Flying68

Tesla went proprietary and Nobody else in the industry is willing to pay a licensing fee to use a proprietary connector. If they would have applied to make it an SAE standard free to use then maybe it would have been adopted, but they didn't and everyone is using one of the standard connectors. Standards are key to interoperability and widespread acceptance.

Think of this like you would a Shelby Mustang (GT500KR or Super Snake) or a Roush or a Hennessy. Multimatic is an engineering, design, and manufacturer of components and parts. They also do small scale production (GT). Basically they are taking the normal GT that they build on contract for Ford and in a licensing agreement with Ford are adding race specific parts that they have developed and tuning the engine. Ford Performance probably shared the engineering work with Multimatic, but I would bet Multimatic had the majority of the development cost. Multimatic is acting like an upfitter, selling a race car, which happens to not be street legal anyway.

Betting it will be a hybrid power train. Take the current 3.5L TT V6 and add an EM mated with the 7 spd DCT with total system output north of 800 hp and 1000 lb/ft of torque.

Just to expand on electric power, the EM's are rated torque and rated Hp, but the actual output is controlled by the amount of current you apply to the motor. So when they say the Aviator is 450+/600+ doesn't mean it will have a 50 hp / 200 lbft electric motor. It will probably be something higher than the Euro Explorer which is rated at 99 hp and probably somewhere around 210ish lbft on the torque rating (it wasn't specified in the materials I could find on it).

Huh?? You do know that many tugs pull airplanes with engines that only have 40 to 50 hp. At a rated 221 lbft, the EM would hit the rated 44hp at about 1000 rpm, the 3.3l will be barely above idle at that point. The electric motor is plenty sufficient to propel the Explorer in electric only mode, the problem will be that you will exhaust the battery fairly quickly.

It is the same way in the US. You have to have the GT II package to get dynamic handling (included in GT II, not a standalone option on the GT). You have to have GT I to add the luxury package.

No, from Ford.com specifications for the Explorer under capacities it has: Fuel capacity XLT / Limited ST / Platinum 17.9 U.S. gal 20.2 U.S. gal I realize this thread is about the Aviator, but the post I was responding too was in response to an Explorer ST. However Lincoln does list the Aviator with a 20.2 gallon tank. The EPA site also lists the 2.3L Explorer with a 19.2 gallon tank. My guess is that the EPA is listing total capacity (fuel lines, etc.) and Ford is listing the capacity from zero on the gauge or the point at which the fuel pump may start to cavitate.

The difference (curb weight to shipping weight) is probably fuel. A full tank (20.2 gallons) would be 121 lbs. Pretty sure Ford doesn't ship the vehicles with any more than a couple of gallons in the tanks.

Wow, that is pricey. Our 2017 MkC 2.3T AWD fully loaded was in the ~$49k, paid invoice though.

My dealer just sent out an invitation for June 4th, unfortunately I am out of town ?

It is the same basic 3.0L twin turbo design that is available in the Continental and MKZ and will be in the 2020 Explorer ST and Platinum. The only unknown at this point is if it will be 400 hp / 400 ft-lbs (of the Conti/MKZ) or if it will be the 400 hp / 415 ft-lbs (2020 Explorer ST). It will not be the 2020 Explorer Platinum configuration.

With regards to the suspension here are the options: Standard: Four-Wheel Independent Suspension Available on Reserve: Adaptive Suspension (requires AWD or 22” Wheel) — Noise Reduction Module — Sound Insulation Pack Optional Package: Dynamic Handling Package • Adaptive Steering • Adaptive Suspension with Road Preview • Air Glide Suspension with Dynamic Lower Entry Like @akirby already said, the adaptive suspension would be electronically controlled shocks. The Dynamic Handling would be the upgrade to the air ride and also adds the road preview. For the drive modes, all of the normal modes will give you some combination of ICE and EM. The normal modes are: Normal, Conserve, Excite, Slippery and Deep Condition. Conserve will be your best fuel economy outside of pure EV with short shift points and less responsive throttle. Normal will be allow more ICE engine rev range, a quicker throttle response and wider shift points. Excite will be quickest throttle response and most aggressive use of the EM's power and torque, shifts points will keep you in the peak power band of the ICE. It will also have the firmest suspension setting. Slippery and Deep Conditions are more about the traction control and suspension settings.

The show is not ending. They are just going to no longer do the studio audience, test track, and conversation street. It will be all "specials" and adventures and documentaries.

