Horse-drawn wagons that carried people west were the first SUVs in North America, so there was an obvious connection to the stage coach at the media launch of one of the newest sport-utility vehicles -- the 2003 Ford Expedition.
It's always seemed to me that vestigal memories associated with crossing the plains on the way to a new life in an unknown lad at least partly explains the attraction of vehicles like this.
Driving an Expedition maybe helps people connect with the homesteaders and the admirable character traits they displayed.
Or maybe modern people just like buying and driving big, aggressive-looking vehicles and that prairie schooner theory is just so much of the stuff that their horses left behind on that long journey.
Whatever the motivation, people are moving away from traditional cars to SUVs in increasing numbers, and the auto firms are working furiously to turn sloppy, crude, truck-based products into more accommodating models that keep the useful features of an SUV and package them with more car-like amenities and mannerisms.
Ford has certainly done that with its Expedition for 2003, ironing out most of the ungainly and unpleasant ride and handling attributes, and upscaling nearly everything else about the vehicle.
Despite the fact that it deserved to win the prestigious North American Truck of the Year award when it debuted in 1997, the outgoing Expedition now has a very ragged ride and handling design, compared to the competitive vehicles that have come out since then. That's how much the vehicles in this segment have improved.
Essentially, the old Expedition doesn't handle a curvy road with aplomb, and requires considerable attention and effort to keep it going straight the rest of the time.
It's always seemed to me that vestigal memories associated with crossing the plains on the way to a new life in an unknown lad at least partly explains the attraction of vehicles like this.
Driving an Expedition maybe helps people connect with the homesteaders and the admirable character traits they displayed.
Or maybe modern people just like buying and driving big, aggressive-looking vehicles and that prairie schooner theory is just so much of the stuff that their horses left behind on that long journey.
Whatever the motivation, people are moving away from traditional cars to SUVs in increasing numbers, and the auto firms are working furiously to turn sloppy, crude, truck-based products into more accommodating models that keep the useful features of an SUV and package them with more car-like amenities and mannerisms.
Ford has certainly done that with its Expedition for 2003, ironing out most of the ungainly and unpleasant ride and handling attributes, and upscaling nearly everything else about the vehicle.
Despite the fact that it deserved to win the prestigious North American Truck of the Year award when it debuted in 1997, the outgoing Expedition now has a very ragged ride and handling design, compared to the competitive vehicles that have come out since then. That's how much the vehicles in this segment have improved.
Essentially, the old Expedition doesn't handle a curvy road with aplomb, and requires considerable attention and effort to keep it going straight the rest of the time.