Ford Explorer Pre-Orders Exceed Expectations as Utility Vehicle Segment Takes Off
Long before it has hit dealers, or even been driven by the automotive press, Ford‘s new 2011 Explorer is already shaping up to be a success for the Blue Oval.
Ford has revealed that it currently has 15,000 pre-orders for the new crossover, with 3,000 retail orders, 7,500 orders from dealers and 4,500 from companies. Again, 15,000 units might not sound like much, but it exceeds initial orders for the Taurus and the much-hyped Fiesta – and Ford won’t even begin marketing the new car-based Explorer until January.
Better yet, Ford looks to cash-in on the Explorer with half of all pre-orders being for the top-trim Limited model, priced at $40,000. On top of that, two-thirds are opting for 4WD, half are adding in Navigation and a full 87 percent are ordering their new 2011 Explorer with Ford’s MyFord Touch infotainment system.
The Explorer’s name is certainly helping it gain initial sales, while the fact that a new Explorer is long overdue has led to a strong demand by current owners in need of a replacement vehicle.
Ford’s launch of the new Explorer couldn’t come at a better time either, with a resurgence of interest in the large SUV/crossover segment that has seen a full 25 percent growth in the segment in the third quarter, and the utility vehicle segment now representing one-third of all vehicle sales in the U.S.
GALLERY: 2011 Ford Explorer
[Source: The Detroit News]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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