If the European PHEV Explorer is the same powertrain as the Aviator GT then you won't have a 400 hp ICE. The EU Explorer was announced to have a 350 Hp 3.0L V6 with a 100 Hp (75 kW) EM, with a combined maximum torque of 620 lbft. With a small battery pack, you won't have full use of all of that horsepower and torque, which is probably why the tow rating is only 5600 lbs vs 6700 lbs on the normal Aviator. If it was just based on weight, the GT should have been rated at 5900 lbs. Conceivably, with more torque and power, it should have had a higher tow rating. I don't understand why they would derate the ICE engine at all, when it is much easier to current limit the EM to control total power and torque output. The battery issue is another thing. Seems like a bad move to not put a large enough battery in to qualify for the full tax credit and to put one in that is smaller than the new Escape PHEV's battery.

Well we may have our answer. 2020 Ford Explorer PHEV Revealed In Europe With 450 HP The important takeaway is the following: One of the most successful American large SUVs will be available on the Old Continent exclusively with a PHEV powertrain which consists of a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 gas engine generating 350 horsepower (261 kilowatts) and an electric motor good for another 100 hp (75 kW). The combined peak output stands at 450 hp (335 kW) and 620 pound-feet (840 Newton-meters). Thanks to a 13.1-kWh lithium-ion battery, the massive (by the European standards) three-row SUV will be able to travel up to 25 miles (40 kilometers) on purely electric energy. Mated to a 10-speed automatic and an intelligent all-wheel drive, the Explorer PHEV will have a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 liters per 100 kilometers (69 miles per gallon) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 78 grams per kilometer. Obviously, these figures represent just the first 62 miles (100 kilometers) when the battery is still fully charged. So I think it is safe to say the GT will be 3.0L at 350 Hp with a 100 hp EM. The real kick in the pants will be the 13.1 -kWh battery with only 25 miles range. Even the 2020 Escape gets over 14 kWh on its battery. At 13.1, the tax credit works out to $5877.70. This is a real Debby Downer.

So I was looking at Ford's ESP site. The PowertrainCare plan is not available for 5 years/60,000 miles, you have to go at least 6 years and at least 60,000+ miles. The BaseCare which covers components like suspension and steering and would cover the EPAS is available for 5/60,000 (minimum is 48,000 miles or 5 years). So I would look at your extended warranty and see if it is a genuine Ford ESP plan. If not, ask for a refund from the dealer or threaten legal action for selling you a warranty that doesn't provide any protection beyond the manufacturer's warranty which would constitute fraud.

The curb weight difference accounts for 781 lb but wonder what led to the further 319 lb reduction? The 2020 Explorer was announced as 5000 lb for the hybrid, 5300 for 2.3L EcoBoost, and 5600 for the 3.0L ecoBoost. The tow capacities seem to be well below what other drive midsize SUV's have. Audi Q7 with the 3.0T has a tow rating of 7700 lb. The Durango is 6200 lb with the base V6, 7200 lb with the 5.7 hemi and 8400 in SRT trim. Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover are both 7700 lb (Land Rover Discovery can get up to 8200 lb). All those are with less HP/Torque than the Aviator has. I guess I expected somewhere along the lines of 7500 lb or so to be more competitive with the Q7. 5600 lb doesn't leave a lot of margin on the GT. Makes me wonder if they are derating the 3.0L from 400hp/400lbft to something less and then making up the rest with the electric motor. My main objective was to be able to tow a smallish camper or my UTV into the mountains. The UTV weights 2000 lb and with another 2000 lb for our trailer (UTV needs a 14' trailer), puts me right at 4000 lb loaded.

Maybe that is because Gen Z is only 23 years old, most of them have never bought a vehicle before, when they do they can't afford new ones and used sedans are cheap because people that can afford other vehicles don't want sedans. It is probably safe to say that Gen Z drives vehicles that their Gen X parents bought for them, or helped them pick out, where fuel economy and insurance costs were primary concerns. As Gen Z starts to mature, have families, and incomes their buying habits will change. I look at my own experience, went from a Tempo and Dodge D-50 in high school to a Chrysler LeBaron GTC in college, to a Thunderbird SC after working for a year. Few years later after getting married, got a Nissan Murano and Lincoln LS with kid 1. Kid 2 comes and the LS was swapped for an Explorer. Murano swapped for an MkC. So automakers know this as well. I don't think they are concerned with the buying habits of 16-23 year olds.

And only uses an 87 hp (65 kW) em.

HP is not additive. Peak torque for em's is at 0 rpm. They produce almost constant torque from just off of 0 rpm to peak power and then will hold constant power to peak efficiency. With that, knowing that the standard 3.0l is 400lbft of torque, and the GT will have 600, you will have to have an em capable of at least 200lbft at 2750 rpm. That is 105 hp or about 78 kW. Ford uses an 88 kW em in the Fusion. My guess is that the GT will use at least an 88 kW em up to maybe a 100 kW em that is current controlled to limit the max torque and peak power in combined mode.