2/23/14

Ford Reveals 2015 Expedition with EcoBoost Engine, Advanced Technology, New Platinum Series

2015 Ford Expedition will feature 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® engine popular in Ford F-Series; engine designed to deliver most powerful, fuel-efficient Expedition ever

  • Advanced technology in new Expedition includes Blind Spot Information System® with cross-traffic alert, electric power-assisted steering, SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, available suspension damping to improve passenger comfort; a new high-trim Platinum series debuts
  • Ford global utility vehicle sales rose 35 percent in 2013; Ford has
    been the leader in North America utility vehicle sales since 2011
The new 2015 Ford Expedition, revealed here today ahead of the 2014
DFW Auto Show, continues to represent the smart choice for people who
need a full-size utility vehicle that provides capable performance,
usable space and advanced technology.

Expedition now features Ford F-Series’ popular 3.5-liter EcoBoost®
engine, more technology than ever and a fresh new look. Launching later
this year, it is the latest Ford nameplate to offer a Platinum series.
Expedition is being shown for the first time in Texas, Ford’s largest
market by sales volume, and home to the top two cities for Expedition
sales – Dallas and Houston.

Expedition debuted in 1996
and is Ford’s largest utility vehicle. By most measures, it is a leader
in interior space, accommodating eight passengers. Two versions are
offered – the standard 119-inch wheelbase is just more than 6 inches
longer than Ford Explorer. It has three rows of seats and up to 108.3
cubic feet of cargo space. The longer-wheelbase version sits on a
131-inch wheelbase, and features three rows of seats and up to 130.8
cubic feet of cargo space.

Expedition’s independent rear suspension helps deliver more confident
ride and handling characteristics, and allows for the lower, more
convenient fold-flat third-row bench seat.

Both standard and EL versions of Expedition are built at Kentucky
Truck Plant in Louisville, alongside Ford’s popular Super Duty pickup.
Last month, the company confirmed plans to add more workers and invest
an additional $80 million in facility upgrades to improve automation and
increase capacity at the plant.

Ford is responding to strong customer feedback and introducing a
top-of-the-line Platinum series Expedition with unique, premium interior
appointments. The new vehicle features the latest popular technologies
like SYNC® with MyFord Touch®, push-button start and Blind Spot Information System®.
A new 3.5-liter, direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost delivers
more power and performance than the current 5.4-liter V8, and is
designed to be more efficient.

“This new Expedition is proof Ford is committed to remaining the
leader in utilities – small, medium and large,” said Jackie DiMarco,
Expedition chief engineer. “We listened to our customers and created a
full-size utility vehicle that doesn’t compromise in performance,
technology or design.”

Improved on the road

From the outset, engineers worked to make the 2015 Expedition a
technologically advanced vehicle that is easy to drive and offers
refinement for all types of drivers.

The new EcoBoost engine dramatically changes the driving
characteristics of Expedition. Compared with the 5.4-liter V8, the
3.5-liter EcoBoost gives drivers not just better fuel economy, but more
power and torque on demand at very low engine speeds.

“Expedition becoming the latest Ford utility vehicle to wear the
EcoBoost badge will be exciting for customers,” said Doug Scott, Ford
truck group marketing manager. “Increased torque and horsepower,
combined with new levels of efficiency and an advanced suspension not
only will make Expedition more fun to drive, but also easier to own.
This is another ‘and’ solution from Ford.”

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost
will be the only engine offered in the new Expedition in North America.
To maximize performance and control, the vehicle is equipped with a
six-speed SelectShift® automatic transmission featuring a
manual mode that allows the driver to use a shift-mounted rocker switch
to select the desired gear.

With EcoBoost now standard equipment across the 2015 Expedition
range, the entire U.S. lineup of Ford utility vehicles will be available
with EcoBoost power by the end of 2014.

New continuously controlled damping, available for the first time on a
Ford nameplate, will make Expedition the only Blue Oval-branded vehicle
in the United States with three selectable drive modes – comfort,
normal and sport.

Using a suite of sensors that detect 46 unique body, steering and
braking inputs, the advanced suspension monitors body motion and then
adjusts Expedition’s damping system in milliseconds to manage the
vehicle’s natural body motion. A vehicle with poor damping feels as if
it is bouncing on its suspension springs; continuously controlled
damping recognizes the weight of the vehicle, steering feedback and road
undulations and then reacts accordingly, helping to control body motion
so passengers experience an orderly, comfortable ride.

The new Expedition also features Ford’s innovative electric
power-assisted steering, which gives drivers noticeably improved
maneuverability at low speeds and better feel at high speeds, and saves
fuel because it operates more efficiently than traditional pump-driven
systems. The technology reduces steering effort and makes Expedition
more engaging to drive.

More technology customers want

The new Expedition debuts with popular technology upgrades consumers are
now demanding, including SYNC with MyFord Touch and driver-assist
features such as radar-based Blind Spot Information System with
cross-traffic alert.

The updated interior of Expedition incorporates a fresh center stack
to accommodate new technologies, such as an 8-inch touch screen for SYNC
with MyFord Touch. The driver information cluster features two
full-color 4.2-inch LCD screens.
Other new technologies on
the 2015 Expedition include a 10-speaker, 700-watt Sony audio system;
Intelligent Access with push-button start; rearview camera; seven-color,
interior ambient LED lighting; and Ford truck apps to help make trailer
towing and off-road driving easier.




Fresh style and design

The new Expedition pushes full-size utility vehicle design to a higher
level, with fresh interior and exterior styling and a diverse series
lineup – each with a distinct look and feel to give customers more
choice than ever. A Platinum trim package, which has been very
successful on Ford F-Series, will be available on Expedition for the
first time.

“The Platinum series brings Expedition into a whole new arena of
design and style,” said Scott. “One of the strengths of Expedition has
always been the different trim series we offer. From XLT to Limited and
now with Platinum, we have an Expedition that will fit any customer’s
needs.”

The Platinum series is tailored with lush leather seating described
by designers as buttery – soft and smooth to the touch. It’s available
in a new Brunello leather, a red wine color with tuxedo-stripe accents
and French-seamed stitching. Platinum customers can also choose black
leather with Agate Gray accents.
Beyond the new Platinum
series, the 2015 Expedition lineup includes the XLT, Limited and a new
King Ranch edition to be revealed later.

The design team, finding inspiration in the world around them,
incorporated different themes to define the look for each series. The
intent was to reflect a consumer lifestyle, from the sporty XLT, to the
confident, elegant Limited, to the sophisticated, urban Platinum. Each
series has unique finishes specially selected to reflect the lifestyle
and desires of the customer. For example, Expedition Limited features
refined yet traditional finishes, while for the Platinum edition, the
colors and material finishes are fresh and sophisticated.

The Expedition exterior has been updated with an all-new front end
featuring available LED fog lamps for a fresh, aggressive look.
An all-new wheel lineup
including factory-installed 22-inch models, a redesigned rear hatch and
subtle, chrome-tipped exhaust pipes round out the exterior changes to
the 2015 Expedition.

With this new model debuting at the DFW Auto Show – deep in the heart
of the full-size utility vehicle market – Ford is building on a
successful tradition of Expedition capability and quality with
significant improvements in design, performance, efficiency and
available technology.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company,
a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich.,
manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With
about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s
automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides
financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

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