New Explorer "Crucial" to Ford

[thaywood]

Really? Those look like police cars to me. That Wichita car- that's all the department had when I lived there. Please enlighten us as to what a "real" police car is. Could one of those "fake" FWD police cars pull you over and could the "fake" policeman driving it issue you a "real" ticket? Sounds like a "real" police car to me.

And FYI, the cops I know, hate when they get assigned to the department's P71 (Crown Vic) cruiser. They'd much rather be in the Tahoe cruisers.

Let's see, REAR-WHEL-DRIVE, a V-8 engine, proper upper and lower control arm suspension (no frakkin' cheap-a$$ McPherson struts), a strong chassis (not necessarily a perimeter frame, just a good, strong platform), oh did I mention REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE??? And which one is going to end up in the shop more often, the wrong-wheel-drive fake or the real RWD cop car? FWD drivetrains and suspension systems weren't designed for the kind of real world torture that real police cars face every day. And I regularly drive a police-spec Impala like the ones pictured and it's a POS. It's a bad design and it's been in the shop several times since it was acquired. I hate driving it. It's a priveledge to drive the Crown Vic on the rare occasion I get to.

 

[Turdle]

Well, hmm
In my limited experience modifying things, I have learned you cannot "improve" one thing without "degrading" another. For each step forward there is an equal step back.

In other words, there is no clear line to say "FWD is better than RWD" because each will outshine the other, given the right circumstances.

All this talk of cop cars and drifting has gotten this thread way off topic. The explorer has been made for 20 years now, I have never seen one "drifted" , and very very few get "raced".

Besides, the new explorer will smoke most of ya in a 1/4 mile race anyway, even if you have a v8 with headers and mods :

 

[unclemeat]

Rear wheel drive is superior to front wheel drive for any racing application. If a FWD beats a RWD it is simply because of a better driver or better set up. It is simple physics. That is why all the high dollar race cars are RWD.

I think that we are comparing apples to oranges here. I am sure that the 11 X is an awesome car. But it is not a truck. It does not even have a transfer case. I am sorry to say that pushing a button will not give you experience and ability to offroad, that is all about experince. The old Explorers are trucks. No car can do what a truck does and no truck can do what a car does. I believe that Ford using the nameplate Explorer is wrong. They should have made up a new name, perhaps "nuterexplorer" or maybe "noballx". They used the name Explorer because they want to create an image of a tough, versitle utility vehicle, which is clearly is not compared to the 1st and 2nd gen X. Ford owns the name Explorer, but they did not buy them, modify them or defend them in circles that said they were lame. WE DID! Now Ford has decided to use our endorsement, and I am unhappy and violated.

 

[2TimingTom]

Rear wheel drive is superior to front wheel drive for any racing application. If a FWD beats a RWD it is simply because of a better driver or better set up. It is simple physics. That is why all the high dollar race cars are RWD.

Actually, rules/regulation dictate RWD in NASCAR, F1, etc..... If the rules would allow for it, you'd see AWD F1 cars. I doubt NASCAR would go AWD because you don't need the extra accelerating grip to go straight...... with a slight left turn.... yawn...... If an F1 car could push AND pull itself out of a corner, they would be all over it. But the sporting regulations dictate that the cars are rear engine, RWD.

I think that we are comparing apples to oranges here. I am sure that the 11 X is an awesome car. But it is not a truck.

I know lots of people who take issue with calling any Explorer a "truck".

I don't listen to much country music, but when I do, I'm pretty sure the trucks they are singing about, aren't station-wagon-on-frame-SUVs.

 

[tmike]

Let's see, REAR-WHEL-DRIVE, a V-8 engine, proper upper and lower control arm suspension (no frakkin' cheap-a$$ McPherson struts), a strong chassis (not necessarily a perimeter frame, just a good, strong platform), oh did I mention REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE??? And which one is going to end up in the shop more often, the wrong-wheel-drive fake or the real RWD cop car? FWD drivetrains and suspension systems weren't designed for the kind of real world torture that real police cars face every day. And I regularly drive a police-spec Impala like the ones pictured and it's a POS. It's a bad design and it's been in the shop several times since it was acquired. I hate driving it. It's a priveledge to drive the Crown Vic on the rare occasion I get to.

You my friend NEED to look at the FRONT END of the '79-93 FORD's FOX body platform. They ALL have McPherson stuts. Go drive a NEW VW- whether it be the Golf, Jetta or Passat. There is No torque steer. Electronic assist takes it away. If the Crown Vic's ARE SO superior, then why is Ford doing away with the ancient platform? You and the old folks must be the only ones that enjoy driving it!

The Explorer is No TRUCk! That would be saying the Suburban and the Expedition are a Silverado 1500 and a F150, I think NOT. All they are and have always been are a GLORIFIED Stationwagon!

 

[gmanpaint]

If the Crown Vic's ARE SO superior, then why is Ford doing away with the ancient platform?

Bad economy, Government budget cuts, loss of tax dollars, and doing what it takes to keep themselves in the municipal market of local governing bodies. Wants and needs have replaced function, and demands, settling for inferior/lessor quality products is the norm when your starving. (Steak vs hot dog) Sad, but it beats no sales. Why do you think Wal-Mart is so filthy rich? Standards get lowered when you have a cheaper option. Simple economics at work.

The Explorer is No TRUCk! That would be saying the Suburban and the Expedition are a Silverado 1500 and a F150, I think NOT. All they are and have always been are a GLORIFIED Stationwagon!

This is really an emotional statement, and applaud your enthusiasm. But...You do know what RBV stands for, correct? Are you saying an RBV (original Ex platform) is a car? A pick up bed that hauls large items is not what classifies a truck in my opinion, it's whats underneath it that solidifies its classification.

