Ford new model gives iconic SUV ultimate combination of comfort

The vehicle that gave us room to roam reminds us that there is always room to grow and #ExploreMore.

Ford Explorer – the best-selling SUV in the United States for 25 years – reaches new heights with the Platinum edition, a well-appointed combination of the performance-minded Explorer Sport and comfort-designed Limited trim level. Ford Explorer Platinum will hit showrooms in September.

“For 25 years, Explorer has shaped what people expect from an SUV,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president and chief technical officer, Global Product Development. “With this new Explorer Platinum, we’re raising expectations.”

The new Explorer Platinum further elevates the three-row SUV in look and feel, with standard upgrades both inside and out. New multi-adjustable front seats wrapped in Nirvana leather with micro-perforation, industry-first 500-watt premium Sony® Audio System, smart driver-assist technologies and powerful 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6 engine advance Explorer in ways customers can see and feel.

“Platinum is the ultimate expression of refinement,” said Mike Arbaugh, Ford Explorer chief designer. “This is the most upscale, high-quality interior we’ve ever offered on a Ford vehicle in North America.”

Unbelievable comfort in an ‘unstoppable’ SUV
The interior employs the finest materials, including real aluminum and real ash wood multi-piece appliqués on door panels and instrument panel. A wood and leather-wrapped heated steering wheel showcases unique stitching that matches the stitching used throughout the interior.

Interior color options include Soft Ceramic or a new Ebony with Anthracite headliner combination. Nirvana leather wraps the instrument panel, console armrests, quilted door bolsters and upper door trim. The instrument cluster features a large 10-inch digital display supported with analog displays – a first for a Ford-brand vehicle.

For the first time in a Ford production vehicle, a brushed-aluminum Ford oval is centered on the steering wheel. Even the A-pillars are fabric-wrapped; every detail has been considered for the Platinum customer.

The new Explorer Platinum is the first Ford vehicle to get all-new 500-watt Sony Audio with Live Acoustics™ and Clear Phase™ technology. Live Acoustics re-creates the sound dynamics of some of the world’s greatest concert halls for more enveloping, more realistic sound. Clear Phase technology eliminates sound dispersion throughout the vehicle, so the music passengers hear is precisely pinpointed – just as the artist intended.

Explorer Platinum also gets standard smart technology features including enhanced active park assist, lane-keeping system and rain-sensing wipers. Along with popular parallel park assist, enhanced active park assist can now help drivers back the vehicle into a perpendicular spot.

For the exterior, signature lighting surrounds LED headlamps – giving the vehicle a continuous glow. Other features include a standard dual-panel moonroof, premium silver-painted front and rear skid plate elements, and 20-inch wheels with bright machined face and tarnished dark painted pockets.

“The Explorer name has long been synonymous with off-road capability,” said Craig Patterson, Ford utilities marketing manager. “Explorer Platinum continues that reputation and adds so much more.”

Building on the Explorer legacy
Since the 2016 Ford Explorer reached showrooms earlier this year, robust sales indicate the nameplate remains one of the strongest in the SUV segment. Through June 2015, sales of Explorer base, XLT, Limited and Sport models were at 20,377 units – a 30 percent year-over-year increase.

Platinum arrives hoping to build upon those numbers and continue Explorer’s 25-year run as America’s best-selling SUV. Introduced in 1990 as a 1991 model, Explorer featured generous interior space customers were looking for, and was engineered specifically for people seeking adventure for their families and a way to express their individuality.

Ford Explorer is sold in markets across the globe – built in North America at Chicago Assembly Plant, as well as in Venezuela and Russia. Ford exported more than 56,000 Explorers from the United States last year, and plans to export even more in 2015.

“Customers love Explorer, and they expect it to continue to lead the way in innovation, performance and fun,” said Arie Groeneveld, chief engineer for the new Explorer. “That’s the challenge we embraced when we set out to build the best SUV in the world.”
Source: Ford