The feeling of the interior is one of an upscale, premium vehicle, from the choice of materials to the high levels of fit-and-finish.
Make it look expensive: That was my goal for the new Explorer interior," said Mike Arbaugh, interior studio manager. "This is a vehicle that challenges higher-end SUVs like BMW X5 and Audi Q7, so the interior design, craftsmanship and fit-and-finish should play in that league."
The new Ford Explorer interior package is a best-of-both-worlds approach, combining premium European design cues - imparting a sense of driving dynamics - with a sophisticated and uniquely American familiarity. The graceful, seamless flow from instrument panel into the doors and the forward-leaning center stack reflect the sporty, European theme while the command seating position bestows the sense of security so important to SUV buyers.
The Ford Explorer interior package also reflects the latest iteration of Ford DNA storage thoughtfully arranged throughout the cabin, including clever spaces for everything active families like to take along.
As a designer and an audiophile, I'm really excited about the metal speaker grilles in the door panels," said Arbaugh. "They impart SUV ruggedness, they look technical and expensive, and they offer superior sound transparency."
Instrument and door panels all reflect soft-touch surfaces, making the Ford Explorer interior environment more pleasing from both aesthetic and tactile perspectives. Cloth interior surfaces - including the black headliner - are comprised of 25 percent recycled content. Seating foam from environmentally friendly soy-based content helps Ford Explorer keep it green.
"The modern design, soft-touch surfaces and chrome accents harmonize to give the new Explorer an upscale aura we think customers will really appreciate in a three-row, fully capable SUV," said Arbaugh. "The media hub and MyFord Touch™ driver connect technology not only reflects SUV buyer lifestyles, it enhances them."
World-class craftsmanship
The new Ford Explorer elevates the importance of SUV fit-and-finish, not just for North American customers but on a global stage. Ford Explorer is the most exported North American nameplate in the Ford brand portfolio. To that end, the 2011 Explorer was designed and developed to exceed not only North American standards, but global standards for the execution of interior surfaces and the absence of protruding edges.
Meeting these global standards called for tighter surface margin gaps and tolerances, equal to or better than Audi. While this presented some challenges for the interior design team, it also served to underpin the advance in Ford Explorer interior craftsmanship and quality.
A global internal Ford craftsmanship and quality process was instituted with Ford Explorer development, providing metrics and benchmarks to include better quality materials, with enhanced focus on how well interior and exterior parts come together.
Taken to new heightsAs part of Ford's global product development system, Ford Explorer was subject to extreme testing while still in the virtual computer-aided design phase. Issues identified and addressed in the virtual realm help deliver a higher quality vehicle when prototype build begins. Then these running prototypes are tested and validated to ensure that the attributes targeted at the outset are delivered for customers.
The Ford Explorer vehicle engineering team took prototypes over Colorado's 13,114-foot Imogene Pass, buried them in deep sand in the California desert, carved through snow in Minnesota and Northern Michigan, traversed a slippery red clay mud bog in Alabama, and logged countless development and validation miles at both Arizona and Michigan proving grounds.
The goal: Deliver a durable, high-quality, fully capable and fuel-efficient SUV for today's customers in more than 90 countries around the world.
Quietly capableThe 2011 Ford Explorer was designed and developed to deliver best-in-class levels of NVH control and to rival premium SUVs in quietness. Customer research told the Ford Explorer development team that the interior of an SUV should be serene and soothing.
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