2011 Explorer.

[firemannelson37]

Im not liking the 2011 Explorer at all, my wife was planning on buying a new one in 2 years, I dont think it will happen if it looks like that. http://www.ridelust.com/2011-ford-explorer-caught-wearing-ugly-car-coat/

 

[Cozmik]

Well, it looks better than the concept photos from 2008. However it looks like a big Flex with weird rear side windows. And to no longer be a body-on-frame truck, well thats just not cool. How many XUV's do really need to choose from??

 

[IZwack]

I'm almost certain that the production vehicle going to look different from that - that vehicle has a different front clip on it (from the Taurus-X) - which is quite common in the automotive world to stealthily road test a new vehicle.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Are we really going to do this again?

<sigh>

Ford is not going to pin hopes for a new Explorer by grafting a Flex front onto a Freestyle / Taurus X rear.

Why did they drive it? For this. So people talk about the Explorer. It's a mule. It's not what the new Ex will look like. Jeez...

 

[BrianDye]

That one looks much better than the other pictures ive seen, but still a horrible disaster.

 

[Jon04CTSV]

You guys don't get it... That's a mule. The 2011 Explorer is not going to look like that. They are testing the underpinnings of the 2011 Explorer using a Ford Flex & Freestyle body.

Let me say that again. That is not what the '11 will look like. They are testing the frame/chasis and other mechanical aspects. Just like Chevrolet has a couple Volt mules running around, but the bodies are Chevy Cruzes.

 

[BREN5.0]

Nasty i think i will stick with mine

 

[Threnners]

Despite that not being the finished product, I am still going to go out to the garage today and profess my undying love for my X.

 

[firemannelson37]

You guys don't get it... That's a mule. The 2011 Explorer is not going to look like that. They are testing the underpinnings of the 2011 Explorer using a Ford Flex & Freestyle body.

Let me say that again. That is not what the '11 will look like. They are testing the frame/chasis and other mechanical aspects. Just like Chevrolet has a couple Volt mules running around, but the bodies are Chevy Cruzes.

I figured it maybe somthing like that, but wasnt sure...

 

[GCDMD]

You guys don't get it... That's a mule. The 2011 Explorer is not going to look like that. They are testing the underpinnings of the 2011 Explorer using a Ford Flex & Freestyle body.

Let me say that again. That is not what the '11 will look like. They are testing the frame/chasis and other mechanical aspects. Just like Chevrolet has a couple Volt mules running around, but the bodies are Chevy Cruzes.

X2
This pic has been on the web for quite a while. While I am perturbed that the new explorer will be unibody, this car is definitely NOT the new explorer.
Have you guys all seen the new 4runner? The thing looks like a hybrid between a FJ cruiser and the current generation...yucko. I think the new SUVs are not going to have the same charm as they once did. It's a shame my 97 is giving me the death rattle, otherwise I wouldn't even consider swapping it out for a newer SUV.

 

[midiout]

It looks like a Escape with a bad gas problem, constipation, and overeating issues !!!!!!

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've moved this thread into the 2011 Explorer section. I saw that it was in the 2006-2010 section. Here's a picture from the link in the first post of this thread:

 

[IZwack]

This thread is pointless - its judging a book by its cover.

 

[BrooklynBay]

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If somebody would get it for half price or for free, would they complain, and say how ugly it is? A lot of the new vehicles coming out have this boxy look. It's the new style. Take a look at the Scion. The body style is similar to this. The front looks like the Land Rover, and the rear looks a little like a Mercedes SUV.

 

[IAmTodd]

2.0 Ecoboost with 270bhp is much better than anything offered in the expo right now. Gets my

 

[IZwack]

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If somebody would get it for half price or for free, would they complain, and say how ugly it is? A lot of the new vehicles coming out have this boxy look. It's the new style. Take a look at the Scion. The body style is similar to this. The front looks like the Land Rover, and the rear looks a little like a Mercedes SUV.

That's the problem with "style" - its always changing. Today its boxy, tomorrow its round. The 1st gen was boxy, the 2nd wasnt, the third was boxy and soon it'll be back to round.

I'm a bit more utilitarian myself and I'd like to see:

• vehicles w/o integrated bumpers (that dont blend in with the shape of the rest of the body)
• stop putting fog lights on vehicles, they are useless (especially in fogs) and are expensive to repair/replace.
• it seems to be a trend in trucks to have a big grille (like the 2011 super duty, thread here). Its overwhelming, pushes the hood up (which limits visibility) and makes the front look stupid.
• solid rear axle? hello where did you go?
• if its a truck and it has plenty of room (length wise), why not make it easy to service? maybe a divorced transmission and a divorced transfer case so its easier to drop and replace? This would also even out the drive train weight between the two axles.

 

[BrooklynBay]

It's like the song "everything old is new again". Take a look at the PT Cruiser. It was similar to the old cars. The new VW Beetle kept some of the original style too. They sometimes have to take a step back before they could go forward again. We need "fresh" ideas to wake up the auto industry. They should let kids with imagination draw some sketches in art class, and submit them to the auto industry.

 

[holter95]

Chill out everyone. It's just a test mule - built only to package together the major bits (chassis, powertrain, floorpan, etc.). And no, they don't do it to get a media kick... it's an engineering prove-out. The styling will be radically different from what you see here.

They commonly cobble mules together out of "donor" cars that happen to be on the same platform (in this case, it appears the Explorer will be a D3). For instance - the first mules of the Fusion were Mazda6s with big fender flares (wider track) and popping headlights (to fit different underhood components like a repositioned battery and intake duct).

What they're trying to do here is confirm things work: suspension hard points, clearances, underhood packaging, engine cooling, etc. Look at the interior - it's a Taurus X with a Mustang wheel. Not a snowball's chance in hell it will make it to production.

The biggest "tell" that this leads to is the fact that it's unibody. Judging by the ride height and wheel size, it will be more aggressive suspension than the Flex/TX.

or... exactly what Jon04CTSV said :

 

[Rick]

More 2011 Explorer Test Mule Photos

http://jalopnik.com/5074977/the-car+based-ford-explorer-test-mule-up-close-and-personal

Sure can't get excited about this... Looks like a station wagon

 

[Jon04CTSV]

Here are spy shots of it with the actual 2011 body.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/13/spy-shots-unibody-2011-ford-explorer-cometh/