Ford Excursion

Ford Excursion

2000-2004 Ford Excursion
Overview
Manufacturer Ford
Production 1999–2005
Assembly Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Body and chassis
Class Full-size SUV
Body style 4-door SUV with lift gate and 2 dutch doors[1]
Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Related Ford Super Duty
Powertrain
Engine 5.4 L Triton V8 gas
6.8 L Triton V10 gas
7.3 L Powerstroke V8 turbodiesel
6.0 L PowerStroke V8 turbodiesel
Transmission 4-speed automatic
5-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 137.1 in (3,482 mm)
Length 226.7 in (5,758 mm)
Width 2000–01: 80.0 in (2,032 mm)
2002–05: 79.9 in (2,029 mm)
Height 4WD: 77.2 in (1,961 mm)
2WD: 74.8 in (1,900 mm)
Curb weight 7,688 lb (3,487 kg) (Turbodiesel)
7,230 lb (3,280 kg) (Gas)
Chronology
Predecessor Ford Bronco
Successor Ford Expedition EL/Max

The Ford Excursion is a heavy duty, full size sport utility vehicle that was produced by Ford from 1999 through 2005 for the North American market and through 2006 for Mexico. Based on the heavy-duty, full-size Super Duty line of trucks, the Excursion was Ford's largest SUV in its lineup, and the largest and heaviest on the North American market during the tenure of its production. It competed mainly against the lighter duty Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL 1500 and 2500 models.[2]

Overview

2005 Ford Excursion

The Excursion was introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model-year vehicle. It was described as the "biggest sport utility on the planet."[3] Sales were initially good, peaking in the 2000 model year with over 50,000 sales. However, as gasoline prices rose, sales declined.[4] The Excursion's large size and poor fuel economy led to it being dubbed the Ford Valdez by The Sierra Club,[5] in reference to the Exxon Valdez supertanker, and in 2007 TIME Magazine selected it as one of the Fifty Worst Cars of All Time.[6]

Industry insiders expected Ford to stop producing the Excursion, but sales continued through the 2005 model year. 2005 model grills and bumpers were changed to match the newer styling of the Super Duty trucks.

The last Excursion was produced on September 30, 2005, at Ford's Louisville plant, although the last Excursions were sold as 2006 models for the Mexican market. Production of the Excursion was canceled to focus on Super Duty pickup trucks.[7]

An extended-length Expedition half-ton, named the Expedition EL (Max in Canada and Mexico) replaced the Excursion in the company's lineup for the 2007 model year.

Design

Concept

Designed for buyers with super-sized passenger, interior cargo and towing needs, the Excursion design was based on the 1999 F250 Super Duty line of pickup trucks. It shares the front frame, front and rear suspension, drivetrain, steering and styling with the F250. The length, width, track and wheelbase are the same as the standard cab 8 feet bed Styleside pickup models and has similar maneuverability. It is essentially a F250 modified into a SUV.[8]

Drivetrain

An Excursion in use as an emergency vehicle

Engines included the standard gasoline Triton 5.4 L V8, as well as the optional gasoline Triton 6.8 L V10, and the Power Stroke 7.3 L V8 diesel engine. The 2003 models replaced the 7.3 L International diesel with the 6.0 L International diesel.

A 4-speed 4R100 automatic transmission was the standard transmission for all years of gas engines and the 7.3 diesels. Later vehicles equipped with the 6.0 liter diesel came with a 5 speed Torqshift transmission. [9]

The 5.4 L Triton V8 was rated at 255 hp (190 kW; 259 PS) and 350 lb·ft (475 N·m). The 6.8 L Triton V10 produced 310 hp (231 kW; 314 PS) and 425 lb·ft (576 N·m). The 6.0 L Powerstroke Diesel was rated at 325 hp (242 kW; 330 PS) and 560 lb·ft (759 N·m). The rear axle for all Excursions was a Sterling 10.5 axle. The four wheel drive models were equipped with a NV273 transfer case and Dana 50 front axle.

The powertrain components are the same as those offered in the Super Duty truck.

