New Ford Full-Size SUV Coming Next Year

It's no secret that GM has been eating Ford's lunch with its Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL full-size sport-utes. The Ford Excursion has its fans, but it never attained big enough sales volumes to give the Suburban/Tahoe twins much to worry about.

To get back in the game, Ford is now working on an extended-length version of the 2007 Expedition that may carry the Everest name when it goes on sale late next year. As can be seen from our spy shots of the prototype, the overall shape of the Everest won't be drastically different from the current Expedition. Styling cues up front will most likely mimic the F-150, but the Everest doesn't appear to share the high beltline of Ford's best-selling pickup.

A close look at the spy pictures clearly shows that Ford will continue to use an independent rear suspension in its biggest SUVs. This almost assures that the automaker won't offer a heavy-duty version of the Everest as GM does with the Suburban/Tahoe.

Less clear is what will be under the hood. Original rumors had the Everest getting Ford's 6.2-liter Hurricane V8, but when that program died most speculation turned to the F-150's 5.4-liter V8 and possibly even a small displacement diesel power plant. The 300-hp, 5.4-liter looks to be the front-runner at this point, especially given Ford's stormy relationship with Navistar that resulted in the cancellation of a previous V6 diesel program. Some rumors have even suggested that Ford will go ahead and build a V6 diesel of its own, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Look for the debut of the Everest at the 2006 North American International Auto Show.

 

sigh.

another mom-mobile for suburbia.

 

Two words for another gas sucking suv from ford:

 

With Full-size SUV sales down i'm sure this will flop...

 

Although normally I would agree that launching another huge SUV is a poor decision, this SUV is a replacement for the discontinued Expedition and is not a second large SUV in Fords line up. Even though sales are slumping for large SUV's, Ford feels they cannot loose that part of the market share and it may be with good reason.

 

These tools ain't learning NOTHING. I hope they develop a hybrid or something. These dinasaurs need new life breathed in em...

 

It needs something better then the 5.4 liter V8 too.. otherwise it trully will be underpowered and have below average gas mileage... It should think about having a powerstroke diesel option as well. And for the love of god fix the awful trannies.

 

What's with all these corny engine names? What's next, 7.9L V8 Earthquake? LOL

 

wow... that looks like, well a big hefty bag...

 

wonder if this one will catch fire too

 

Don't joke about earthquakes, flip.......remember where you live.

Otherwise, I agree with you....the industry comes up with some weird names.

 

My first reaction after seeing these pictures, even more than the vehicle itself, is......here we go again.....the same old idiotic cover-up game with tape and bras. This crap gets a little long in the tooth after a while....the auto manufacturers (even Lexus) have been done this for far too long. It is like a four-year-old child trying to hide a piece of candy or an ice-cream cone behind his back from Mommy and Daddy.....that is about the mentality level. For an auto manufactureer to even consider something like this is to insult people's intelligence.

Is anybody with me on this or am I just a lone wolf crying in the wilderness?

Anyhow, robloc....thanks for posting them. Even the toddler mentality of the tape-bra cover-up is better than nothing. It gives us SOME idea of the finished product.

 

They already have an excursion, why put out another one?