Truck frame, chassis, suspension is built for heavy loads and pulling power, regardless of the amount of HP. Low end Torque and gear reduction is the name of the game here. Beating one to the finish line was never an intention for common truck purposes. There are small groups of trucks that fall out of that category, such as the Ford Lightning, SVT, or Saleen EX.

A car chassis, and suspension is not made for heavy weight or for anything a truck can do. Put a 1st & 2nd gen EX (3rd gen is close) against the other EX years side by side, and do a suspension load weight, & towing tests. What do you think will happen? Which type of suspension will come out on top for those tests? Not a truck?

Will the heavier full frame chassis EX win on road handling properties, compared to the car chassis? Never. Car wins every time. We get that. Thats great. Pure physics at work.

It's all a personal preference and choice, when it boils down to it.

Battling over whats better, is comparing apples to oranges when it comes to trucks and cars. Drive your big cars, and we will drive our little trucks....Simple.

Truce?

 

[Turdle]

The explorer never has been considered a truck for registration purposes. It has always been a car.

 

[gmanpaint]

The explorer never has been considered a truck for registration purposes. It has always been a car.

When you navigate for parts, do you look under "Truck" ?

 

[cybergasm]

The explorer never has been considered a truck for registration purposes. It has always been a car.

In Cali it is called a Multi Purpose Vehicle

 

[Turdle]

When you navigate for parts, do you look under "Truck" ?

Who ya gonna believe? The governement or Orielly's?

 

[thaywood]

You my friend NEED to look at the FRONT END of the '79-93 FORD's FOX body platform. They ALL have McPherson stuts.

I know. I've owned several Fox platform Mustangs and Thunderbirds. That doesn't mean I have to like the front suspensions.

Go drive a NEW VW- whether it be the Golf, Jetta or Passat. There is No torque steer. Electronic assist takes it away.

I doubt that. Every FWD car has torque steer. It's an inherent trait. However, I'll go to a VW stealership some day and try it. Personall, I haven't driven very many wrong-wheel-drive cars because I hate them. But every single one I've ever driven has torque steer. It's a standard feature on FWD cars, especially if they have any power.

If the Crown Vic's ARE SO superior, then why is Ford doing away with the ancient platform? You and the old folks must be the only ones that enjoy driving it!

Because, unfortunately, the Panther platform is a dinosaur. And instead of replacing it with a world class RWD, V-8 powered successor, Ford chose to replace it with the Tar-Ass. Because Ford thinks that's what everybody wants. They apparently don't read car magazines. And yes, I thoroughly enjoy the Panther platform in all its incarnations. I've had several Town Cars and I loved them dearly. The new police spec Vickies kick ass. Especially when handling and durability are compared against their inferior FWD competitors.

The Explorer is No TRUCk! That would be saying the Suburban and the Expedition are a Silverado 1500 and a F150, I think NOT. All they are and have always been are a GLORIFIED Stationwagon!

You're right. The 2011 Flexplorer is definitely not a truck by any stretch of the imagination. However, my '94 gen 1 is most definitely a truck. It has a full chassis with twin I-Beams in the front and live axle with leaf springs in the back. It will do anything I ask it to and go anywhere I want it to. It's a 4-door truck with a permanent camper shell. And I love it. And yes, the Suburban and Expedition and Silverado are also trucks. And always will be. Unless the bean counters at Ford and GM keep getting stupider. Which is a possibility.

 

[thaywood]

The explorer never has been considered a truck for registration purposes. It has always been a car.

That's not what it says on my title

 

[Scott B.]

...You do know what RBV stands for, correct? Are you saying an RBV (original Ex platform) is a car? A pick up bed that hauls large items is not what classifies a truck in my opinion, it's whats underneath it that solidifies its classification.

Truck frame, chassis, suspension is built for heavy loads and pulling power, regardless of the amount of HP. Low end Torque and gear reduction is the name of the game here. Beating one to the finish line was never an intention for common truck purposes. There are small groups of trucks that fall out of that category, such as the Ford Lightning, SVT, or Saleen EX.
...

Not that I disagree with you, but do you remember the original commercials for the Ranger? Ford advertised it as a "sports car with a bed."

As for classification, I always thought body-on-frame was a truck, whereas a unibody was a car.

 

[2TimingTom]

When you navigate for parts, do you look under "Truck" ?

Autozone classifies my Saturn VUE as a truck. And that ain't true.

 

[gmanpaint]

Not that I disagree with you, but do you remember the original commercials for the Ranger? Ford advertised it as a "sports car with a bed."

As for classification, I always thought body-on-frame was a truck, whereas a unibody was a car.

Hey Scott, welcome back to the party!

I agree with you on the body on frame. I always thought that the Uni-body Jeeps where a bit strange to wheel with, but some manage to modify them, so maybe there is hope after all for the 2011 EX.

The 1st gen Ranger ads were just some pin head marketing advertisers that got canned shortly after for a new campaign.






(I just made that up, but its gotta be true to a point

 

[tmike]

As for classification, I always thought body-on-frame was a truck, whereas a unibody was a car.

What is the Honda Ridgeline classified as?

 

[sabasigh]

What is the Honda Ridgeline classified as?

An abomination?

 

[EX-SV]

If new Explorer achieves sales numbers like the Ridgeline, it will be a failure.

 

[unclemeat]

Mr. Webster defines a Truck n : a wheeled vehicle (as a strong heavy automobile) designed for carring heavy articles or hauling a trailer.

Obviously some of you have never seen my a$$ (ha ha).

 

[2TimingTom]

Dictionary.com:

Station wagon: an automobile with one or more rows of folding or removable seats behind the driver and no luggage compartment but an area behind the seats into which suitcases, parcels, etc., can be loaded through a tailgate.

Sounds kinda like an Explorer......