- 2015 Ford Expedition will feature 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® engine popular in Ford F-Series; engine designed to deliver most powerful, fuel-efficient Expedition ever
- Advanced technology in new Expedition includes Blind Spot Information System® with cross-traffic alert, electric power-assisted steering, SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, available suspension damping to improve passenger comfort; a new high-trim Platinum series debuts
- Ford global utility vehicle sales rose 35 percent in 2013; Ford has been the leader in North America utility vehicle sales since 2011
DALLAS, Texas, February 18, 2014 -
The new 2015 Ford Expedition, revealed here today ahead of the 2014 DFW
Auto Show, continues to represent the smart choice for people who need a
full-size utility vehicle that provides capable performance, usable
space and advanced technology.
Expedition now features Ford F-Series’ popular 3.5-liter EcoBoost®
engine, more technology than ever and a fresh new look. Launching later
this year, it is the latest Ford nameplate to offer a Platinum series.
Expedition is being shown for the first time in Texas, Ford’s largest
market by sales volume, and home to the top two cities for Expedition
sales – Dallas and Houston.
Expedition debuted in 1996 and is Ford’s largest
utility vehicle. By most measures, it is a leader in interior space,
accommodating eight passengers. Two versions are offered – the standard
119-inch wheelbase is just more than 6 inches longer than Ford Explorer.
It has three rows of seats and up to 108.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
The longer-wheelbase version sits on a 131-inch wheelbase, and features
three rows of seats and up to 130.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
Expedition remains the only full-size utility
vehicle not classified as a luxury offering to feature an independent
rear suspension. This helps deliver more confident ride and handling
characteristics, and allows for the lower, more convenient fold-flat
third-row bench seat.
Both standard and EL versions of Expedition are
built at Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, alongside Ford’s popular
Super Duty pickup. Last month, the company confirmed plans to add more
workers and invest an additional $80 million in facility upgrades to
improve automation and increase capacity at the plant.
Ford is responding to strong customer feedback and
introducing a top-of-the-line Platinum series Expedition with unique,
premium interior appointments. The new vehicle features the latest
popular technologies like SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, push-button start and Blind Spot Information System®.
A new 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost delivers
more power and performance than the current 5.4-liter V8, and is
designed to be more efficient.
“This new Expedition is proof Ford is committed to
remaining the leader in utilities – small, medium and large,” said
Jackie DiMarco, Expedition chief engineer. “We listened to our customers
and created a full-size utility vehicle that doesn’t compromise in
performance, technology or design.”
Improved on the Road
From the outset, engineers worked to make the 2015 Expedition a
technologically advanced vehicle that is easy to drive and offers
refinement for all types of drivers.
The new EcoBoost engine dramatically changes the
driving characteristics of Expedition. Compared with the 5.4-liter V8,
the 3.5-liter EcoBoost gives drivers not just better fuel economy, but
more power and torque on demand at very low engine speeds.
“Expedition becoming the latest Ford utility vehicle
to wear the EcoBoost badge will be exciting for customers,” said Doug
Scott, Ford truck group marketing manager. “Increased torque and
horsepower, combined with new levels of efficiency and an advanced
suspension not only will make Expedition more fun to drive, but also
easier to own. This is another ‘and’ solution from Ford.”
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost will be the only engine
offered in the new Expedition in North America. To maximize performance
and control, the vehicle is equipped with a six-speed SelectShift®
automatic transmission featuring a manual mode that allows the driver
to use a shift-mounted rocker switch to select the desired gear.
With EcoBoost now standard equipment across the 2015
Expedition range, the entire U.S. lineup of Ford utility vehicles will
be available with EcoBoost power by the end of 2014.
New continuously controlled damping, available for
the first time on a Ford nameplate, will make Expedition the only Blue
Oval-branded vehicle in the United States with three selectable drive
modes – comfort, normal and sport.
Using a suite of sensors that detect 46 unique body,
steering and braking inputs, the advanced suspension monitors body
motion and then adjusts Expedition’s damping system in milliseconds to
manage the vehicle’s natural body motion. A vehicle with poor damping
feels as if it is bouncing on its suspension springs; continuously
controlled damping recognizes the weight of the vehicle, steering
feedback and road undulations and then reacts accordingly, helping to
control body motion so passengers experience an orderly, comfortable
ride.
The new Expedition also features Ford’s innovative
electric power-assisted steering, which gives drivers noticeably
improved maneuverability at low speeds and better feel at high speeds,
and saves fuel because it operates more efficiently than traditional
pump-driven systems. The technology reduces steering effort and makes
Expedition more engaging to drive.
More Technology Customers Want
The new Expedition debuts with popular technology upgrades consumers are
now demanding, including SYNC with MyFord Touch and driver-assist
features such as radar-based Blind Spot Information System with
cross-traffic alert.
The updated interior of Expedition incorporates a
fresh center stack to accommodate new technologies, such as an 8-inch
touch screen for SYNC with MyFord Touch. The driver information cluster
features two full-color 4.2-inch LCD screens.
Other new technologies on the 2015 Expedition
include a 10-speaker, 700-watt Sony audio system; Intelligent Access
with push-button start; rearview camera; seven-color, interior ambient
LED lighting; and Ford truck apps to help make trailer towing and
off-road driving easier.
Fresh Style and Design
The new Expedition pushes full-size utility vehicle design to a higher
level, with fresh interior and exterior styling and a diverse series
lineup – each with a distinct look and feel to give customers more
choice than ever. A Platinum trim package, which has been very
successful on Ford F-Series, will be available on Expedition for the
first time.
“The Platinum series brings Expedition into a whole
new arena of design and style,” said Scott. “One of the strengths of
Expedition has always been the different trim series we offer. From XLT
to Limited and now with Platinum, we have an Expedition that will fit
any customer’s needs.”
The Platinum series is tailored with lush leather
seating described by designers as buttery – soft and smooth to the
touch. It’s available in a new Brunello leather, a red wine color with
tuxedo-stripe accents and French-seamed stitching. Platinum customers
can also choose black leather with Agate Gray accents.
Beyond the new Platinum series, the 2015 Expedition
lineup includes the XLT, Limited and a new King Ranch edition to be
revealed later.
The design team, finding inspiration in the world
around them, incorporated different themes to define the look for each
series. The intent was to reflect a consumer lifestyle, from the sporty
XLT, to the confident, elegant Limited, to the sophisticated, urban
Platinum. Each series has unique finishes specially selected to reflect
the lifestyle and desires of the customer. For example, Expedition
Limited features refined yet traditional finishes, while for the
Platinum edition, the colors and material finishes are fresh and
sophisticated.
The Expedition exterior has been updated with an
all-new front end featuring available LED fog lamps for a fresh,
aggressive look.
An all-new wheel lineup including factory-installed
22-inch models, a redesigned rear hatch and subtle, chrome-tipped
exhaust pipes round out the exterior changes to the 2015 Expedition.
With this new model debuting at the DFW Auto Show –
deep in the heart of the full-size utility vehicle market – Ford is
building on a successful tradition of Expedition capability and quality
with significant improvements in design, performance, efficiency and
available technology.
Source: Ford.com
No comments:
Post a Comment