2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Concept

The Sport Trac promises to be wider by about 2 inches, plus nearly 5 inches longer than the current version, to make

While the Detroit prototype features 21-inch, 10-spoke rims riding on custom Goodyear tires, don't expect a wheel and tire package approaching anywhere near this diameter for production. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

allowances for a roomier cab and a more accommodating pickup box. Just how much larger is the cargo area? With its 227 liters (8.0 cu ft) increase it will be possible to haul a 25 to 30 percent larger load, for a total somewhere near 1,075 liters (38.0 cu ft).

There are a variety of factors that should allow the new Sport Trac to handle curves with better stability too, starting with its new independent rear suspension, to go along with the upgraded independent front system derived from the current Explorer, both of which are optimized by a ride height that's lowered by approximately 50 mm (2 inches). While the Detroit prototype features 21-inch, 10-spoke rims riding on custom Goodyear tires, don't expect a wheel and tire package approaching anywhere near this

"We wanted the Explorer Sport Trac concept to turn heads and to give it 'street cred'," said J Mays, Ford's global design chief. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

diameter for production, although their gunmetal gray color may see the light of day.

Large wheels and metal brightwork will be part of the production Sport Trac's look, however, to give it that customized look that's so popular among the current crop of pickup truck buyers.

"We wanted the Explorer Sport Trac concept to turn heads and to give it 'street cred'," said J Mays, Ford's global design chief. "This concept is as at home in an urban environment as it is hauling surf boards to the beach. Versatility is - and will continue to be - what Sport Trac is all about."