Alleged 2013 info from factory worker - confirm?

[digitalH2O]

Originally I heard Ford was planning on a slight refresh for the 2013 model year, but today someone at a dealership who says he's in touch with a factory worker (not sure if that's true or not) who told him the 2013 will be a straight carryover from 2012.

I've been looking for information that deliniates what changes we can expect, and when. I'm in the market for a new Expy but you never know if it's worth the wait. For example, if I were in the market for a new Escape, I'd grab a 2012 because to me, the 2013 looks like a RAV4.

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[SOLISIMO]

Someone posted the sales figures on the expos through the years. The last 3 years were tanked. I don't think they would invest all that money into redesigning it when it isn't selling. Look at the trade in value of them vs an F150. My $60,000 expi is going for 16k at auction.

 

[digitalH2O]

You're right, and I checked for the Suburban's sales and they showed the same pattern. Though both had a slight uptick in 2010... maybe there's hope for the big SUVs after all? I'd hate to see the Expy go the way of the Excursion

 

[SOLISIMO]

Yeah but not even close in numbers compared to the 1st generations. Those were in the 100,000's if not more. The 3rd gens are I think 20k if that

 

[Thermo]

Current large SUVs will never return to the numbers of the 1st Gen X's. You are looking at the hayday of SUVs. that is when they were kings. Unless you can figure out a way to make a 7,000 pound truck get 30+ MPG, you are not going to see it again. Will the X go away, I don't see that happening. But, I can see them having a long time between updates in style. As it is, there is a nice routine that all of the manufacturers have fallen into that revolves around a 7-8 year cycle. that way, no 2 manufacturers are redesigning their trucks in the same year. Look at it. You will see what I am talking about. I am not talking about the little updates that they do here and there. I am talking about the complete redesigns.

 

[dougmcp]

With the popularity of the crew cab bodies the need for an Expy gets less and less. Anyone needing more than the 4 door version will have to go to a van.
IMO if they keep the Expy in the lineup it will be nothing more than an F-150 with a different back body.
Ford has resisted putting a diesel in these and if anything will just put an ecoboost motor in it like the pick up. The EPA mileage rules will eliminate this truck if they can't get the fuel economy up.

 

[Nathanialson 08]

The Ford dealer where I bought my Expy from said the V6 Ecoboost not being in the Expeditions is hurting Fords Expedition sales, they have a few customers that said they will wait for the Expeditions to recieve the V6 Ecoboost engine before they buy a new Expedition.

 

[digitalH2O]

A couple of great ideas there.

First, I think the Expy should be an F-150 with a different back. It's the 3rd row seat I'm after. I'd even buy an F-150 Expedition (like the old F-150 Rangers). Or call it the EX-150 for all I care

Also, an Ecoboost V6 in an Expedition sounds like a great idea. That would probably give a shot in the arm to Expedition sales and leave the Suburban in the dust.

 

[SOLISIMO]

I don't see the ecoboost coming in that big truck, no way

 

[digitalH2O]

How much heavier is the Expy than the F-150? I couldn't find the info on fors.com.

 

[SOLISIMO]

Don't really know but with the extra interior space and outer space of the el, it has to weight more. The 5.4 in that thing is already under powered as it is.

 

[digitalH2O]

I just found it. F-150 Supercrew 4x4 (6 1/2 foot bed) weighs about 40 lbs more than an Expedition (regular length) 4x4.

Meanwhile, the Expedition EL 4x4 weighs in 416 lbs more than the F-150 4x4.

Ecoboost would be a cool engine at least in the regular wheelbase Expy

 

[sgtowing]

But your talking empty weight. Gvw is more for the f150 than the Ex. If it can do more weight in an f150, it would do fine in an Ex or Ex el.

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[digitalH2O]

That's a good point. Empty, seems like they'd be pretty equal, but loaded to the max I think the Expy would still be fine if the F-150 is.

 

[tsingson]

There is only one way to find out if the Ecoboost would work in the Expedition....Ford?

 

[Thermo]

While I couldn't find any numbers on the 2012 Expy's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVRW) (ie, the maximum weight the truck can handle by itself), I would venture to guess that it is roughly 8,200 pounds (the same as the max for the F-150). The F-150 has an additional 2,100 pounds of towing ability (17,100 pounds of Gross Combined Vehicle Weight (GCVW)) over the Expy (15,000 pounds of GCVW). So, with that being said, atleast when you look at the capacities of the trucks, putting the Ecoboost engine into the Expy isn't limited by the capabilities of the truck. if anything, the F-150 would put more strain on the engine. I think the limiting factor in this is that in order to put the Ecoboost into the Expy, you have to have a mule truck sent to the EPA with the desired engine to be tested. This is a multi-million dollar investment. Now, you start figuring out how this is going to cost the bottom line with only 20,000 trucks a month being made, you are looking at a price increase of say $300 a truck. Now, in reality, not every truck is going to get the Ecoboost engine. So, now, to even break even on the testing alone, you are looking at having to charge a $1000 premium (or something like that) just to get the Ecoboost engine. For some people, that is enough to steer them away from that engine. Not to mention now you have to set up your assembly line to handle yet just one more variable in everything.

So, in short, I don't think it is a matter of being able to, I think it is more of an economical thing and following the KISS principle.

Please keep in mind that these numbers are based on maxing out the trucks with the proper equipment to allow them to achieve as much as possible (ie, max trailer tow packages, heavy duty packages, etc). Some trucks will have lower capabilities.

 

[sgtowing]

If they would go back to the way things were before when the f150 and the Ex shared everything from the second row forward, the redesign would not be that difficult.

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[Dib52]

According to the latest issue of Truck Trend or Motor Trend, can't remember which one I read it in...Lincoln Navigator will have the EB as an option in 2013.

 

[SourMashII]

I still get a lot of calls for Tahoes, and Suburbans.

IF that translates over to Ford sales as well, there is still a market, at least in the PNW.

Although (hate if you must, it's cool) I would probably go Durango Citadel Hemi over Ex...

Go drive one...

 

[sgtowing]

TRAITOR

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