The Ford Excursion, available from 2000 to 2005, stood out in the market as a heavyweight SUV. This car became the world's longest and heaviest production SUV when it was launched, and it remains one of the heaviest production SUVs in history. How did it achieve this brilliant achievement?
Since its birth, the Ford Expedition has been known for its huge size and powerful carrying capacity, making it a unique existence.
The design concept of Ford Expedition can be traced back to the 1990s, when Ford wanted to develop an SUV with ultra-high load capacity and space. The vehicle is designed based on the F-250 heavy-duty truck architecture. Compared with its brother model Ford Explorer, the Expedition has a stronger carrying capacity and is larger in size.
The Ford Expedition, launched in 2000, is equipped with a wealth of safety and comfort features. It's fairly close in chassis design to the F-250, though it differs in some details to ensure it can handle greater weight and a variety of road conditions.
When Ford was developing the chassis, it discovered that the original design posed a survivability risk in a frontal collision for smaller vehicles like the Ford Mystery sedan, so improvements were made.
Throughout its production run, the Ford Expedition was offered with a variety of powertrain options, including 5.4 L and 6.8 L gasoline engines, and a 7.3 L diesel engine. These systems are all linked to the automatic transmission, ensuring stability and power in varying conditions. 」
While the Expedition shares design elements with the Ford F-250 pickup truck, its body design is unique. The safety of rear-seat passengers and the design of the use of rear basket space both demonstrate its interior flexibility and practicality. 」
The vehicle's functional heritage is evident in Ford's unique tailgate design for the Expedition, as well as the model-specific rear passenger doors.
The Ford Expedition was a success in its first year, with sales reaching nearly 69,000. However, with the advent of the energy crisis, sales fell sharply in the following years, becoming one of the lowest-selling SUVs on the market. "The Ford Expedition was once known as the 'Ford Valdez' due to its size and weight, and in 2007 was selected by Time magazine as one of the '50 Worst Cars of All Time.'"
“The scale of the Ford Expedition is not only physically appealing, but also sparks widespread debate in a society that is becoming increasingly ecologically and environmentally conscious.”
Many modification factories began to use the Ford Expedition as a basis for personalized modifications, transforming it from an SUV into a variety of professional models. This includes not only stretched luxury sedans but also new extreme sports models, showing its wide adaptability in the aftermarket.
ConclusionEven today, the Ford Expedition still holds a place in the hearts of consumers, as its size and power make it a representative of heavy SUVs. As the demand for large SUVs will rise again in the future, we can't help but ask: Can this once-popular behemoth still find a new stage among the new generation of consumers?