Gas price anxiety or not, a lot of people need or want or think they need a full-size SUV, and Ford is counting on them to appreciate the new look and refined packaging of the 2007 Ford Expedition, and the altogether larger charms of the new Expedition EL extended model.
As two more excellent members of what I like to call the "sport-brute" club, the regular Expedition and the Expedition EL will be going up against incredibly stiff competition from the new lineup of such models from various GM brands.
Bad for GM and Ford, good for sport-brute buyers.
Expedition has been given "design cues" from Ford's enormously popular F-Series, which is good news if you like the look of that pickup.
What's good news for anyone who rides inside the new Expedition models is that they have interiors that feature "improved craftsmanship and impressive quietness."
The final big change is that all units bearing the Expedition name now get an improved chassis featuring Ford's AdvanceTrac stability control system and the firm's Roll Stability Control (RSC) program.
These changes were necessary because sport-brute buyers are maybe the "most demanding customers of all," says Cisco Codina, Ford's group vice-president of marketing, sales and service.
"They want uncompromised capability and unquestioned toughness," explains Codina, "along with interior flexibility and refinement. The new Expedition has been designed with unique customer appeal that makes it stand out in a competitive market."
For full-size SUV customers who want even more cargo-carrying capability, Codina adds, the new 2007 Expedition EL. With 376 mm of additional overall length, Expedition EL delivers 3.7 liters of cargo space and rides on a 3,992-mm wheelbase -- 304 mm longer than the standard Expedition -- to "preserve the base model's superior ride and handling."
Expedition's chief engineer, John Viera, says "We lengthened the wheelbase on the Expedition EL to add all that extra cargo capacity without compromising driving dynamics," says John Viera, Expedition chief engineer.
Expedition EL looks exactly like a regular Expedition from the front, but it is unique from the B-pillar (the post between the doors) back with its own floor pan, one-piece body side, running boards, rear fascia, roof rack, rear quarter glass, one-piece headliner and quarter panel trim. The second-row doors are also unique to improve the ingress and egress to both second and third rows.
In an effort to give both 2007 Expedition models a "new level of interior comfort, refinement and quality," Ford started with the seats, which now have improved contours, larger bolsters, softer cushions and upgraded materials to provide increased comfort on long trips.
The overall result, says Viera, is that "Expedition's all-new interior is as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans."
Improvements in quality, comfort and capability are evident throughout Expedition's interior, he claims, and each trim level features a distinctive, bold, modern look.
As two more excellent members of what I like to call the "sport-brute" club, the regular Expedition and the Expedition EL will be going up against incredibly stiff competition from the new lineup of such models from various GM brands.
Bad for GM and Ford, good for sport-brute buyers.
 |
| (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
What's good news for anyone who rides inside the new Expedition models is that they have interiors that feature "improved craftsmanship and impressive quietness."
The final big change is that all units bearing the Expedition name now get an improved chassis featuring Ford's AdvanceTrac stability control system and the firm's Roll Stability Control (RSC) program.
These changes were necessary because sport-brute buyers are maybe the "most demanding customers of all," says Cisco Codina, Ford's group vice-president of marketing, sales and service.
"They want uncompromised capability and unquestioned toughness," explains Codina, "along with interior flexibility and refinement. The new Expedition has been designed with unique customer appeal that makes it stand out in a competitive market."
For full-size SUV customers who want even more cargo-carrying capability, Codina adds, the new 2007 Expedition EL. With 376 mm of additional overall length, Expedition EL delivers 3.7 liters of cargo space and rides on a 3,992-mm wheelbase -- 304 mm longer than the standard Expedition -- to "preserve the base model's superior ride and handling."
Expedition's chief engineer, John Viera, says "We lengthened the wheelbase on the Expedition EL to add all that extra cargo capacity without compromising driving dynamics," says John Viera, Expedition chief engineer.
 |
| (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
In an effort to give both 2007 Expedition models a "new level of interior comfort, refinement and quality," Ford started with the seats, which now have improved contours, larger bolsters, softer cushions and upgraded materials to provide increased comfort on long trips.
The overall result, says Viera, is that "Expedition's all-new interior is as comfortable as your favorite pair of jeans."
Improvements in quality, comfort and capability are evident throughout Expedition's interior, he claims, and each trim level features a distinctive, bold, modern look.