silvrsvt Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 Rear door sil has been modified Looks like its been padded up along with the possible fuel filler on the side. The other thing that I noticed, though nothing huge is the mufflers are sitting further back with longer tips on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisH Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Front fender looks different. Headlights too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossman351 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 The one I saw at night also had completely different headlights on it. Dual elements per side. The exhaust was also set up different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 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: Goodness......they're really ruining the Explorer with a design like that..... Well this is kinda interesting: Spyshot from last year, of presumably of the 2018 Explorer Spyshot from this month: 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerdude20 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 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. For what it's worth, Ford's RWD models all have the gas door on the left........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 For what it's worth, Ford's RWD models all have the gas door on the left........ So do the Fusion, MKZ, Edge and MKX. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 So do the Fusion, MKZ, Edge and MKX. Shhhhhhh........ don't bring facts into my conspiracy theory. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 (edited) 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 October 23, 2017 by SoonerLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pioneer Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Anybody got an interior pic yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
630land Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Looks like an old Freestyle was laying around and got modified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Looks like an old Freestyle was laying around and got modified If you're talking about the pic of the Freestyle with the Flex nose on it, I'm pretty sure that's an old pic, not something current. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooter Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 With how the company has been lately, it's understandably hard sometimes to get hopes up. Ha..aint that the truth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonj80 Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 (edited) 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 October 24, 2017 by jasonj80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 (edited) 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: Edited October 24, 2017 by rmc523 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Yep the front end is definitely longer and the wheel is further forward. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbone Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Agreed!^^^ That is quite revealing. Do you think this mule is using the rear portion of the current generation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 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.... 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 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.... Link? I gotta see that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Link? I gotta see that. http://www.fordinsidenews.com/forums/33-ford-suv-crossover-discussion/25649-2018-ford-explorer-7.html#post330810 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PREMiERdrum Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 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: Yup. Great work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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