Ford Seeks Diversified Customer Base With Addition of EcoBoost Explorer
The 290-hp V-6 is best-suited for consumers looking for “capability,” while the 237-hp direct-injected turbocharged EcoBoost I-4 holds appeal for those less interested in heavy-duty performance, the auto maker’s top marketer says.
ROMEO, MI – Ford expects to draw two types of car buyers for its ’12 Explorer SUV with the addition of a 2.0L inline 4-cyl. EcoBoost engine, which it says complements the 3.5L V-6 currently offered in the vehicle.
The 290-hp V-6 is best-suited for consumers looking for “capability,” while the 237-hp direct-injected turbocharged EcoBoost I-4 holds appeal for “a family, or a commuter” less interested in heavy-duty performance, Eric Peterson, Explorer marketing manager, tells WardsAuto at a media event here.
’12 Explorer with EcoBoost gets 28 mpg on highway.
The I-4 Explorer puts out respectable power but is available in front-wheel drive only, while the V-6 version offers optional all-wheel drive, making it suitable for off-road.
Additionally, the Explorer with EcoBoost has a tow rating of just 2,000 lbs. (907 kg), a far cry from the V-6’s 5,000-lbs. (2,268-kg) capacity. “If (customers are) looking to tow or haul, they should look at the V-6,” Peterson says.
The FWD V-6 is rated at 17/25 mpg (13.8-9.4 L/100 km), while the AWD version achieves 17/23 mpg (13.8-10.2 L/100 km).
Buyers opting for the 4-cyl. EcoBoost benefit from the mill’s more efficient 20/28 mpg (11.7-8.4 L/100 km) fuel-economy rating, but must pay an extra $995 for the engine.
Peterson is unsure what the take rate will be for the Explorer with EcoBoost. But he says it is unlikely to equal the F-150’s V-6 EcoBoost version. Some 41% of F-150 buyers are opting for EcoBoost, Ford says.
“I don’t think it will be that high on Explorer because (there is) no AWD,” Peterson says. “You already are (eliminating) 40%-50% of the potential volume because of that.”
However, those who do choose EcoBoost are more likely to buy a premium trim level, which should make up for a lower take rate, he says.
Online interest in the EcoBoost-equipped Explorer, arriving at dealerships this week from Ford’s Chicago assembly plant, is running high, particularly on social-media sites such as Facebook, Peterson says.
Dealers anxiously are awaiting EcoBoost models, as well. “They think it opens up more potential for (the) Explorer,” he says.
Sales of the new Explorer, which is based on a car platform rather than on a truck chassis like previous generations, have been strong. July sales surged 115% year-over-year to 9,897 units, according to WardsAuto data.
Peterson says a marketing campaign for the EcoBoost Explorer is under way and likely will encompass multiple mediums. “We’re working on some grassroots campaigns and our advertising options now,” he says.
Stocks of EcoBoost Explorers will build up slowly, “so we’ll develop our (marketing plans) further out into the year.”
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