2008 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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2015 Ford Expedition

While the tide of bigger-is-better SUVs has been in recession since, well, the recession, fullsize utes are still very much with us. Conservative creatures that have been loathe to evolve, fullsize SUVs nonetheless remain enduringly popular among large families, livery customers, and anyone with lots of friends, relatives, and toys to tug around. With respect to Toyota and Nissan, the only players that really matter in the segment are the new-for-2015 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, the GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, and this truck: the Ford Expedition, the latest evolution of which we just drove for the first time at a press preview in West Virginia.
Unlike the General Motors utilities, the standard Expedition and the long-wheelbase Expedition EL are not all-new, but rather are heavily refreshed versions of the same basic truck Ford started selling way back in 2007. The front fascia is where most of the exterior update happens for 2015, with a new three-bar grille design, halogen projector headlamps, and new bumper design with available LED foglamps. Despite all the new bits, the facelift breaks exactly zero ground in terms of design; in fact, it already looks dated, and will only look older once the macho 2015 F-150 bows later this year. Even less has changed out back, where the tailgate gets a wide chrome band spanning the taillamps and a new chrome exhaust tip. Other exterior changes are generally limited to colors and an all-new wheel lineup that includes a gleaming set of six-spoke 22-inch polished wheels on high-end models.
Speaking of high-end models, a new Platinum trim is positioned above the cowboy-spec King Ranch model for 2015. Both the Platinum and King Ranch get their own color combos and exterior trim finishes (satin metal for the Platinum, chrome everywhere and ginormous badges for the King Ranch) and posh, leather-lined interiors with their own aesthetic. The Expedition family also now includes a price-leading XL model, as well as XLT and Limited grades.

Ken Block's Gymkhana 8 to feature Dubai Police cars?

Yesterday we showed you the shiny Ford Fiesta that Ken Block will slide, spin, and hoon through the next Gymkhana video. In case the image above isn't clear, that video will drop at midnight EST on February 30th on the Ford Performance YouTube channel. We don't know all the entire premise of the video yet, but this Tweet from the man himself reveals that the video will be set in Dubai. Block is standing on the Fiesta we saw yesterday, and arrayed behind him are a handful of those famous Dubai Police cars you're probably familiar with. The force has a fleet of sportscars and supercars, and the purpose is outreach and goodwill among its citizenry, not necessarily the pursuit of criminals. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. From left to right, we can see a Maserati GranTurismo, Porsche 911, what looks to be a Nissan GT-R obscured by Block's Fiesta, a McLaren (likely a 650S), Ford Mustang, and a Ferrari 599 of some ilk. Will they take part? Maybe Block will try and run from what might be the most horsepower-intensive police fleet in the world. We'll have answers (and a few minutes of pure Block hooniganism) in a few days. Related Video:

Ford recalls 125,000 Maverick, Escape, Corsair hybrids over fire risk

Ford is recalling more than 125,000 Maverick, Escape and Lincoln Corsair hybrids produced for the 2020-2023 model years to address a fire risk associated with failure of their internal combustion engines, which Ford says is happening with undue frequency. In the event of an engine block breach, oil and fuel vapors may collect under hood in places that would make them prone to ignition, meaning that an engine failure can do more than leave owners stranded.  "Isolated engine manufacturing issues have resulted in 2.5L HEV/PHEV engine failures involving engine block or oil pan breach," Ford said in its defect report to NHTSA. "In the event of an engine block or oil pan breach, the HEV/PHEV system continues to propel the vehicle allowing the customer to continue to drive the vehicle. As the customer continues to drive after a block breach, oil and/or fuel vapor continues to be expelled and accumulates near ignition sources, primarily expected to be the exhaust system." Per Ford, the "manufacturing issues" include poor machining of the engine crankshaft and contamination of engine block mating surfaces during assembly. The issue has been fixed in production, but 2.5-liter engines that escaped the factory with defects could be ticking time bombs. Ford's solution is to re-work the underhood components that allow combustible liquids and vapors near ignition sources. This way, the cars are better protected against immolation regardless of the circumstances. Signs of failure will be obvious, Ford says. Loud clanging or booming noises, a loss of power and smoke are all immediate signs that the customer should exit the roadway as safely and quickly as possible and shut the car down.  Owners should expect to receive notifications by the end of June or early July. They should begin circulating by mid-month. All remediation will be handled for the customer free of charge by their Ford dealerships.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid