Ford‘s Explorer Sport Track has always been a bit of an oddball. Overlooked by a fair number of consumers, it was every bit as capable as a Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tacoma, they never really sold – sales figures show that Ford moved 75% more Explorers than Sport Tracs.

The ones that did make it on to the streets were often festooned with ugly bodykits and chrome rims, leading us to believe the demise of this vehicle. With the 2011 Explorer switching to a unibody construction, any replacement for the Sport Trac (if there’s one at all) will likely resemble the Honda Ridgeline.

[Source: Autoblog]

Take a look at the Ford Territory SUV pictured above. It looks just like our now-dead North American market Ford Taurus X, right? Underneath, the two cars couldn’t be different. The Taurus X is based on the last generation Taurus, a heavy, lumbering, underpowered behemoth, while the Territory is based on the rear-drive Falcon, and is available with an Inline 6 turbo or a V8.

Naturally, the car was available overseas, manily in Australia but not offered to North Americans. Now it looks like our days of being shut out from choice product is over, as Ford’s Australian division has been tasked with developing a body-on-frame SUV based on the Ranger platform (which, coincidentally, has nothing to do with Ford North America’s venerable compact pickup), that will be sold in every market.

While Ford has previously allowed markets to have their own distinct product, a new strategy known as “One Ford” will mean that vehicles must be developed for the global market and a single variant will be sold across the world. This has some distinct benefits for North America, as it means cars like the Focus will be the same as the highly praised European variants, but it spells doom for Australia, where their beloved Falcon rear-drive sedan is a hit, but does not make much profit.

That means that this new proper SUV will almost certainly come to the United States, and production in America has been mentioned as well. The fact that the head of this project is from Indiana (and also signed off on the 2011 Explorer) makes the case even stronger.

[Source: GoAuto]

Ford is keeping up their relentless web campaign to help promote the 2011 Explorer, and they’ve released three new videos to demonstrate what their new SUV crossover is capable of.

The three videos highlight the Ford Explorer’s Terrain Management System, Blind Spot Information System and the Trailer Control System. All three are pretty neat, although the Terrain Management System and the Blind Spot Information System are respectively, a gussied-up all-wheel drive system and an increasingly common technology respectively. The Trailer Control System is pretty cool, and considering that 30% of Explorer buyers tow, perhaps the most relevant.

[Source: Ford]

Hit the jump to see all three videos

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By now, everybody’s patience is wearing thin with Ford‘s Explorer marketing campaign, whereby the automaker is obnoxiously revealing slivers of the Explorer’s exterior and interior design. It’s one thing to build hype for a car, but it’s another to have people inclined to hate your product before it’s even been revealed.

Ford has added yet another layer of tedium by choosing to reveal the look of the new Explorer’s grille after the car’s fan page hit 30,000 fans on Facebook. We hope predict that by the time Ford actually reveals the Explorer next week, the fatigue from the constant stream of teasers  that nobody will actually report on the car.

[Source: Ford]

Ford’s endless trickle of 2012 Ford Explorer teaser shots will mercifully come to an end next Thursday, when Ford unviels their new crossover in Midtown Manhattan, with spokesman Mike Rowe MC’ing the event.

The choice of venue for Ford’s event is somewhat telling, considering that the Explorer is being marketed as a crossover more adept at navigating city streets than rough terrain. Ford has stressed the “lifestyle” aspect in their teaser shots, with pictures of yuppie couples engaging in “outdoor” activity, but with very little off-roading prowess shown.

[Source: Ford]

Ford‘s new Curve Control system is arguably a bigger competitive advantage for the 2012 Explorer than the crossover’s new sheet metal, but for some reason, the Blue Oval was happy to demonstrate their new technology while covering the exterior of the car in black material.

Essentially, Curve Control is an extra layer of protection on top of the vehicle’s stability control system. While there’s no new hardware involved with the system, new algorithms were developed to help detect if a driver was trying to negotiate a large radius turn (such as an on-ramp) at too high speeds. Curve Control can apply the brakes with 5 times more power and speed than standard stability control systems, giving it the ability to slow the car by 10mph in less than a second. With a big, heavy SUV and a winding on ramp, that could be the difference between life and death. Ford estimates that 50,000 accidents occur per year due to driving too fast through a curve, and the Curve Control system could become a pioneering bit of safety equipment if it actually meets Ford’s claims.

On the other hand, systems like this (and the upcoming Continental Steer Assist)the onus should be on the driver to drive at a responsible speed through a turn, especially in a big, unresponsive SUV, and most importantly, on public roads.

[Source: Autoblog]

In an all-new approach to vehicle launching, Ford is choosing to reveal their hotly anticipated Explorer on Facebook, rather than at a traditional public launch. Ford has already shown a few teaser shots of the car on the popular social networking site, but nothing substantial has been leaked- expect a full reveal next month.

Unveiling a car on a social networking site is a new direction for a vehicle launch, but Ford has already used social media tools to help build buzz for new products. The Fiesta Movement, an online social media campaign designed to build buzz for their new subcompact, was launched over a year in advance of the vehicle’s on-sale date, and was wildly successful among young buyers who were previously unaware of Ford products.

With the move to a car-based Explorer possibly alienating longtime fans of the truck-based SUV, perhaps Ford is hoping to go after  a new segment that wants a less rugged, more “lifestyle” oriented SUV.

[Source: USA Today]

Ford continues to let bits and pieces of the 2012 Explorer’s design trickle out, and the latest photo shoot (which made its debut on Ford’s Facebook page) takes place in the snowy woods, with a a few details visible. Notably, the A-Pillar of the car is blacked out, which gives less visual heft (and is a trick used on bulkier sports cars, like the Nissan GTR). Other visible design cues, like the headlights and rear-view mirrors, are chock full of the latest Ford design elements.

The Explorer is switching a car-based platform for 2012, a move that has many observers and loyal customers up in arms. Ford’s been on a hot streak with their latest products (the Fiesta, Mustang and Edge have been winning rave reviews) but the Explorer is their bread and butter, and any mishap during the launch could be a blow to the automaker’s resurgence.

GALLERY: 2012 Ford Explorer Teaser

No confirmation has been given, but there’s a very good chance that this rendering is the finalized design of the 2012 Ford Explorer, one of Ford’s most hotly anticipated products. The new Explorer marks the first time that Ford’s mainstay SUV switches to a car-based, front wheel drive platform, a move that has caused some controversy with off-road enthusiasts.

The styling mixes some Ford cues with a very slab-sided, almost Land Rover-esque styling. Power is expected to come from a pair of Ecoboost engines through front or all-wheel drive systems. A terrain management system, also similar to the one employed by Land Rover, will also make its debut.

UPDATE: Looks like the rendering was actually done by Australian artist Joshua Byrnes.

[Source: Autoblog]

The trickle of informations surrounding Ford‘s next Explorer has been slow, but the Blue Oval released yet another teaser in the form of a portrait of the new car’s chief engineer posing with the new model. Jim Holland, formerly responsible for the 2002 Range Rover, gave an interview with the Detroit Free Press where he refuted claims that the switch to a crossover format would diminish the current truck-based Explorer’s towing capacity and off-road capability.

Holland talks about the similarities between the Range Rover, which also moved to a car platform despite decades of being truck-based. Holland said that the styling of the two cars will be similar, and that the Explorer will also have a terrain-management system, including a Hill Descent Control system similar to the Range Rover.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Ford is sticking by its slow-selling Flex crossover despite the distinctive box-on-wheels failing to meet its sales targets, and a host of internal competition in the form of a re-designed Ford Edge and an all-new Ford Explorer.

The Flex was marketed as a family-hauler after Ford killed its Freestar minivan in 2006. However Ford is launching an all-new Explorer SUV that will move from a truck platform to a car based unit. Ford is hoping to cast a wider net with the new Explorer, attracting buyers who want a more traditional vehicle and would normally consider a minivan or large SUV.

Sales of the Flex are up by nearly 15% this quarter, but they lag behind General Motors own competitiors, as well as the current Explorer, which is up over 41%. While the Flex has been praised for its good driving dynamics and powerful twin-turbo V6 engine, the slab-sided styling has polarized consumers into “love it” and “hate it” camps.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Jeep‘s 2011 Grand Cherokee is one of the most important products for what is arguably Chrysler’s strongest brand. The new 2011 model represents a move upscale for the Grand Cherokee, but the base price will rise  to $32,995, a fair bit more expensive than its main rivals, the Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Traverse, which start at $29,280 and $29,224 respectively.

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is hoping that the Grand Cherokee, with its upscale styling and luxury features like full-length sunroof and integrated wi-fi, will spearhead his goal of selling 800,000 Jeep vehicles worldwide by 2014. A refreshed Wrangler, Jeep’s best-selling vehicle, is expected to follow in late 2011.

[Source: MLive]

The 2012 Ford Explorer was shown to dealers at a meeting Tuesday, but confusion over the launch date of the vehicle put a damper on  the buzz surrounding the pivotal Ford product.

The Explorer is a popular vehicle for Ford, but the new generation will change from a traditional truck-based SUV to a car-based crossover. Rather than the usual six and eight cylinder options, the new Explorer will use a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder Ecoboost engine with a six-cylinder option. It will also get a Terrain Management System, with a simple console mounted knob with clearly marked driving modes for normal, mud, sand or snow. Every mode will also be compatible with a new hill-decent feature, to navigate steep grades. Rather than use a traditional transfer case, Ford will use more advanced electronics to send power to each wheel.

Dealers likened the Explorer to a larger version of the Ford Edge, which would indicate a radical departure from the current Explorer. Sales of the current model are up 41% through April.

[Source: Automotive News]

The four-wheel-drive Ford Explorer topped the list of clunkers traded in under the Car Allowance Rebate System.

Ford vehicles appeared five times on the Cash for Clunkers top ten trade-in vehicles list released by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The four-wheel-drive Explorer was number one with the two-wheel-drive version at number four.

The Ford F150 also appeared twice on the list, with the 2WD pickup at number two and the 4WD F-150 at number nine.

Chrysler vehicles appeared on the list three times, thanks to the Jeep Grand Cherokee (#3), Jeep Cherokee (#6) and the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan (#5).

A pair of Chevys filled out the top ten with the Blazer at seven followed by the 1500 pickup at eight.

According to the DOT, 84% of trade-ins were trucks. The clunkers traded in under the program had an average fuel economy of 15.8 mpg compared to the 24.9 mpg average for new vehicles purchased.

[Source: DOT]