011 Lincoln MKX, and the numbers are great for a crossover of its size: 19/26 city/highway, with a combined 21 mpg. That’s for the front-wheel drive (FWD) model, so expect the all-wheel drive (AWD) model to get 17/24 city/highway, and 20 mpg combined.

The new numbers are up from the 2010 model’s 17/24 in front-wheel drive and 15/22 for all-wheel drive. Along with increased fuel economy is more power. The reason for these upticks? The new version of Ford’s 3.7-liter V6, one of the highlights of the 2011 Ford Mustang V6. The new version uses the latest in engine technology to deliver more power without sacrificing fuel economy. The 2011 MKX gets the same horsepower and torque figures as the new Mustang, at 305 horsepower and 280 torque.

The new fuel-sipping technologies include fuel shutoff, which stops the delivery of fuel to the engine when it’s not needed. Typical scenarios where the fuel shutoff is used is when the vehicle is coasting or the brakes are being applied. All together, the 2011 MKX will best its competitors in both power and fuel economy.

I’ve reported on the 2011 MKX before, click here for more pictures.

by John Suit

Source: Ford