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Is this a new Ford Explorer spied testing in Colorado?


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This one and the other one do seem to be riding lower to the ground then the current gen.

 

But this is nothing more then an Frankenmule

 

like this:

 

ford_100169329_m.jpg

 

Goodness......they're really ruining the Explorer with a design like that..... :hysterical:

 

Well this is kinda interesting:

 

Spyshot from last year, of presumably of the 2018 Explorer

 

PH-110809998.jpg

 

Spyshot from this month:

 

ford3_0.jpg

 

Outside of the wheels, can you spot anything different?

 

 

Well, the latest mule is using the current models' lights instead of the 2011-era ones.

 

The top one looks lower and wider but I think they stretched the original image - look at the stop sign.

 

Yeah, there was one site that was showing stretched images that made it look a lot lower/longer, and there was another that was showing the real things (taller/shorter).

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The hood looks longer and flatter on the second one (RWD engine configuration??) and the fuel filler door is covered up with extra camo (diesel...room for DEF?).

Hold up, the camp appears to be covering a gas door on the second picture. On the drivers side... the current explorer gas filler is on the right side.

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There is no rhyme or reason as to what side the gas is on...its on the right on my Taurus and my wife's Escape...it was on the left on the last gen Escape

 

We asked Ford engineers about that - they said it depends on the design of the specific vehicle and wasn't really indicative of the platform or anything else.

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The other thing that I noticed, though nothing huge is the mufflers are sitting further back with longer tips on them.

IIRC, those tips are for connecting to testing equipment (maybe for when it's being run indoors?). They're pretty common on prototypes/mules.

Edited by SoonerLS
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So is this the same mule we saw on video last week?

 

 

That one looked to be sitting lower...or are my eyes playing tricks?

 

I think the ride height is indicative that CD6 will have air suspension (at leas optional), which makes sense, if Ford is planning to charge market rate for the luxury version (i.e. Aviator).

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I think the ride height is indicative that CD6 will have air suspension (at leas optional), which makes sense, if Ford is planning to charge market rate for the luxury version (i.e. Aviator).

 

I would fully except higher trim version of the Explorer would have it too. There are many seven figure earners that drive Explorers/Tahoes/Expeditions/Grand Cherokees/Pilots/Sequoias not to mention F150/Silverados/RAM to not flaunt a luxury badge to their employees but want Luxury.

 

The Trucks are because it is better for taxes.

Edited by jasonj80
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I took the time to scale pictures of the current model to the spied one, using the mirror housing and door handles as reference, as they're the same as the current model (wheels would've been tough as I'm not sure the size matches.


What I found is very interesting. B-pillar back, it looks mostly the same, except maybe another inch or two behind the rear wheel. The A-pillar is actually in the same place too, but the front door itself has been lengthened (now opens at the front of the little triangle formed by the mirror housing, rather than just in front of the mirror), and the space in front of the door has also been lengthened. Obviously this means an increased wheelbase, but also a lengthened hood, which points toward RWD. Here are the pictures for you:


The original Autoweek image:

A4R8BOU.jpg


The image of the current model I used as reference:

2PGoO5x.jpg


The current model put over the autoweek one:

t45KUtF.jpg

Edited by rmc523
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The hood looks longer and flatter on the second one (RWD engine configuration??)...

 

 

Yep the front end is definitely longer and the wheel is further forward.

 

You guys are slow...see message above. ;)

 

 

I took the time to scale pictures of the current model to the spied one, using the mirror housing and door handles as reference, as they're the same as the current model (wheels would've been tough as I'm not sure the size matches.
What I found is very interesting. B-pillar back, it looks mostly the same, except maybe another inch or two behind the rear wheel. The A-pillar is actually in the same place too, but the front door itself has been lengthened (now opens at the front of the little triangle formed by the mirror housing, rather than just in front of the mirror), and the space in front of the door has also been lengthened. Obviously this means an increased wheelbase, but also a lengthened hood, which points toward RWD. Here are the pictures for you:
The original Autoweek image:
The image of the current model I used as reference:
The current model put over the autoweek one:

 

 

Great work rmc!

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You guys are slow...see message above. ;)

 

 

Great work rmc!

 

Thanks!

 

Agreed!^^^

 

That is quite revealing. Do you think this mule is using the rear portion of the current generation?

 

Yeah, Their use of the existing body really worked to throw me off......I knew the proportions looked a bit different, but they didn't look that different until I actually put them on top of each other for comparison.

 

Elsewhere, a certain camouflage x-ray machine is trying to imply that Ford is going to launch an all-new version that looks exactly the same as the current one, just with a changed door cut and longer hood and that this shows it's CD4-based.... :headscratch:

 

By rear portion you mean body? Oh absolutely - everything lines up identically except for a slightly longer overhang behind the rear wheel, and the longer front door and longer hood/wheelbase.......the doors, greenhouse, windows, etc. I wish I could flash back and forth between the current model and camoed one for you all.....you really start to notice the differences when you do that.....sometimes it's hard to tell what lines belong to which vehicle when they're overlaid (why I posted the originals, but not sure if it helped).

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Elsewhere, a certain camouflage x-ray machine is trying to imply that Ford is going to launch an all-new version that looks exactly the same as the current one, just with a changed door cut and longer hood and that this shows it's CD4-based.... :headscratch:

 

Link? I gotta see that.

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I took the time to scale pictures of the current model to the spied one, using the mirror housing and door handles as reference, as they're the same as the current model (wheels would've been tough as I'm not sure the size matches.

 

What I found is very interesting. B-pillar back, it looks mostly the same, except maybe another inch or two behind the rear wheel. The A-pillar is actually in the same place too, but the front door itself has been lengthened (now opens at the front of the little triangle formed by the mirror housing, rather than just in front of the mirror), and the space in front of the door has also been lengthened. Obviously this means an increased wheelbase, but also a lengthened hood, which points toward RWD. Here are the pictures for you:

 

The original Autoweek image:

A4R8BOU.jpg

 

The image of the current model I used as reference:

2PGoO5x.jpg

 

The current model put over the autoweek one:

t45KUtF.jpg

Yup. Great work.

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