I asked Amko Leinart, Ford Europe’s director of design, why Ford used VW’s throttle controls in both the Explorer and Capri, and he told me that Ford worked with a partner to get better response on the sliders. (But I won’t tell. How), then admitted that “we tried to improve it a little bit – and I think we did – but at the same time, it is what it is. VW is our supplier on some parts. There is, and that’s when we had to make that choice.”
That’s a shame, because these decisions, made on balance sheets and in meeting rooms, can kill perfectly good cars. And in the Explorer’s case it’s mixed because it’s a good EV, quiet on the road, and has a good range and a unique, winning exterior.
Courtesy of Ford
I think project delays mean the Explorer and Capri miss their window of opportunity and potentially better competing options land at the wrong time for Ford – but above all with a focus on range, and corners in development. By trying to cut time, the gamble didn’t quite pay off. And then trying to avoid charging around £54,000 (about $68,500) for the top-of-the-range model, things get even trickier.
Jim Farley is a smart man, and I’m sure he looked at the Explorer and the Capri, and then looked at his Xiaomi, and realized that there was a better way for Ford to deal with EVs than to build on rivals’ platforms. But then there’s the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires that in 2025 at least A quarter of new cars Those sold by UK manufacturers are emission-free. Ford needs to sell more EVs and faster. This is a tough circle to square.
I know Ford’s focus is on hybrids right now, but given the successes of the F-150 Lightning and Mach-E, and all the elements celebrated in the EU-only Explorer, hopefully we’ll see one. . More full-EV action from the company in 2025. Just make it Ford-made, and accessible to all—then surely it can’t be lost.