Fuel economy

Built using the same platform and powertrain as the Super Duty (a line of trucks over 8,500 lb (3,900 kg) GVWR), the Excursion received complaints and criticism over its fuel economy as a passenger vehicle, while Super Duty line-up did not. [10]

The Excursion was designed to be classified as a heavy-duty vehicle, with a GVWR of 8,900 lb (4,000 kg) when equipped with gasoline engines, and 9,200 lb (4,200 kg) with equipped with diesel engines. Reviewers cite fuel economy in the range of 12-15mpg.[11]

Blocker beam

The Excursion was modified to include an under-bumper blocker beam device first developed by the French transportation ministry in 1971.[12] This was because initial crash testing resulted in the Excursion severely over-riding a Ford Taurus in a head-on collision. In the test, the Excursion's tire ended up in the Taurus's windshield, reducing the chance of survival for the Taurus driver.[12]

Trims

The truck uses code U4 in the 5th and 6th positions of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

In 2003 the Excursion saw the availability of an upmarket Eddie Bauer trim line.

Yearly U.S. sales

Calendar Year Total American sales
1999[13] 18,315
2000 50,786
2001[14] 34,710
2002[15] 29,042
2003 26,259
2004[16] 20,010
2005 16,283

References

  1. ↑ Consumer Guide Editors (2001). Consumer Guide Automobile Book, 2001. Publications International. p. 100. Retrieved 2015-07-27.
  2. ↑ McCosh, Dan, ed. (November 1999). "Big, bigger, biggest". Popular Science 255 (5): 48. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  3. ↑ "Big, bigger, biggest". Popular Science 255 (5): 48. November 1999. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  4. ↑ "Ford Excursion Review". Edmunds. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  5. ↑ The San Diego Earth Times, March 1999: Ford's new gas-guzzling SUV wins the "Exxon Valdez" award from the Sierra Club
  6. ↑ TIME Magazine: The 50 Worst Cars of All Time
  7. ↑ Stone, Matt; Matras, John (2006). 365 Cars You Must Drive. MBI Publishing. p. 144. ISBN 9780760324141. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  8. ↑ Ford source books, 1999 through 2005 : Ford body builders book, 1999 through 2005  : Ford Shop manual, 1000 through 2005
  9. ↑ 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Ford Truck/SUV source books
  10. ↑ Neil, Dan (2007-09-07). "The 50 Worst Cars of All Time". Time. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  11. ↑ Weitzman, Larry (2000). "The Ford Excursion, It doesn't get any Bigger". Theautochannel.com. Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  12. 1 2 Bradsher, Keith (2004). High and mighty: the dangerous rise of the SUV. PublicAffairs. p. 199. ISBN 978-1-58648-203-9. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  13. ↑ "Ford Motor Company Sets New Full Year U.S. Sales Record". Theautochannel.com. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  14. ↑ "Ford Motor Company's December U.S. Sales Climb 8.2 Percent" (PDF). Ford Motor Company. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
  15. ↑ "Ford's F-Series Truck Caps 22nd Year in a Row as America's Best-Selling Vehicle With a December Sales Record". Theautochannel.com. 2004-11-17. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  16. ↑ "Ford Achieves First Car Sales Increase Since 1999". Theautochannel.com. 2004-11-17. Retrieved 2009-04-28.

External links

Media related to Ford Excursion at Wikimedia Commons

« previous - Ford Motor Company light truck timeline, United States & Canada, 1980s–present
Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
0123456789 0123456789 0123456789 0123456
Crossover Compact Escape Escape Escape
Mid-size Edge Edge
Full-size Freestyle Taurus X Explorer
Flex
Sport-utility vehicle Compact Bronco II Bronco II
Mid-size Explorer Explorer Explorer Explorer
Full-size Bronco Bronco Bronco Expedition Expedition Expedition
Excursion Expedition EL/Max
Pickup truck Compact Courier Ranger Ranger Ranger Ranger
Mid-size Explorer Sport Trac Explorer Sport Trac
Full-size F-Series (all) F-Series (all) F-Series (all) F-150/F-250 F-150 F-150 F-150
SVT Lightning SVT Lightning SVT Raptor
Super Duty Super Duty Super Duty
Van Compact MPV Transit Connect Transit Connect
C-MAX
Minivan Aerostar Aerostar
Windstar Windstar Freestar
Full-size Econoline Econoline/E-Series
Transit
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, January 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.