Harley Lover Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Sorry for the hyperbole, but the article claims this is the chassis mule for the next gen Explorer. This should be the CD6 chassis about which we have speculated, correct? Article: http://www.motor1.com/news/127015/2019-ford-explorer-spied/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 They didn't change a thing! How ridiculous!!@!!!1111!!!! Really though, there's not much to see in these.....but at least there's pictures (unlike the Borg "Navigator spied" thread). But presumably, yes, it would be CD6 we've talked about if it is indeed a mule for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Much as it would amuse me to note the absence of a rear diff, I can't see evidence of that in the pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I was so hoping it used a Freestyle body. (People freaked out when Ford used freestyle bodies for Flex/MkT/Explorer mules) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) I was so hoping it used a Freestyle body. (People freaked out when Ford used freestyle bodies for Flex/MkT/Explorer mules) the "V.F.K.A.Fairlane" Edited October 29, 2016 by 2b2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Even if the mule was a CD6 in disguise....CD6 is a "flexible" AWD/RWD/FWD chassis, so it is completely possible that this "Explorer mule" is a FWD testing mule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnLover Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I don't know about you, but this excites me. I really hope they make an excellent platform that really competes on a global level and can actually statisfy Lincoln duty..... I can smell an LS successor, with an ecoboost V8, that I'm sure will come to the Mustang. Could be some good stuff if they can budget it all correctly and maintain and surpass sales goals! I know there is a market for RWD luxury sedans, now only on a pure performance level, I don't track my luxury cars. BUT, if you think for one second I don't like to floor it and throw myself back into my big comfortable luxury seat, and see the rpm's shoot up to 4krpm's+ and hear the engine roar, you're nuts! I'm not saying anything is right or wrong. I think the current Lincoln has a place, but the old Lincoln also needs to return, with a portfolio that hits every market space. We will return to global dominance once again, everyone will recognize Lincoln as Premium, as well as Cadillac. American Luxury is the best luxury. The Germans and Japanese just got lucky because our economy crashed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 Here's the thing about a new platform, you can't just bolt it onto something. This is a pristine 2010 Ford Explorer complete with the same exhaust system. Unless CD6 is just a minor revision of D4, this tester probably isn't what they say it is. What I would expect to see in a CD6 mule is some sort of CD4 derived mule hacked together from Edges, Galaxy, etc. My guess is that this is just an old Explorer prototype, there certainly is no reason to cover it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twintornados Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I don't know about you, but this excites me. I really hope they make an excellent platform that really competes on a global level and can actually statisfy Lincoln duty..... I can smell an LS successor, with an ecoboost V8, that I'm sure will come to the Mustang. Could be some good stuff if they can budget it all correctly and maintain and surpass sales goals! I know there is a market for RWD luxury sedans, now only on a pure performance level, I don't track my luxury cars. BUT, if you think for one second I don't like to floor it and throw myself back into my big comfortable luxury seat, and see the rpm's shoot up to 4krpm's+ and hear the engine roar, you're nuts! I'm not saying anything is right or wrong. I think the current Lincoln has a place, but the old Lincoln also needs to return, with a portfolio that hits every market space. We will return to global dominance once again, everyone will recognize Lincoln as Premium, as well as Cadillac. American Luxury is the best luxury. The Germans and Japanese just got lucky because our economy crashed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) This is very early for a 2019 Mule, could it be a MY2018 Explorer updated with 9-speed auto? On D6 / CD6 As I've said before, perhaps people are expecting way more with CD6 than Ford is actually planning to do... Perhaps a different / better grouping of platforms that better suits various global regions? Subcompact / Compact platform: - from Ka / Fiesta / Focus / C-Max to Ecosport / Escape / MKC Mid/Large platform: - from Fusion / Mondeo / MKZ / Taurus/Continental to Edge / MKX / S-Max / Galaxy / / Explorer / Aviator. Regrouping those vehicles under those tow platform envelopes would do a lot for global profitability, it makes a lot of sense and I wouldn't be surprised if that s exactly what Ford is planning to do. The bulk of all car and Utility products are then covered by just two platforms. A North-South engine configuration paralleled with an East-West configuration would require the whole front