Ford is going for the street-rod look with this peek at the next generation of its sport-utility truck. The concept is painted Moonlight and includes polished aluminum accents on the grille, fog lights, and exhaust tips. It rolls on stealth 21-inch, 10-spoke aluminum wheels reminiscent of those on the {{{Mitsubishi Lancer}}} Evo MR. "We wanted the Explorer Sport Trac concept to turn heads and to give it 'street cred'," said J Mays, group vice president, Global Design. "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."
Measurements compared to the current Sport Trac grow close to five inches in length and two inches in width, while the truck rides two inches lower. The larger interior is two-toned in Light Ice Blue and Midnight Navy, and the pickup bed has grown by about 30 percent.
Jealous Mustang drivers may note that this concept has an independent rear suspension helping put down the power from the 4.6-liter V-8.
The Sport Trac concept also features the Roll Stability Control system that we've already seen on the Volvo XC90 and Lincoln's Navigator and Aviator. This could prove a useful feature on any Explorer, considering the model's sometimes upsetting history.