Ford Motor Company is set to have a year of big reveals, promising numerous new model debuts around the globe as the year goes on. While the 2015 Mustang and F-150 are getting most of the hype, there are plenty of other Fords that will see big changes.
The Expedition has been wearing the same basic look since about 2004, and has even carried mostly the same drivetrain since that time as well. Long past due for a big update, Ford is rolling out a new Expedition for the 2015 model year, and there are big changes in store for Ford’s largest SUV.
First will be where the Expedition is being built. Production of this truck SUV is moving to Louisville, Kentucky, where Ford recently pledged 80 million dollars in upgrades to the Kentucky Truck Plant, one of two Ford plants in that city. The all new Expedition will be built alongside Ford’s super duty trucks
Perhaps the biggest change however, is the death of the 5.4 liter engine. In the life of the Expedition we’ve seen it offered with both the 4.6 and 5.4 liter engines. With Ford’s EcoBoost 3.5 V6 making more power and torque than many of the company’s older V8s, and the ever-encroaching higher CAFE standards on the horizon, this move makes sense. The EcoBoost engine will be the only engine for the Expedition. If it’s performance in the F-150 is any example however, it should offer excellent power in a package that can also deliver decent fuel economy while cruising.
Ford is also offering Active Damping suspension on the Expedition, a feature previously not offered on any other Ford vehicle. This could be a sign of things to come, throughout the model range. An array of 46 inputs monitors driving conditions and allows the suspension to continuously adapt. Needless to say we’d like to see this become available on more than just Ford trucks.
The 2015 Expedition will make it’s public debut at the upcoming Dallas Fort-Worth auto show, the biggest market for this SUV. This should be another big hit for Ford, and now we know of at least one other new model debuting this year.