end crash protection zones to be re-configured across every different vehicles. That for the most part would be unnecessary duplication, you choose one or the other. Edited October 29, 2016 by jpd80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) As I've said before, perhaps people are expecting way more with CD6 than Ford is actually planning to do... Perhaps a different / better grouping of platforms that better suits various global regions? Subcompact / Compact platform that covers from Ka -Fiesta-Focus to Ecosport - Escape-MKC Mid/Large platform to cover from Fusion/Mondeo/MKX- Taurus/Continental to Edge/MKC - Explorer/Aviator. I cannot verify how accurate it is, but I read elsewhere that there will be an interim CD4-based Explorer is coming before the CD6 model arrives in 2023. They also said a RWD/AWD MKZ arrives on CD6 for 2018/19, but I don't know why they'd go through all that effort for a CD4 Explorer if CD6 is already coming out....unless it was already well under development before CD6 was started. Edited October 29, 2016 by rmc523 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) I cannot verify how accurate it is, but I read elsewhere that there will be an interim CD4-based Explorer is coming before the CD6 model arrives in 2023. More evidence of consolidation... I would believe this is a CD4 based Explorer rather than CD6... They also said a RWD/AWD MKZ arrives on CD6 for 2018/19, but I don't know why they'd go through all that effort for a CD4 Explorer if CD6 is already coming out....unless it was already well under development before CD6 was started. the answers is that they wouldn't switch to RWD/AWD especially knowing Ford history with this and that car sales are actually contracting as platforms become more dependent on the Utilites.. It's more evidence that Ford will evolve and merge its current D3s onto a next gen evolution of CD4. Some want / hope / dream that Ford is somehow going to switch back to RWD/AWD Utes and cars, the best we can hope for is a North/South FWD/AWD configuration that adds back more RWD attributes. Edited October 29, 2016 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 (edited) More evidence of consolidation. the answers is that they wouldn't switch to RWD/AWD especially knowing Ford history with this and that car sales are actually contracting as platforms becomemore dependent on the Utilites.. It's more evidence that Ford will evolve and merge its current D3s onto a next gen evolution of CD4. Well the poster also said Fusion would remain FWD/AWD with a more RWD-esque stance (think Volvo S90). Edited October 29, 2016 by rmc523 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 This is not a CD4 mule, because it's on a completely unrelated platform called D4. If Explorer is going CD4, you would see a bashed together Ford Edge mule. No mule should look anything like the current Explorer, that platform and it's hardware is completely irrelevant now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Proof/link(s)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 It's logical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 It's logical How is it logical that a D4 explorer would have so much camo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 (edited) How is it logical that a D4 explorer would have so much camo? How logical is it that an obsolete 2011 D4 Explorer has camo on it in the first place? Even the under carriage looks old and weathered. I'm telling you this is an old prototype and has nothing to do with a new car, don't believe everything you read. You will see these cars everywhere around Dearborn. Edited October 30, 2016 by BORG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 This could be a powertrain or attribute mule that doesn't require a CD4 hatchet job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Hybrid test mule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Wonder if it's a test mule for the new AWD system that debuted in the Focus RS. Wouldn't need the new body to test it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) Hybrid test mule. More likely to be a 9-speed auto test mule... Edited October 31, 2016 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 More likely to be a 9-speed auto test mule... Maybe--but I doubt they'd need to run a test with a camoed fascia for a transmission. I'd think they could just plug that into any existing vehicles and if they needed to rework the lower fascia to account for a different trans cooler (if so equipped--which most models wouldn't have), they'd just hack something together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Gah, it's a 2011 Explorer, the camo irrelevant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Gah, it's a 2011 Explorer, the camo irrelevant. Hey, Joe, my car broke down. We got anything I can drive home? Yeah, take that '11 Explorer out there. Which one? The one with all the camo? You mean we still have those around? Yeah, we keep them around just so we can throw people for a loop now and then. It'll get people talking. Don't worry, it will be fun, and we can watch the internet go wild! Um, OK. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.