All-new 2011 Ford Explorer Revealed at AirVenture Oshkosh

SEE ALSO: FORD BUYERS GUIDE
SEE ALSO: 2011 FORD EXPLORER DETAILS

Ford Brings in the Horsepower to Lift the Explorer Brand

By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel

Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 27, 2010; On Monday July 26, Ford Motor Company revealed the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer nationwide at just six select venues. Four were in major city venues in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami and one was in Dearborn, Michigan for Ford Headquarters employees. The sixth site hosting the new Explorer was the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual AirVenture Oshkosh event, also sponsored by Ford.

In true AirVenture style, where the sky's the limit, the new 2011 Ford Explorer arrived in AeroShell Square at the conclusion of the air show, just prior to the opening day concert, presented by Ford Motor Company, featuring the band Chicago.

This was a true visual spectacle with some help from the aerospace industry. And, Ford brought in the horsepower for this dramatic reveal in Oshkosh. Using an Erickson “Goliath” Air Crane with 9000 Horsepower, the all-new Explorer arrived suspended under the crane in a special palette held by four cables.(See photo above.) "Piloting" the new Explorer was Edsel Ford II, grandson of Henry Ford and a member of Ford Motor Company’s Board of Directors.

Once on the ground the Explorer was driven by Edsel Ford II to the AeroShell Square Stage where Jim Farley, Ford group vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service, and Tom Poberezny, EAA President, spoke as to how Ford is delivering this 21st-Century SUV. The completely reinvented SUV includes safety features such as the industry's only inflatable seatbelts, technology that customers need and want and class-leading fuel economy—more than 30% better than the current vehicle. Also appearing was Elena Ford, a niece of Edsel Ford II and a fifth-generation Ford family member who is director, Global Marketing, Sales and Service Operations at Ford.

The 2011 Explorer with V6 power is expected to deliver more than 20 percent better fuel economy than the 2010 model, shattering conventional expectations for SUV fuel efficiency. When equipped with the available 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ I-4 engine, Explorer fuel economy is expected to improve by more than 30 percent and exceed the 2010 Honda Pilot and 2010 Toyota Highlander V6.

The Explorer’s main competitor is the Chevrolet Traverse and will also compete with the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Jeep Grand Cherokee, said Jim Farley. Some industry analysts have expressed concern with the new Explorer having too much competition from the similar Ford Edge and Flex models. However, it is better to have this competition from within one’s owns showroom to be able to satisfy more customers with a vehicle from Ford.

Chief Nameplate Engineer Jim Holland said the team targeted two key objectives when developing the 2011 Ford Explorer.

“It had to look modern and contemporary – inside and out – yet be instantly recognizable as an Explorer,” said Holland. “Next, the new Explorer needed to deliver the fuel economy today’s customers want, combined with the performance, capability and empowerment they expect from an SUV.”

Also happening at AirVenture on Monday, Ford’s SR-71 Mustang, a collaborative project between Ford and legendary Mustang designers/tuners Carroll Shelby and Jack Roush, was be on display. This is the first, and perhaps only, collaboration for the two aftermarket icons.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL: 2011 FORD Explorer 3.5L DOHC V6 Ti-VCT 2.0L I-4 EcoBoost

BODY
Construction Unitized steel body
Final assembly Chicago Assembly Plant

POWERTRAIN AND CHASSIS

ENGINE
Type: 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 2.0 - liter Eco Boost I-4

Manufacturing location: Lima Engine Plant, Lima, Ohio
Valencia Engine Plant, Valencia, Spain

Configuration Aluminum block and head A l u m in um block and head
Valvetrain DOHC, four valves per cylinder D O H C , f o u r valves per cylinder
Bore x stroke 92.5 x 86.7 mm 87.5 x 83.1 mm
Displacement 3,497 cc 1,999 cc
Compression ratio 10.8:1 9 . 3 : 1
Horsepower 290 @ 6500 rpm 237 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque 255 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm 2 5 0 lb.-ft. @ 1,750-4,000 rpm
Fuel capacity 18.6 gallons 18.6 gallons
Fuel injection Sequential multiport electronic Direct injection
Oil capacity 6.0 quarts with filter 5.7 quarts with filter
Coolant capacity 12.7 quarts, non-tow package 13.5 quarts, with tow package 11.6 quarts
Emission control Three-way catalyst
Federal emissions (tailpipe/evaporation) Tier 2 Bin 5 California emissions states (tailpipe/evaporation) ULEV II

DRIVETRAIN
Layout Front-wheel drive or 4WD Front-wheel drive

TRANSMISSION
Standard Six-speed automatic Six-speed automatic
Gear ratios
1st 4.484 4.584
2nd 2.872 2.964
3rd 1.842 1.912
4th 1.414 1.446
5th 1.000 1.000
6th 0.742 0.746
Reverse -2.882 -2.943
Final drive 3.16 FWD, 3.39 AWD 3.36 XLT, 3.51 Limited

SUSPENSION
Front Short/long arm, independent with 32-mm stabilizer bar
Rear SR1 independent multilink with coil-over shock absorbers

STEERING
Type: Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), rack-and-pinion Ratio 15.75 to 1
Turns, lock-to-lock 2.8

BRAKES
Type Standard four-wheel ABS (four-channel)
Front Disc, Rear Disc

TIRES AND WHEELS
Base 17-inch steel with wheel covers, P245/65R-17 BSW
XLT 18-inch painted aluminum, P245/60R-18 BSW
Limited 20-inch painted aluminum, P255/50R-20 BSW
XLT & Limited 20-inch polished aluminum, P255/50R-20 BSW

DIMENSIONS (inches unless otherwise noted)

EXTERIOR
Wheelbase 112.6
Length 197.1
Width including mirrors 90.2
Height without options 70.4 FWD, 71.0 4WD
Track, front/rear 67.0

INTERIOR
Seating capacity Six/seven
First row headroom 41.4 FWD/39.1 AWD
First row legroom 40.6
First row shoulder room 61.3
First row hip room 57.3
Second row headroom 40.5 FWD/38.3 AWD
Second row legroom 39.8
Second row shoulder room 61.0
Second row hip room 56.7
Third row headroom 37.8
Third row legroom 33.2
Third row shoulder room 50.8
Third row hip room 40.7

CAPACITIES
Total passenger volume 151.7 cu. ft.
Cargo volume behind first row 80.7 cu. ft.
Maximum towing capacity (properly equipped) 5,000 lbs. 2,000 lbs.

All specifications subject to change

© 2010 Larry Nutson