Ford will be offering the Explorer in an SHO-like high-performance variant called the Explorer Sport for 2013. Bolted to the engine bay will be the same twin-turbo 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 found in the Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKS, among other models.
Ford hosted yet another driving event for the public, this time at the Dubai Festival City over the weekend. This latest “Ford Factor” event featured the Explorer, the Edge, the Taurus, the Figo, the F-150 and the all-new Focus.
We were offered a second round with the 2012 Ford Explorer to address some issues we had discovered with our previous abused grey-coloured test vehicle. So while we’ve already amended our original review to reflect that, we were now still left with a brand-new blue-coloured Explorer Limited for two days. So we did what we always do with extra time — conduct one of our legendary Economy Tests.
You might be wondering why we’re driving the new Ford Explorer again. Aside from still trying to figure out whether it is officially a 2011 or a 2012, we had some issues with our previous grey test vehicle due to earlier abuse. So Ford has now offered us a fresh new vehicle to play with.
Since we drove the new 2011-2012 Ford Explorer this month, before it even hit showrooms we might add, there has been many requests for more specs on the vehicle, such as available GCC trim levels and prices. As the first few vehicles trickle down to customers via UAE dealers, Ford has sent us the full spec sheets for the various Explorer versions.
Here is the closest look you’ll get at the 2012 Ford Explorer without having to step into a showroom. This walkaround video will give you a quick visual tour of the all-new SUV inside and out. Video by Faisal Khatib.
Who would’ve thought that the new Ford Explorer would be such a hot topic? But it is. The redesigned 2011 Explorer has been around for a year now, but only now has it reached the GCC. And what we have here is one of the first vehicles to land in the UAE, and we’re the first to review it. Incidentally, the first shipment is already sold out.
Ford Middle East hosted a three-day public event dubbed Can-A-Car at the end of July at the Dubai Autodrome. The event was aimed at publicising Ford’s latest American line-up, including the all-new 2012 Ford Explorer. And a fair number of visitors to the event happened to be our regular readers, though all of them showed up at different times on different days.
The all-new 2012 Ford Explorer, technically a 2011 model, is now on sale in the UAE. The dealers have been quietly taking orders for the new crossover since some time now. And we are probably among the first media people in the UAE to take an unofficial look at it in the showroom.
Ford has revealed its newest “pursuit-rated” vehicle, namely the 2012 Explorer Police Interceptor Utility, for police department units that need to haul more cargo or have a need for at least some offroad capability.