Expedition Timberline with BlueCruise - Yes. (apparently, maybe) - And... Interior Colors?

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Timberline

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I have spent more time than I should searching for this information. Only one reference was found on the entire interweb about Timberline/BlueCruise, from Forbes 'Wheels'.

It seems all the references to the Platinum Edition being the only Expedition version with BlueCruise means that the Platinum Edition is the only one that will include the initial subscription as part of the purchase price. (see below)
I should just call a dealer. They will take an order, so they must have answers to questions like this.
Still, I'd rather know all I need to know before beginning the tortuous salesperson conferences.

According to Forbes...
The system (BlueCruise) will be standard on the Platinum but available in some of the other Expedition trims. The hardware that makes it work will be included in every Expedition that comes with adaptive cruise control, but the system will be available by subscription. “The future will be subscription based,” said Ford SUV Program Director Bill Gubing in the Expedition Q&A.
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Timberline High Package 501A includes Adaptive Cruise Control.
Has anyone already placed an order and can confirm availability of BlueCruise via subscription with Expedition Timberline?
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Deleted my question in this post seeking clues about interior colors. One topic per post is enough. :)

-Possible Future Timberline Owner
 
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Trainmaster

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On the 2021 F-150's and electric "Mustangs" the optional BlueCruise hands free driving (only on specific roads) is free for three years and then turns into a "subscription service". Pay-as-you-go I guess. Might well be obsolete and unsupported not long after that. I think that most people will still be paying it off.
 

LokiWolf

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This is what I have been saying since the 2022 was released. Everybody said I was wrong. I own a 2021 Job2 F150 Lariat PowerBoost(Hybrid) and it came from the factory with Bluecruise. I get it for 3 years, then will have to pay.

The Lariat trim wise is equivalent to the Limited on the Expedition as far as options, and feel. I wholeheartedly believe the Limited with the digital dash will have the option for BlueCruise. Only time will prove me right or wrong.
 

balthisar

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I’m not so sure. Order guide mentions 360 Active for the Platinum. I’d love to step down to a Stealth, or even Timberline if it were Max.
 

rd618

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I don't think bluecruse is coming on the limited or XLT (at least not the 9k 304A package). If you look online at ford's website or the youtube early reviews, to the left of the 15.5 center screen you will see a sensor that has IR and cameras to monitor your gaze. Those sensors are not included on the same 15.5 inch Timerberline or Limited models. not to say that can't change.
This is likely a play to differentiate models, much like GM does between Yukon and Tahoe, Ford needs the Expy to compete with both trims.

Limited 304a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgqPO6H3xjI&t=519s (minute 7:17)
Platinum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwaKHmQBJFU (minute 7:56)
 

ktreem

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I placed an order for a limited max stealth performance package and my dealer told me that as far as they know the bluecruise will only be on the platinum package.
 

LokiWolf

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I placed an order for a limited max stealth performance package and my dealer told me that as far as they know the bluecruise will only be on the platinum package.
Yep, cause the Dealer always knows...HaHa!
 

LokiWolf

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I don't think bluecruse is coming on the limited or XLT (at least not the 9k 304A package). If you look online at ford's website or the youtube early reviews, to the left of the 15.5 center screen you will see a sensor that has IR and cameras to monitor your gaze. Those sensors are not included on the same 15.5 inch Timerberline or Limited models. not to say that can't change.
This is likely a play to differentiate models, much like GM does between Yukon and Tahoe, Ford needs the Expy to compete with both trims.

Limited 304a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgqPO6H3xjI&t=519s (minute 7:17)
Platinum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwaKHmQBJFU (minute 7:56)
Good videos, I hate the guy, but good luck at the stuff. The Platinum definitely had the cameras to the left of the display, and on the door. Hoping there will be an option for it.
 

carnevallemarcelo

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When I placed my order, the blue cruise option was not available at the dealer other than in the Platinum.

This is confirmed by the video, order guide and even Ford website.

Therefore it seems In the first model year the Blue Cruise will be only available in the Platinum. I strong believe they will bring it later as optional to other trims - maybe MY 2023 ?

The 2023 will have one modification that I learned from a supplier : ventilated in additional of the heated 2nd row seats.
 
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Timberline

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New Discoveries.
That Stealth 304A (Highest Level Stealth Package) in the video referenced above by rd618 (which clearly shows there to be no eye-tracking IR cameras for BlueCruise) appears to not include the Adaptive Cruise Control (according to Order Guide) mentioned by Ford's Mr. Gubing as being the 'magic ingredient' that allows BlueCruise to be offered as a subscription.

HOWEVER, the Timberline High Package 501A does include Adaptive Cruise Control.
AND...
The eye detection camera sensors ARE in the photographs (and videos?) of some (or at least one) preproduction Timberline Expeditions!
I kid you not.

--------
NOTE: I am starting to believe that the more important & more current full designation is
Ford Co-Pilot 360 Active 2.0
instead of
Ford Co-Pilot 360 Assist 2.0
when it comes to determining if a Ford vehicle is completely 'set up' for BlueCruise subscriptions.
--------
To avoid reading all the mumbo jumbo I typed below, quite simply...
It appears in preproduction vehicle(s) and some early promotion materials (and from at least one quote from Ford's top SUV guy), there was the anticipation of making higher-end 2022 Expeditions (in addition to Platinums) capable of subscribing to BlueCruise, even though 3 years of the service would not be included immediately with purchase as is the case with the Platinum.
I now have my doubts that those plans are being carried through to production vehicles.
--------

Dealer sales representative just called me back as I was typing.
He has no definitive answers really, but some text he read from (not the Order Guide) was not encouraging.
His initial response was to suggest that he believed it would be a subscription option on some Expeditions beyond the Platinum.
I told him why I was skeptical of that idea currently, and I challenged him to get me a definitive answer.
Amusingly, he first suggested he could not do that.
I explained I was not going to give up 75,000 dollars until I had an answer.
He changed his tune a bit.
(I strongly dislike buying cars.)

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For your continuing amusement (if you wish to dig deeper) ...
Photo of Timberline Dash with that eye-tracking IR camera that is also seen in Platinum images.
Top middle of photo, just to the left of the big dash screen.

One problem is that some photos on the web are mislabeled.
Understandably so. The gray Stealth interior with red stitching looks a lot like the preproduction dark green with ember stitching in the Timberlines.

Another problem I have found is that a lot of video presentations are using interior shots provided by Ford interchangeably. They may be discussing one version of the Expedition with the host in a scene and then showing B-Roll or a photo of a completely different version of the vehicle. It requires careful consideration to determine what you are looking at in some videos.

Keep in mind, BlueCruise 'if available' in a Timberline would ONLY be available on the higher end Timberline package.

'Timberline' video using same photo from above.
At precisely 1:35, the video (which is really only showing photos) cuts from a lower end Expedition dash (with no camera housing and smaller screen - this might be a Stealth package, but could be a lower end Timberline package) to the high end Timberline dash (with eye detection camera housing to the left and the 15" screen - and definitely not a Platinum dash.)

Now for some clearly bad news...
This next video seems to show a newer preproduction Dark Matter Gray (or is that still green - just in shadow) Expedition Timberline (with a gray interior - I think that is gray), and it has the larger screen indicating it should be a higher end 501A Timberline, but...
this Timberline DOES NOT HAVE THE CAMERA SENSOR.

That possibly 'newer' (just turned up online in recent days in one new video) preproduction gray Timberline is particularly discouraging, as it could be arguably more representative of a production vehicle.

The most plausible truth...
Timberlines (of any sort) in 2022 will likely not support BlueCruise.
 
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