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.
While most manufacturers these days are too busy either refining their V8 engines for maximum efficiency, or refining the interior appointments by increasing the size of their in-dash touchscreens, Ford seems to be heading for a different dimension altogether as evident in their latest Evos Concept.
So I racked up another 10,000 kms on my Mondeo, and it was time to visit the dealer again for a service -– a major one this time. The major-service interval for the Mondeo falls every 50,000 km; my car which has done a tad less than 40,000 km, has gone through the major service. For those who bothered to follow the previous long term reports of this car, the story behind doing a 50,000-km service despite car doing only 40,000 kms will be nothing new.
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.
American rally driver Ken Block is back with yet another installment of his flamboyant Gymkhana series. This time, he drives his 2011 Ford Fiesta rally car through Hollywood studio lots. Try to identify all the movie references in the opening credits, and wait for the surprise ending.
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.
So its summer time again – a period of nature’s harshness which is inevitable. And hence it was time for me to test one aspect of my Mondeo, which is actually a factor majorly considered when it comes to purchasing cars anywhere in the Middle East – the air-conditioner.